3
He also said to the Levites who taughtallIsrael and who were holy to the LORD, "Put the holyark in the housewhichSolomon the son of Davidking of Israelbuilt; it will be a burden on your shouldersno longer. Nowserve the LORD your God and His peopleIsrael.
4
"Prepare yourselves by your fathers'households in your divisions, according to the writing of Davidking of Israel and according to the writing of his sonSolomon.
5
"Moreover, stand in the holy place according to the sections of the fathers'households of your brethren the laypeople, and according to the Levites, by division of a father'shousehold.
7
Josiahcontributed to the laypeople, to all who were present, flocks of lambs and young*goats*, all for the Passoverofferings, numbering30,000* plus 3,000*bulls; these were from the king'spossessions.
8
His officers also contributed a freewilloffering to the people, the priests and the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the officials of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passoverofferings2,600* from the flocks and 300*bulls.
9
Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the officers of the Levites, contributed to the Levites for the Passoverofferings5,000* from the flocks and 500*bulls.
12
Then they removed the burntofferings that they might give them to the sections of the fathers'households of the laypeople to present to the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. They did this also with the bulls.
13
So they roasted the Passover animals on the fire according to the ordinance, and they boiled the holythings in pots, in kettles, in pans, and carried them speedily to all the laypeople.
14
Afterwards they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were offering the burntofferings and the fatuntilnight; therefore the Levitesprepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron.
15
The singers, the sons of Asaph, were also at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king'sseer; and the gatekeepers at eachgate did not have to depart from their service, because the Levites their brethrenprepared for them.
16
So all the service of the LORD was prepared on that day to celebrate the Passover, and to offerburntofferings on the altar of the LORD according to the command of KingJosiah.
18
There had not been celebrated a Passoverlike it in Israelsince the days of Samuel the prophet; nor had any of the kings of Israelcelebrated such a Passover as Josiahdid with the priests, the Levites, allJudah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
20
Afterallthis, whenJosiah had set the temple in order, Necoking of Egyptcame up to makewar at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiahwent out to engage him.
21
But Neco sentmessengers to him, saying, "What have we to do with each other, O King of Judah? I am not coming against you today but against the house with which I am at war, and God has ordered me to hurry. Stop for your own sake from interfering with Godwho is with me, so that He will not destroy you."
22
However, Josiah would not turnaway from him, but disguised himself in order to makewar with him; nor did he listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to makewar on the plain of Megiddo.
24
So his servantstook him out of the chariot and carried him in the secondchariotwhich he had, and brought him to Jerusalem where he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. AllJudah and Jerusalemmourned for Josiah.
25
Then Jeremiahchanted a lament for Josiah. And all the male and female singersspeakaboutJosiah in their lamentations to this day. And they made them an ordinance in Israel; behold, they are also written in the Lamentations.