19
And the people of Israel who were present at that time kept the passover and the festival of unleavened bread seven days.
20
No passover like it had been kept in Israel since the times of the prophet Samuel;
21
none of the kings of Israel had kept such a passover as was kept by Josiah and the priests and Levites and the people of Judah and all of Israel who were living in Jerusalem.
22
In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this passover was kept.
23
And the deeds of Josiah were upright in the sight of the Lord, for his heart was full of godliness.
24
In ancient times the events of his reign have been recorded—concerning those who sinned and acted wickedly toward the Lord beyond any other people or kingdom, and how they grieved the Lord deeply, so that the words of the Lord fell upon Israel.
25
After all these acts of Josiah, it happened that Pharaoh, king of Egypt, went to make war at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him.
26
And the king of Egypt sent word to him saying, "What have we to do with each other, O king of Judea?
27
I was not sent against you by the Lord God, for my war is at the Euphrates. And now the Lord is with me! The Lord is with me, urging me on! Stand aside, and do not oppose the Lord."
28
Josiah, however, did not turn back to his chariot, but tried to fight with him, and did not heed the words of the prophet Jeremiah from the mouth of the Lord.
29
He joined battle with him in the plain of Megiddo, and the commanders came down against King Josiah.