CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
2 Chronicles 35
Chapter 35 of 36
Chapter Overview
What happens in 2 Chronicles 35
Josiah celebrates the greatest Passover since the days of Samuel the prophet. He provides 30,000 lambs and 3,000 cattle from his own resources. But Josiah makes a fatal mistake by going to war against Pharaoh Necho of Egypt, ignoring a warning that came from God himself.
Scripture
2 Chronicles 35
Josiah's Great Passover
Study note
Josiah organized a magnificent Passover celebration on the fourteenth day of the first month. He encouraged the priests and Levites and organized them according to the instructions of David and Solomon. He personally provided 30,000 sheep and goats and 3,000 cattle for the Passover offerings. His officials and the Levite leaders also gave generously. The service went smoothly, with the priests and Levites performing their duties faithfully. No Passover like this had been kept in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel.
1 Josiah held a Passover celebration for the Lord in Jerusalem. The Passover lamb was killed on the fourteenth day of the first month. Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
2 He put the priests in their places and encouraged them to carry out their duties at the Lord's temple. And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD,
3 He told the Levites who taught all Israel and were set apart for holy work, "Put the holy ark in the temple that Solomon son of David, king of Israel, built. You do not need to carry it on your shoulders anymore. Now give your time to serving the Lord your God and his people Israel." And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel,
4 "Get set up by your family groups. Follow the written rules from King David and his son Solomon." And prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.
5 "Stand in the sanctuary with a group of Levites for each family group among your fellow citizens." And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people, and after the division of the families of the Levites.
6 "Kill the Passover lambs, make yourselves holy, and prepare things for your fellow citizens. Follow what the Lord commanded through Moses." So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
7 Josiah gave 30,000 sheep and goats for Passover offerings, plus 3,000 cattle. All of it came from his own wealth. And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king's substance.
8 His officials also gave freely to the people, priests, and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, who managed God's temple, gave the priests 2,600 Passover offerings and 300 cattle. And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen.
9 Levite leaders also gave gifts. Conaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel gave some. So did Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad. They gave 5,000 Passover lambs and 500 cattle. Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.
10 Everything was ready for the service. The priests stood at their posts, and the Levites were in their groups, just as the king had ordered. So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king's commandment.
11 They killed the Passover lambs. The priests splashed the blood passed to them while the Levites skinned the animals. And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them.
12 They set aside the burnt offerings to give to the family groups of the people so they could offer them to the Lord, as the book of Moses says. They did the same with the cattle. And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen.
13 They roasted the Passover lamb over fire as the rules required. They boiled the other holy offerings in pots, kettles, and pans and quickly served the food to all the people. And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance: but the other holy offerings sod they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily among all the people.
14 Afterward, the Levites prepared food for themselves and for the priests. The priests, Aaron's descendants, had been busy offering burnt offerings and fat portions until nightfall. So the Levites managed preparing food for both themselves and the priests. And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.
15 The musicians from Asaph's family were at their posts. David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king's prophet had told them where to be. The gatekeepers stayed at each gate and did not need to leave. Their fellow Levites got everything ready for them. And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer; and the porters waited at every gate; they might not depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.
16 So the whole worship service for the Lord was carried out that day. They kept the Passover and offered burnt offerings on the Lord's altar, just as King Josiah had ordered. So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah.
17 The people there kept the Passover. Then they kept the Feast of Flat Bread for seven days. And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.
18 No Passover like this had been kept since Samuel the prophet's time. No king of Israel ever held such a Passover. Josiah kept it with the priests, Levites, and all the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
19 This Passover was celebrated in the eighteenth year of Josiah's rule. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept.
Josiah's Death at Megiddo
Study note
After the temple had been restored, Pharaoh Necho of Egypt marched through to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates. Josiah went out to fight him. Necho sent messengers warning Josiah: 'God has told me to hurry. Stop opposing God, or he will destroy you.' But Josiah disguised himself and went to fight in the plain of Megiddo. Archers shot Josiah, and he was mortally wounded. He was brought back to Jerusalem and died. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him, and the prophet Jeremiah wrote a lament for him.
20 After all this, once Josiah had restored the temple, King Necho of Egypt marched out to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates River. Josiah went out to confront him. After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.
21 But Necho sent messengers saying, "What business is this of yours, king of Judah? I am not coming to fight you today. I am fighting another nation. God told me to hurry. Stop standing against God, who is on my side, or he will destroy you." But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.
22 But Josiah refused to turn back. He put on a disguise and went to fight him. He would not listen to Necho's words, even though they came from God. He went out to battle on the plain of Megiddo. Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
23 Enemy archers shot King Josiah. He told his servants, "Get me out of here! I am badly wounded." And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.
24 His servants lifted him out of his chariot, put him in his other chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem. He died there and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors. Everyone in Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
25 The prophet Jeremiah wrote funeral songs for Josiah. Male and female singers still sing about Josiah in their songs of sorrow to this day. These became a tradition in Israel and are recorded in the collection of funeral songs. And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.
26 Everything else about Josiah's rule and his faithful acts, carried out according to what the Lord's law says, Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to that which was written in the law of the LORD,
27 all his deeds from start to finish are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
Key Themes
Themes in 2 Chronicles 35
Worship restored to its intended fullnessThe danger of unnecessary battlesNot every fight is yours to fightA godly life can still end tragically when wisdom is ignored
Prophetic Connections
How this chapter points to Christ
2 Chronicles 35:1-19 1 Corinthians 5:7
Josiah's magnificent Passover celebration points to the ultimate Passover Lamb. Paul writes, 'Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed' — the fulfillment of everything the Passover anticipated.
Apply This Today
Living 2 Chronicles 35
Josiah celebrated the greatest Passover in generations, but then foolishly engaged in a battle God had not called Him to fight. Even godly people can make fatal mistakes when they act without seeking God's direction. Not every confrontation is your assignment.
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