1 Josiahcommanded that Passover be celebrated in Jerusalemto honor the Lord. So, on the fourteenth day of the first month,35.1 first month: See the note at 29.3.the lambs were killed for the Passover celebration.
2 On that day, Josiah made sure the priests knew what duties they were to do in the temple. 3 He called together the Levites who served the Lordand who taught the people his laws, and he said:
No longer will you have to carry the sacred chest from place to place. It will stay in the temple built by King Solomonson of David, where you will serve the Lordand his people Israel. 4 2 Ch 8.14.Get ready to do the work that Davidand Solomonassigned to you, according to your clans. 5 Divide yourselves into groups, then arrange yourselves throughout the temple so that each family of worshipers will be able to get help from one of you.35.5 each family of worshipers … you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.6 When the people bring you their Passover lamb, you must kill it and prepare it to be sacrificed to the Lord. Make sure the people celebrate according to the instructions that the Lordgave Moses, and don’t do anything to make yourselves unclean and unacceptable.
7 Josiahdonated 30,000 sheep and goats, and 3,000 bulls from his own flocks and herds for the people to offer as sacrifices. 8 Josiah’s officials also voluntarily gave some of their animals to the people, the priests, and the Levites as sacrifices. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, who were the officials in charge of the temple, gave the priests 2,600 sheep and lambs and 300 bulls to sacrifice during the Passover celebration. 9 Conaniah, his two brothers Shemaiahand Nethanel, as well as Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabadwere leaders of the Levites, and they gave the other Levites 5,000 sheep and goats, and 500 bulls to offer as sacrifices.
10 When everything was ready to celebrate Passover, the priests and the Levites stood where Josiah had told them. 11 Then the Levites killed and skinned the Passover lambs, and they handed some of the blood to the priests, who splattered it on the altar. 12 The Levites set aside the parts of the animal that the worshipers needed for their sacrifices to please the Lord,35.12 sacrifices to please the Lord: See the note at 1.6.just as the Law of Mosesrequired. They also did the same thing with the bulls. 13 Ex 12.8,9.They sacrificed the Passover animals on the altar and boiled the meat for the other offerings in pots, kettles, and pans. Then they quickly handed the meat to the people so they could eat it.
14 All day long, the priests were busy offering sacrifices and burning the animals' fat on the altar. And when everyone had finished, the Levites prepared Passover animals for themselves and for the priests.
15 1 Ch 25.1.During the celebration some of the Levites prepared Passover animals for the musicians and the guards, so that the Levite musicians would not have to leave their places, which had been assigned to them according to the instructions of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthunthe king’s prophet. Even the guards at the temple gates did not have to leave their posts.
16 So on that day, Passover was celebrated to honor the Lord, and sacrifices were offered on the altar to him, just as Josiahhad commanded. 17 Ex 12.1-20.The worshipers then celebrated the Festival of Thin Bread for the next seven days.
18 People from Jerusalemand from towns all over Judah and Israel were there. Passover had not been observed like this since the days of Samuelthe prophet. In fact, this was the greatest Passover celebration in Israel’s history! 19 All these things happened in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s rule in Judah.
Josiah became king of Judah at eight years old; when the book of the law was found in the temple, he renewed the covenant, destroyed the altars of the idols, and kept the Passover (2 Kings 22:1).
Jerusalem is the city of the house of God, where children of Judah and Benjamin lived; the Babylonian army broke down the walls of the city (2 Kings 25:10).
Solomon, son of David and Bathsheba, reigned over Israel, asked God for wisdom to govern the people, and built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 12:24).
David, son of Jesse, was a shepherd in Bethlehem when Samuel anointed him; he defeated Goliath, reigned over Israel in Jerusalem, and wrote many of the psalms (1 Samuel 16:13).
David, son of Jesse, was a shepherd in Bethlehem when Samuel anointed him; he defeated Goliath, reigned over Israel in Jerusalem, and wrote many of the psalms (1 Samuel 16:13).
Solomon, son of David and Bathsheba, reigned over Israel, asked God for wisdom to govern the people, and built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 12:24).
Moses, a Levite raised by Pharaoh’s daughter, was called by God at the burning bush, brought Israel out of slavery in Egypt, and received the law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 3:4).
Josiah became king of Judah at eight years old; when the book of the law was found in the temple, he renewed the covenant, destroyed the altars of the idols, and kept the Passover (2 Kings 22:1).
Hilkiah was the high priest who found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord during the reign of King Josiah and gave it to Shaphan the secretary (2 Kings 22:8).
Moses, a Levite raised by Pharaoh’s daughter, was called by God at the burning bush, brought Israel out of slavery in Egypt, and received the law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 3:4).
David, son of Jesse, was a shepherd in Bethlehem when Samuel anointed him; he defeated Goliath, reigned over Israel in Jerusalem, and wrote many of the psalms (1 Samuel 16:13).
Asaph was the father of Zichri and great-grandfather of Mattaniah, who led the thanksgiving and prayers; Asaph’s descendants were in charge of the music of the house of God (Nehemiah 11:22).
Heman, the son of Joel, was a Levitical musician chosen with Asaph and Ethan to sound bronze cymbals. He was the king’s seer, and God gave him fourteen sons and three daughters (1 Chronicles 25:5).
Jeduthun was one of the chief musicians David set over the worship of the Lord, with Asaph and Heman; his sons prophesied with harps (1 Chronicles 25:3).
Josiah became king of Judah at eight years old; when the book of the law was found in the temple, he renewed the covenant, destroyed the altars of the idols, and kept the Passover (2 Kings 22:1).
Jerusalem is the city of the house of God, where children of Judah and Benjamin lived; the Babylonian army broke down the walls of the city (2 Kings 25:10).
Samuel, son of Elkanah and Hannah, was dedicated by his mother to the service of the Lord at Shiloh, judged Israel as a prophet, and anointed Saul and David as kings (1 Samuel 3:20).
Josiah became king of Judah at eight years old; when the book of the law was found in the temple, he renewed the covenant, destroyed the altars of the idols, and kept the Passover (2 Kings 22:1).