2 Chronicles 35: Josiah's great Passover, and his last battle at Megiddo
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Josiah keeps a Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem on the fourteenth day of the first month. He sets the priests and Levites in their places, and he, his officials and the leaders of the Levites give animals for the Passover offerings. The Passover and the feast of unleavened bread are kept, and the text says no Passover like it had been kept in Israel since Samuel. Later Neco king of Egypt comes up to fight at Carchemish, Josiah goes out against him at Megiddo and is shot by archers, and he dies in Jerusalem and all Judah mourns him.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words of his own in this chapter. In verses 3 to 6 Josiah speaks to the Levites; verse 6 mentions Yahweh's word by Moses, but those are Josiah's words. In verse 21 Neco king of Egypt sends messengers with his words, saying that God has commanded him to hurry; they are Neco's words as the messengers bring them, not God's own words in this chapter. Verse 22, in the narrator's voice, calls them "the words of Neco from the mouth of God". In verse 23 Josiah speaks to his servants. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Josiah kept a Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem. They killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
In plain English: Josiah kept a Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem. They killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
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2He set the priests in their offices and encouraged them in the service of Yahweh’s house.
In plain English: He set the priests at their duties and encouraged them in the service of Yahweh's house.
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3He said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to Yahweh, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built. It will no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve Yahweh your God and his people Israel.
In plain English: He said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to Yahweh, "Put the holy ark in the house that Solomon the son of David king of Israel built. It will no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve Yahweh your God and his people Israel.
Good to know: The text says only "Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built". says the priests brought the ark into its place in the inner sanctuary of the house. This verse does not say where the ark had been since then, or why it is to be put in the house now.
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4Prepare yourselves after your fathers’ houses by your divisions, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.
In plain English: Prepare yourselves by your fathers' houses, by your divisions, as David king of Israel wrote and as Solomon his son wrote.
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5Stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of your brothers the children of the people, and let there be for each a portion of a fathers’ house of the Levites.
In plain English: Stand in the holy place by the divisions of the fathers' houses of your brothers the sons of the people, and let there be for each a part of a fathers' house of the Levites.
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6Kill the Passover lamb, sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your brothers, to do according to Yahweh’s word by Moses.”
In plain English: Kill the Passover, make yourselves holy and prepare for your brothers, to do as Yahweh's word said by the hand of Moses."
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7Josiah gave to the children of the people, of the flock, lambs and young goats, all of them for the Passover offerings, to all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bulls. These were of the king’s substance.
In plain English: Josiah gave to the sons of the people, from the flock, lambs and young goats, all of them for the Passover offerings, for everyone who was present, thirty thousand in number, and three thousand bulls. These were from the king's property.
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8His princes gave a free will offering to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the rulers of God’s house, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand six hundred small livestock, and three hundred head of cattle.
In plain English: His officials gave a freewill offering for the people, the priests and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel, the leaders of God's house, gave the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand six hundred (small livestock; see the note) and three hundred cattle.
Good to know: In the Hebrew the numbers "two thousand six hundred" here and "five thousand" in come with no animal named; the cattle are named after them. This Bible adds "small livestock". Verse 7 names "lambs and young goats" for the king's gift. The text does not total the gifts.
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9Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for the Passover offerings five thousand small livestock and five hundred head of cattle.
In plain English: Conaniah, and Shemaiah and Nethanel his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel and Jozabad, the leaders of the Levites, gave the Levites for the Passover offerings five thousand (small livestock; see the note) and five hundred cattle.
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10So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites by their divisions, according to the king’s commandment.
In plain English: So the service was arranged. The priests stood at their place and the Levites at their divisions, by the king's command.
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11They killed the Passover lambs, and the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from their hands, and the Levites skinned them.
In plain English: They killed the Passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites skinned the animals.
The Hebrew word: "Passover" is pesach, which the dictionary gives as "used only technically of the Jewish Passover (the festival or the victim)". This Bible says "Passover" in all 46 verses that use the word.
Good to know: Verse 6 tells the Levites to "Kill the Passover". Here the text says "they killed the Passover", that the priests sprinkled the blood they received from their hands, and that the Levites skinned the animals. It does not say more about who killed each one.
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12They removed the burnt offerings, that they might give them according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of the children of the people, to offer to Yahweh, as it is written in the book of Moses. They did the same with the cattle.
In plain English: They set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the divisions of the fathers' houses of the sons of the people, to bring near to Yahweh, as it is written in the book of Moses. They did the same with the cattle.
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13They roasted the Passover with fire according to the ordinance. They boiled the holy offerings in pots, in cauldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the children of the people.
In plain English: They roasted (or: cooked; see the note) the Passover with fire according to the ordinance. They boiled (or: cooked) the holy offerings in pots, kettles and pans, and brought them quickly to all the people.
The Hebrew word: "Roasted" and "boiled" in this verse are the same Hebrew word, bashal, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to boil up; hence, to be done in cooking". This Bible says "boil" or a longer form in 19 of the 24 verses that use it and "roast" or a longer form in 4. uses the same word where this Bible says "roast", and uses it where this Bible says "boiled at all with water".
What changes: Read as "roasted" and "boiled", the verse tells two ways of cooking. Read as "cooked" both times, it says only that the Passover was cooked "with fire" and the holy offerings in pots, kettles and pans.
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14Afterward they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests the sons of Aaron were busy with offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night. Therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests the sons of Aaron.
In plain English: Afterward they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were offering up the burnt offerings and the fat until night. So the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron.
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15The singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their place, according to the commandment of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the gatekeepers were at every gate. They didn’t need to depart from their service, because their brothers the Levites prepared for them.
In plain English: The singers, the sons of Asaph, were at their post, by the command of David, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun the king's seer. The gatekeepers were at each gate. They did not need to leave their service, because their relatives the Levites prepared for them.
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16So all the service of Yahweh was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on Yahweh’s altar, according to the commandment of King Josiah.
In plain English: So all the service of Yahweh was arranged that day, to keep the Passover and to offer burnt offerings on Yahweh's altar, by the command of King Josiah.
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17The children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.
In plain English: The people of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the festival of unleavened bread for seven days.
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18There was no Passover like that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet, nor did any of the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept—with the priests, the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
In plain English: No Passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had kept a Passover like the one Josiah kept, with the priests, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the people of Jerusalem.
Good to know: says such a Passover had not been kept "from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah". This verse says "since the days of Samuel the prophet" and "the kings of Israel". gives the same year as . The text does not explain the differences.
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19This Passover was kept in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah.
In plain English: This Passover was kept in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah.
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20After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him.
In plain English: After all this, when Josiah had prepared the house (this Bible: the temple), Neco king of Egypt came up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to meet him.
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21But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, you king of Judah? I come not against you today, but against the house with which I have war. God has commanded me to make haste. Beware that it is God who is with me, that he not destroy you.”
In plain English: But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, "What is there between me and you, king of Judah? I am not coming against you today, but against the house of my war (this Bible: the house with which I have war). God has said to hurry me. Hold back from God, who is with me, so that he does not destroy you."
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22Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and didn’t listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
In plain English: Even so, Josiah would not turn his face away from him, but disguised himself to fight against him. He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and he came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
Good to know: The text gives Neco's words in verse 21: "God has commanded me to make haste". Verse 22 then speaks of "the words of Neco from the mouth of God". The text does not say how Josiah could know that, or whether Neco meant Yahweh. It says only that Josiah did not listen.
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23The archers shot at King Josiah; and the king said to his servants, “Take me away, because I am seriously wounded!”
In plain English: The archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, "Take me away, for I am badly wounded."
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24So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he died, and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
In plain English: His servants took him out of the chariot, put him on the second chariot that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem. He died and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
Good to know: says that Pharaoh Necoh went up "against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates" and killed Josiah at Megiddo when he saw him, and says his servants carried him dead in a chariot from Megiddo. This chapter says that archers shot him, that he spoke to his servants, and that he died after they brought him to Jerusalem. has the words "you will be gathered to your grave in peace". The text does not explain how these fit.
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25Jeremiah lamented for Josiah, and all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day; and they made them an ordinance in Israel. Behold, they are written in the lamentations.
In plain English: Jeremiah made a lament for Josiah, and all the male and female singers have spoken of Josiah in their laments to this day. They made them a statute in Israel, and look, they are written in the lamentations.
The Hebrew word: "Lamentations" and "laments" are forms of qinah, which the dictionary gives as "a dirge (as accompanied by beating the breasts or on instruments)". This Bible says "lamentation" or a longer form in 15 of the 16 verses that use it.
Good to know: The text says that the laments for Josiah are "written in the lamentations". It does not say that this is the book called Lamentations.
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26Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his good deeds, according to that which is written in Yahweh’s law,
In plain English: Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his good deeds (or: his acts of covenant loyalty), as written in Yahweh's law,
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27and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
In plain English: and his acts, first and last, look, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
Good to know: "The book of the kings of Israel and Judah" is named here, in and in . The same book is named "the book of the kings of Judah and Israel", with the two names the other way round, in , , and . The text does not say whether it is the same as 1 and 2 Kings or another book.
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