History · Chapter 35 of 36

2 Chronicles 35

Josiah keeps a great Passover in Jerusalem, organizing the priests and Levites and providing thousands of animals from his own substance. It is the greatest Passover since the days of Samuel. Later, against a warning, Josiah goes to fight Necho of Egypt at Megiddo, is wounded by archers, and dies. Jeremiah laments him, and all Judah mourns their fallen king.

What happens in 2 Chronicles 35

Josiah keeps the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. He sets the priests in their charges, tells the Levites to serve, and organizes them by their divisions according to the writings of David and Solomon. He donates thirty thousand lambs and kids and three thousand bullocks from his own goods, and his princes and Levite chiefs give generously too. The priests sprinkle the blood, the Levites flay the animals, the singers of Asaph stand in place, and the porters keep their gates.

It is a Passover unlike any since the days of Samuel. Afterward, Necho king of Egypt marches to fight at Carchemish, and Josiah goes out against him. Necho warns Josiah not to meddle, but Josiah disguises himself and fights in the valley of Megiddo. Archers wound him; he is taken to Jerusalem and dies. Jeremiah laments, and all Judah mourn Josiah, an ordinance recorded in the laments.

2 Chronicles 35 in context

Josiah's Passover around 622 BC is the climax of his reform, restoring worship according to the Davidic order. His death at Megiddo in 609 BC came as Egypt marched to aid Assyria against the rising power of Babylon.

Chronicles frames his fatal decision as ignoring a warning from the mouth of God, a sober note even on a good king. His death effectively ended Judah's independence and its reforms.

Main themes of 2 Chronicles 35

2 Chronicles 35 (KJV)

1Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD, 3And 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, 4And 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. 5And 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. 6So 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. 7And 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. 8And 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. 9Conaniah 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. 10So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king’s commandment. 11And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them. 12And 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. 13And 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. 14And 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. 15And 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. 16So 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. 17And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. 18And 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. 19In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept. 20After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Charchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him. 21But 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. 22Nevertheless 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. 23And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded. 24His 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. 25And 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. 26Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to that which was written in the law of the LORD, 27And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

Verses to carry from 2 Chronicles 35

“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.”2 Chronicles 35:7

“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.”2 Chronicles 35:18

“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.”2 Chronicles 35:22

Reflection

Josiah gave extravagantly for the people's worship, yet fell by not heeding a warning he did not expect. God can speak through unlikely voices. Are you still listening, or has past faithfulness made you sure of your own way? Keep the feast with a generous heart, and keep your ear open to God.

A prayer from 2 Chronicles 35