15
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 doorkeepers waited at every gate; they needed not depart from their service, for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.
16
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
And the children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days.
18
And there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel since 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
In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this Passover kept.
20
After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates; and Josiah went out against him.
21
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
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
And the archers shot at King Josiah; and the king said to his servants, "Take me away, for I am sorely wounded."
24
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 sepulchers of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
25
And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah. And all the singing men and the singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel; and behold, they are written in the lamentations.