22Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath.H2977H8083H8141H1121H4427H4427H7970H259H8141H3389H517H8034H3040H1323H5718H1218 2He did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right.H6213H3477H5869H3068H3212H1870H1732H1H5493H3225H8040 3In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, the court secretary, to the Temple of the LORD. He told him,H8083H6240H8141H4428H2977H4428H7971H8227H1121H683H1121H4918H5608H1004H3068H559 4"Go to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money the gatekeepers have collected from the people at the LORD's Temple.H5927H2518H1419H3548H8552H3701H935H1004H3068H8104H5592H622H5971 5Entrust this money to the men assigned to supervise the Temple's restoration. Then they can use it to pay workers to repair the Temple of the LORD.H5414H3027H6213H4399H6485H1004H3068H5414H6213H4399H1004H3068H2388H919H1004 6They will need to hire carpenters, builders, and masons. Also have them buy the timber and the finished stone needed to repair the Temple.H2796H1129H1443H7069H6086H4274H68H2388H1004 7But don't require the construction supervisors to keep account of the money they receive, for they are honest and trustworthy men."H2803H3701H5414H3027H6213H530 8Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the court secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the LORD's Temple!" Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he read it.H2518H1419H3548H559H8227H5608H4672H5612H8451H1004H3068H2518H5414H5612H8227H7121 9Shaphan went to the king and reported, "Your officials have turned over the money collected at the Temple of the LORD to the workers and supervisors at the Temple."H8227H5608H935H4428H7725H4428H1697H7725H559H5650H5413H3701H4672H1004H5414H3027H6213H4399H6485H1004H3068 10Shaphan also told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll." So Shaphan read it to the king.H8227H5608H5046H4428H559H2518H3548H5414H5612H8227H7121H6440H4428 11When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair.H4428H8085H1697H5612H8451H7167H899 12Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king's personal adviser.H4428H6680H2518H3548H296H1121H8227H5907H1121H4320H8227H5608H6222H5650H4428H559 13"Go to the Temple and speak to the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah. Inquire about the words written in this scroll that has been found. For the LORD's great anger is burning against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words in this scroll. We have not been doing everything it says we must do."H3212H1875H3068H5971H3063H1697H5612H4672H1419H2534H3068H3341H1H8085H1697H5612H6213H3789 14So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the New Quarter of Jerusalem to consult with the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, the keeper of the Temple wardrobe.H2518H3548H296H5907H8227H6222H3212H2468H5031H802H7967H1121H8616H1121H2745H8104H899H3427H3389H4932H1696 15She said to them, "The LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken! Go back and tell the man who sent you,H559H559H3068H430H3478H559H376H7971 16'This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this city and its people. All the words written in the scroll that the king of Judah has read will come true.H559H3068H935H7451H4725H3427H1697H5612H4428H3063H7121 17For my people have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to pagan gods, and I am very angry with them for everything they have done. My anger will burn against this place, and it will not be quenched.'H5800H6999H312H430H3707H4639H3027H2534H3341H4725H3518 18"But go to the king of Judah who sent you to seek the LORD and tell him: 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the message you have just heard.H4428H3063H7971H1875H3068H559H559H3068H430H3478H1697H8085 19You were sorry and humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I said against this city and its people—that this land would be cursed and become desolate. You tore your clothing in despair and wept before me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the LORD.H3824H7401H3665H6440H3068H8085H1696H4725H3427H8047H7045H7167H899H1058H6440H8085H5002H3068 20So I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace. You will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this city.'" So they took her message back to the king.H622H1H622H6913H7965H5869H7200H7451H935H4725H7725H4428H1697H7725
23Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.H4428H7971H622H2205H3063H3389 2And the king went up to the Temple of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, along with the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. There the king read to them the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the LORD's Temple.H4428H5927H1004H3068H376H3063H3427H3389H3548H5030H5971H6996H1419H7121H241H1697H5612H1285H4672H1004H3068 3The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the LORD's presence. He pledged to obey the LORD by keeping all his commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. In this way, he confirmed all the terms of the covenant that were written in the scroll, and all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.H4428H5975H5982H3772H1285H6440H3068H3212H310H3068H8104H4687H5715H2708H3820H5315H6965H1697H1285H3789H5612H5971H5975H1285 4Then the king instructed Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second rank and the Temple gatekeepers to remove from the LORD's Temple all the articles that were used to worship Baal, Asherah, and all the powers of the heavens. The king had all these things burned outside Jerusalem on the terraces of the Kidron Valley, and he carried the ashes away to Bethel.H4428H6680H2518H1419H3548H3548H4932H8104H5592H3318H1964H3068H3627H6213H1168H842H6635H8064H8313H2351H3389H7709H6939H5375H6083H1008 5He did away with the idolatrous priests, who had been appointed by the previous kings of Judah, for they had offered sacrifices at the pagan shrines throughout Judah and even in the vicinity of Jerusalem. They had also offered sacrifices to Baal, and to the sun, the moon, the constellations, and to all the powers of the heavens.H7673H3649H4428H3063H5414H6999H1116H5892H3063H4524H3389H6999H1168H8121H3394H4208H6635H8064 6The king removed the Asherah pole from the LORD's Temple and took it outside Jerusalem to the Kidron Valley, where he burned it. Then he ground the ashes of the pole to dust and threw the dust over the graves of the people.H3318H842H1004H3068H2351H3389H5158H6939H8313H5158H6939H1854H6083H7993H6083H6913H1121H5971 7He also tore down the living quarters of the male and female shrine prostitutes that were inside the Temple of the LORD, where the women wove coverings for the Asherah pole.H5422H1004H6945H1004H3068H802H707H1004H842 8Josiah brought to Jerusalem all the priests who were living in other towns of Judah. He also defiled the pagan shrines, where they had offered sacrifices—all the way from Geba to Beersheba. He destroyed the shrines at the entrance to the gate of Joshua, the governor of Jerusalem. This gate was located to the left of the city gate as one enters the city.H935H3548H5892H3063H2930H1116H3548H6999H1387H884H5422H1116H8179H6607H8179H3091H8269H5892H376H8040H8179H5892 9The priests who had served at the pagan shrines were not allowed to serve at the LORD's altar in Jerusalem, but they were allowed to eat unleavened bread with the other priests.H3548H1116H5927H4196H3068H3389H398H4682H8432H251 10Then the king defiled the altar of Topheth in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, so no one could ever again use it to sacrifice a son or daughter in the fire as an offering to Molech.H2930H8612H1516H1121H1121H2011H376H1121H1323H5674H784H4432 11He removed from the entrance of the LORD's Temple the horse statues that the former kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun. They were near the quarters of Nathan-melech the eunuch, an officer of the court. The king also burned the chariots dedicated to the sun.H7673H5483H4428H3063H5414H8121H935H1004H3068H3957H5419H5631H6503H8313H4818H8121H784 12Josiah tore down the altars that the kings of Judah had built on the palace roof above the upper room of Ahaz. The king destroyed the altars that Manasseh had built in the two courtyards of the LORD's Temple. He smashed them to bits and scattered the pieces in the Kidron Valley.H4196H1406H5944H271H4428H3063H6213H4196H4519H6213H8147H2691H1004H3068H4428H5422H7323H7993H6083H5158H6939 13The king also desecrated the pagan shrines east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, where King Solomon of Israel had built shrines for Ashtoreth, the detestable goddess of the Sidonians; and for Chemosh, the detestable god of the Moabites; and for Molech, the vile god of the Ammonites.H1116H6440H3389H3225H2022H4889H8010H4428H3478H1129H6253H8251H6722H3645H8251H4124H4445H8441H1121H5983H4428H2930 14He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. Then he desecrated these places by scattering human bones over them.H7665H4676H3772H842H4390H4725H6106H120 15The king also tore down the altar at Bethel—the pagan shrine that Jeroboam son of Nebat had made when he caused Israel to sin. He burned down the shrine and ground it to dust, and he burned the Asherah pole.H4196H1008H1116H3379H1121H5028H3478H2398H6213H4196H1116H5422H8313H1116H1854H6083H8313H842 16Then Josiah turned around and noticed several tombs in the side of the hill. He ordered that the bones be brought out, and he burned them on the altar at Bethel to desecrate it. (This happened just as the LORD had promised through the man of God when Jeroboam stood beside the altar at the festival.) Then Josiah turned and looked up at the tomb of the man of God who had predicted these things.H2977H6437H7200H6913H2022H7971H3947H6106H6913H8313H4196H2930H1697H3068H376H430H7121H7121H1697 17"What is that monument over there?" Josiah asked. And the people of the town told him, "It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and predicted the very things that you have just done to the altar at Bethel!"H559H6725H1975H7200H582H5892H559H6913H376H430H935H3063H7121H1697H6213H4196H1008 18Josiah replied, "Leave it alone. Don't disturb his bones." So they did not burn his bones or those of the old prophet from Samaria.H559H3240H376H5128H6106H6106H4422H6106H5030H935H8111 19Then Josiah demolished all the buildings at the pagan shrines in the towns of Samaria, just as he had done at Bethel. They had been built by the various kings of Israel and had made the LORD very angry.H1004H1116H5892H8111H4428H3478H6213H3707H2977H5493H6213H4639H6213H1008 20He executed the priests of the pagan shrines on their own altars, and he burned human bones on the altars to desecrate them. Finally, he returned to Jerusalem.H2076H3548H1116H4196H8313H120H6106H7725H3389 21King Josiah then issued this order to all the people: "You must celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, as required in this Book of the Covenant."H4428H6680H5971H559H6213H6453H3068H430H3789H5612H1285 22There had not been a Passover celebration like that since the time when the judges ruled in Israel, nor throughout all the years of the kings of Israel and Judah.H6213H6453H3117H8199H8199H3478H3117H4428H3478H4428H3063 23This Passover was celebrated to the LORD in Jerusalem in the eighteenth year of King Josiah's reign.H8083H6240H8141H4428H2977H6453H6213H3068H3389 24Josiah also got rid of the mediums and psychics, the household gods, the idols, and every other kind of detestable practice, both in Jerusalem and throughout the land of Judah. He did this in obedience to the laws written in the scroll that Hilkiah the priest had found in the LORD's Temple.H178H3049H8655H1544H8251H7200H776H3063H3389H2977H1197H6965H1697H8451H3789H5612H2518H3548H4672H1004H3068 25Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since.H4428H6440H7725H3068H3824H5315H3966H8451H4872H310H6965 26Even so, the LORD was very angry with Judah because of all the wicked things Manasseh had done to provoke him.H3068H7725H2740H1419H639H639H2734H3063H3708H4519H3707 27For the LORD said, "I will also banish Judah from my presence just as I have banished Israel. And I will reject my chosen city of Jerusalem and the Temple where my name was to be honored."H3068H559H5493H3063H6440H5493H3478H3988H5892H3389H977H1004H559H8034 28The rest of the events in Josiah's reign and all his deeds are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.H3499H1697H2977H6213H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H3063 29While Josiah was king, Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, went to the Euphrates River to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah and his army marched out to fight him, but King Neco killed him when they met at Megiddo.H3117H6549H4428H4714H5927H4428H804H5104H6578H4428H2977H3212H7125H4191H4023H7200 30Josiah's officers took his body back in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land anointed Josiah's son Jehoahaz and made him the next king.H5650H7392H4191H4023H935H3389H6912H6900H5971H776H3947H3059H1121H2977H4886H4427H1 31Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah.H3059H6242H7969H8141H1121H4427H4427H7969H2320H3389H517H8034H2537H1323H3414H3841 32He did what was evil in the LORD's sight, just as his ancestors had done.H6213H7451H5869H3068H1H6213 33Pharaoh Neco put Jehoahaz in prison at Riblah in the land of Hamath to prevent him from ruling in Jerusalem. He also demanded that Judah pay 7,500 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of gold as tribute.H6549H631H7247H776H2574H4427H3389H5414H776H6066H3967H3603H3701H3603H2091 34Pharaoh Neco then installed Eliakim, another of Josiah's sons, to reign in place of his father, and he changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim. Jehoahaz was taken to Egypt as a prisoner, where he died.H6549H471H1121H2977H4427H2977H1H5437H8034H3079H3947H3059H3947H935H4714H4191 35In order to get the silver and gold demanded as tribute by Pharaoh Neco, Jehoiakim collected a tax from the people of Judah, requiring them to pay in proportion to their wealth.H3079H5414H3701H2091H6547H6186H776H5414H3701H6310H6547H5065H3701H2091H5971H776H376H6187H5414H6549 36Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother was Zebidah, the daughter of Pedaiah from Rumah.H3079H6242H2568H8141H1121H4427H4427H259H6240H8141H3389H517H8034H2080H1323H6305H7316 37He did what was evil in the LORD's sight, just as his ancestors had done.H6213H7451H5869H3068H1H6213
34Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years.H2977H8083H8141H1121H4427H4427H3389H259H7970H8141 2He did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right.H6213H3477H5869H3068H3212H1870H1732H1H5493H3225H8040 3During the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David. Then in the twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all the pagan shrines, the Asherah poles, and the carved idols and cast images.H8083H8141H4427H5288H2490H1875H430H1732H1H8147H6240H8141H2490H2891H3063H3389H1116H842H6456H4541 4He ordered that the altars of Baal be demolished and that the incense altars which stood above them be broken down. He also made sure that the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images were smashed and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.H5422H4196H1168H6440H2553H4605H1438H842H6456H4541H7665H1854H2236H6440H6913H2076 5He burned the bones of the pagan priests on their own altars, and so he purified Judah and Jerusalem.H8313H6106H3548H4196H2891H3063H3389 6He did the same thing in the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, even as far as Naphtali, and in the regions all around them.H5892H4519H669H8095H5321H2719H5439 7He destroyed the pagan altars and the Asherah poles, and he crushed the idols into dust. He cut down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Finally, he returned to Jerusalem.H5422H4196H842H3807H6456H1854H1438H2553H776H3478H7725H3389 8In the eighteenth year of his reign, after he had purified the land and the Temple, Josiah appointed Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of Jerusalem, and Joah son of Joahaz, the royal historian, to repair the Temple of the LORD his God.H8083H6240H8141H4427H2891H776H1004H7971H8227H1121H683H4641H8269H5892H3098H1121H3099H2142H2388H1004H3068H430 9They gave Hilkiah the high priest the money that had been collected by the Levites who served as gatekeepers at the Temple of God. The gifts were brought by people from Manasseh, Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, as well as from all Judah, Benjamin, and the people of Jerusalem.H935H2518H1419H3548H5414H3701H935H1004H430H3881H8104H5592H622H3027H4519H669H7611H3478H3063H1144H7725H3427H3389 10He entrusted the money to the men assigned to supervise the restoration of the LORD's Temple. Then they paid the workers who did the repairs and renovation of the Temple.H5414H3027H6213H4399H6485H1004H3068H5414H6213H4399H6213H1004H3068H918H2388H1004 11They hired carpenters and builders, who purchased finished stone for the walls and timber for the rafters and beams. They restored what earlier kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.H2796H1129H5414H7069H4274H68H6086H4226H7136H1004H4428H3063H7843 12The workers served faithfully under the leadership of Jahath and Obadiah, Levites of the Merarite clan, and Zechariah and Meshullam, Levites of the Kohathite clan. Other Levites, all of whom were skilled musicians,H582H6213H4399H530H5329H3189H5662H3881H1121H4847H2148H4918H6956H6485H3881H995H3627H7892 13were put in charge of the laborers of the various trades. Still others assisted as secretaries, officials, and gatekeepers.H5449H5329H6213H4399H5656H3881H5608H7860H7778 14While they were bringing out the money collected at the LORD's Temple, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD that was written by Moses.H3318H3701H935H1004H3068H2518H3548H4672H5612H8451H3068H3027H4872 15Hilkiah said to Shaphan the court secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the LORD's Temple!" Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.H2518H6030H559H8227H5608H4672H5612H8451H1004H3068H2518H5414H5612H8227 16Shaphan took the scroll to the king and reported, "Your officials are doing everything they were assigned to do.H8227H935H5612H4428H7725H4428H1697H7725H559H5414H3027H5650H6213 17The money that was collected at the Temple of the LORD has been turned over to the supervisors and workmen."H5413H3701H4672H1004H3068H5414H3027H6485H3027H6213H4399 18Shaphan also told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll." So Shaphan read it to the king.H8227H5608H5046H4428H559H2518H3548H5414H5612H8227H7121H6440H4428 19When the king heard what was written in the Law, he tore his clothes in despair.H4428H8085H1697H8451H7167H899 20Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king's personal adviser.H4428H6680H2518H296H1121H8227H5658H1121H4318H8227H5608H6222H5650H4428H559 21"Go to the Temple and speak to the LORD for me and for all the remnant of Israel and Judah. Inquire about the words written in the scroll that has been found. For the LORD's great anger has been poured out on us because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the LORD. We have not been doing everything this scroll says we must do."H3212H1875H3068H7604H3478H3063H1697H5612H4672H1419H2534H3068H5413H1H8104H1697H3068H6213H3789H5612 22So Hilkiah and the other men went to the New Quarter of Jerusalem to consult with the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, the keeper of the Temple wardrobe.H2518H4428H3212H2468H5031H802H7967H1121H8616H8445H1121H2641H8104H899H3427H3389H4932H1696 23She said to them, "The LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken! Go back and tell the man who sent you,H559H559H3068H430H3478H559H376H7971 24'This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this city and its people. All the curses written in the scroll that was read to the king of Judah will come true.H559H3068H935H7451H4725H3427H423H3789H5612H7121H6440H4428H3063 25For my people have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to pagan gods, and I am very angry with them for everything they have done. My anger will be poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.'H5800H6999H6999H312H430H3707H4639H3027H2534H5413H4725H3518 26"But go to the king of Judah who sent you to seek the LORD and tell him: 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the message you have just heard.H413H4428H3063H7971H1875H3068H559H559H3068H430H3478H1697H8085 27You were sorry and humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this city and its people. You humbled yourself and tore your clothing in despair and wept before me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the LORD.H3824H7401H3665H6440H430H8085H1697H4725H3427H3665H6440H7167H899H1058H6440H8085H5002H3068 28So I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace. You yourself will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this city and its people.'" So they took her message back to the king.H622H1H622H6913H7965H5869H7200H7451H935H4725H3427H7725H4428H1697H7725 29Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.H4428H7971H622H2205H3063H3389 30And the king went up to the Temple of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, along with the priests and the Levites—all the people from the greatest to the least. There the king read to them the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the LORD's Temple.H4428H5927H1004H3068H376H3063H3427H3389H3548H3881H5971H1419H6996H7121H241H1697H5612H1285H4672H1004H3068 31The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the LORD's presence. He pledged to obey the LORD by keeping all his commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. He promised to obey all the terms of the covenant that were written in the scroll.H4428H5975H5977H3772H1285H6440H3068H3212H310H3068H8104H4687H5715H2706H3824H5315H6213H1697H1285H3789H5612 32And he required everyone in Jerusalem and the people of Benjamin to make a similar pledge. The people of Jerusalem did so, renewing their covenant with God, the God of their ancestors.H4672H3389H1144H5975H3427H3389H6213H1285H430H430H1 33So Josiah removed all detestable idols from the entire land of Israel and required everyone to worship the LORD their God. And throughout the rest of his lifetime, they did not turn away from the LORD, the God of their ancestors.H2977H5493H8441H776H1121H3478H4672H3478H5647H5647H3068H430H3117H5493H310H3068H430H1
35Then Josiah announced that the Passover of the LORD would be celebrated in Jerusalem, and so the Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month.H2977H6213H6453H3068H3389H7819H6453H702H6240H7223H2320 2Josiah also assigned the priests to their duties and encouraged them in their work at the Temple of the LORD.H5975H3548H4931H2388H5656H1004H3068 3He issued this order to the Levites, who were to teach all Israel and who had been set apart to serve the LORD: "Put the holy Ark in the Temple that was built by Solomon son of David, the king of Israel. You no longer need to carry it back and forth on your shoulders. Now spend your time serving the LORD your God and his people Israel.H559H3881H995H4000H3478H6918H3068H5414H6944H727H1004H8010H1121H1732H4428H3478H1129H4853H3802H5647H3068H430H5971H3478 4Report for duty according to the family divisions of your ancestors, following the directions of King David of Israel and the directions of his son Solomon.H3559H3559H1004H1H4256H3791H1732H4428H3478H4385H8010H1121 5"Then stand in the sanctuary at the place appointed for your family division and help the families assigned to you as they bring their offerings to the Temple.H5975H6944H6391H1004H1H251H1121H5971H2515H1H1004H3881 6Slaughter the Passover lambs, purify yourselves, and prepare to help those who come. Follow all the directions that the LORD gave through Moses."H7819H6453H6942H3559H251H6213H1697H3068H3027H4872 7Then Josiah provided 30,000 lambs and young goats for the people's Passover offerings, along with 3,000 cattle, all from the king's own flocks and herds.H2977H7311H1121H5971H6629H3532H1121H5795H6453H4672H4557H7970H505H7969H505H1241H4428H7399 8The king's officials also made willing contributions to the people, priests, and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the administrators of God's Temple, gave the priests 2,600 lambs and young goats and 300 cattle as Passover offerings.H8269H7311H5071H5971H3548H3881H2518H2148H3171H5057H1004H430H5414H3548H6453H505H8337H3967H7969H3967H1241 9The Levite leaders—Conaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, as well as Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad—gave 5,000 lambs and young goats and 500 cattle to the Levites for their Passover offerings.H3562H8098H5417H251H2811H3273H3107H8269H3881H7311H3881H6453H2568H505H2568H3967H1241 10When everything was ready for the Passover celebration, the priests and the Levites took their places, organized by their divisions, as the king had commanded.H5656H3559H3548H5975H5977H3881H4256H4428H4687 11The Levites then slaughtered the Passover lambs and presented the blood to the priests, who sprinkled the blood on the altar while the Levites prepared the animals.H7819H6453H3548H2236H3027H3881H6584 12They divided the burnt offerings among the people by their family groups, so they could offer them to the LORD as prescribed in the Book of Moses. They did the same with the cattle.H5493H5930H5414H4653H1H1004H1121H5971H7126H3068H3789H5612H4872H1241 13Then they roasted the Passover lambs as prescribed; and they boiled the holy offerings in pots, kettles, and pans, and brought them out quickly so the people could eat them.H1310H6453H784H4941H6944H1310H5518H1731H6745H7323H1121H5971 14Afterward the Levites prepared Passover offerings for themselves and for the priests—the descendants of Aaron—because the priests had been busy from morning till night offering the burnt offerings and the fat portions. The Levites took responsibility for all these preparations.H310H3559H3548H3548H1121H175H5927H5930H2459H3915H3881H3559H3548H1121H175 15The musicians, descendants of Asaph, were in their assigned places, following the commands that had been given by David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, the king's seer. The gatekeepers guarded the gates and did not need to leave their posts of duty, for their Passover offerings were prepared for them by their fellow Levites.H7891H1121H623H4612H4687H1732H623H1968H3038H4428H2374H7778H8179H5493H5656H251H3881H3559 16The entire ceremony for the LORD's Passover was completed that day. All the burnt offerings were sacrificed on the altar of the LORD, as King Josiah had commanded.H5656H3068H3559H3117H6213H6453H5927H5930H4196H3068H4687H4428H2977 17All the Israelites present in Jerusalem celebrated Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days.H1121H3478H4672H6213H6453H6256H2282H4682H7651H3117 18Never since the time of the prophet Samuel had there been such a Passover. None of the kings of Israel had ever kept a Passover as Josiah did, involving all the priests and Levites, all the people of Jerusalem, and people from all over Judah and Israel.H6453H3644H6213H3478H3117H8050H5030H6213H4428H3478H6213H6453H2977H6213H3548H3881H3063H3478H4672H3427H3389 19This Passover celebration took place in the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign.H8083H6240H8141H4438H2977H6453H6213 20After Josiah had finished restoring the Temple, King Neco of Egypt led his army up from Egypt to do battle at Carchemish on the Euphrates River, and Josiah and his army marched out to fight him.H310H2977H3559H1004H5224H4428H4714H5927H3898H3751H6578H2977H3318H7125 21But King Neco sent messengers to Josiah with this message: "What do you want with me, king of Judah? I have no quarrel with you today! I am on my way to fight another nation, and God has told me to hurry! Do not interfere with God, who is with me, or he will destroy you."H7971H4397H559H4428H3063H3117H1004H4421H430H559H926H2308H430H7843 22But Josiah refused to listen to Neco, to whom God had indeed spoken, and he would not turn back. Instead, he disguised himself and led his army into battle on the plain of Megiddo.H2977H5437H6440H2664H3898H8085H1697H5224H6310H430H935H3898H1237H4023 23But the enemy archers hit King Josiah with their arrows and wounded him. He cried out to his men, "Take me from the battle, for I am badly wounded!"H3384H3384H4428H2977H4428H559H5650H5674H3966H2470 24So they lifted Josiah out of his chariot and placed him in another chariot. Then they brought him back to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried there in the royal cemetery. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.H5650H5674H4818H7392H4932H7393H3212H3389H4191H6912H6913H1H3063H3389H56H2977 25The prophet Jeremiah composed funeral songs for Josiah, and to this day choirs still sing these sad songs about his death. These songs of sorrow have become a tradition and are recorded in The Book of Laments.H3414H6969H2977H7891H7891H559H2977H7015H3117H5414H2706H3478H3789H7015 26The rest of the events of Josiah's reign and his acts of devotion (carried out according to what was written in the Law of the LORD),H3499H1697H2977H2617H3789H8451H3068 27from beginning to end—all are recorded in The Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.H1697H7223H314H3789H5612H4428H3478H3063
Dublin, OH
of Jerusalem to consult with the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, the keeper of the Temple wardrobe.H2518
