17
And the sons of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time and the solemn feast of unleavened bread for seven days.
18
And there was no passover like unto that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel, the prophet; neither did any of 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, together with all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
19
In the year eighteen of the reign of Josiah, this passover was kept.
20
After all this, when Josiah had prepared the house, Necho, king of Egypt, came up to fight against Carchemish by 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 do not
come against thee this day, but against the house that makes war with me, for God commanded me to make haste. Forbear from
meddling with God, who
is with me, that he not destroy thee.
22
Nevertheless, Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and did not hearken unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight him in the valley of Megiddo.
23
And the archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his slaves, Take me away, for I am sore wounded.
24
His slaves, 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 the sepulchres 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, which
are written in the lamentations.
26
Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his mercy, according to
that which was written in the law of the LORD,
27
and his deeds, first and last, behold, they
are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.