2 Chronicles

Covers Solomon's reign and the kingdom of Judah's history, emphasizing faithfulness to God.

Chapter 35

1 Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

*Josiah held a special feast for God in Jerusalem, and they sacrificed the passover animal on the 14th day of the first month.

2 And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD,

*He appointed the priests to their duties and motivated them to serve in the LORD's house.

3 And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel,

*The Levites, who taught all Israel and were dedicated to the Lord, were instructed to place the holy ark in the house built by Solomon, the son of David and king of Israel. This would not be a burden for them, and they should now serve and worship the Lord their God, as well as his people Israel.

4 And prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.

*Get ready at your family homes, following your schedules, like how David, the king of Israel, wrote it down, and also like how Solomon, his son, wrote it down.

5 And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people, and after the division of the families of the Levites.

*Stand in the holy area based on your family groups, along with other relatives' groups, and follow the arrangement of the Levite families.

6 So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

*"Kill the sacrificial lamb, make yourselves holy, and get your family ready, so they can follow God's plan, as shown by Moses."

7 And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king’s substance.

*Josiah provided the people with many lambs and young goats for Passover sacrifices. There were 30,000 people, and each needed a sacrifice, along with 3,000 large bulls. These animals came from the king's own resources.

8 And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen.

*The leaders willingly gave to the people, priests, and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, who were in charge, provided the priests with 2,600 small animals and 300 oxen for the Passover sacrifices.

9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.

*Conaniah, Shemaiah, Nethaneel, Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, who were brothers and leaders of the Levites, provided 5,000 smaller animals and 500 large animals as sacrifices for Passover.

10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king’s commandment.

*The service was ready, priests were in their spots, and Levites in their groups, as the king ordered.

11 And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them.

*They killed the sacrificial animal, the priests dripped the blood from their hands, and the Levites removed their skin.

12 And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen.

*They took away the burned sacrifices to divide them among the family groups for offering to God, following instructions from a book by Moses. They also did this with the cows.

13 And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance: but the other holy offerings sod they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily among all the people.

*They cooked the Passover using fire as instructed. Other holy offerings, however, they quickly boiled in pots, caldrons, and pans, then shared them with everyone.

14 And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.

*Afterward, they prepared for themselves and the priests because the priests, who were the sons of Aaron, were busy with burnt offerings and fat until night. So, the Levites also prepared for themselves and the priests, who were the sons of Aaron.

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 porters waited at every gate; they might not depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.

*The singers, led by Asaph's sons, followed David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun's orders. The king's seer and the porters stayed at each gate, not leaving their duties. The Levites supported them, ensuring they could continue their tasks.

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.

*On that day, everything needed for the LORD's Passover celebration and offering sacrifices on the altar was ready, just as King Josiah had ordered.

17 And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.

*The Israelite kids there celebrated Passover and the week-long unleavened bread festival at that time.

18 And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from 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.

*There hadn't been another Passover quite like the one in Israel during Samuel's time. Not even all the kings of Israel had a Passover like King Josiah did, along with the priests, Levites, people from Judah and Israel who were there, and the people living in Jerusalem.

19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept.

*In the 18th year that King Josiah ruled, they celebrated the Passover festival.

20 After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Charchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.

*After everything was ready at the temple, King Josiah faced off against King Necho of Egypt, who was fighting against Charchemish near the Euphrates River. Josiah went to battle against Necho.

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.

*But he sent messengers saying, "What do we have to do with each other, you king of Judah? I'm not fighting against you today, but against a different group. God told me to hurry up, so stay out of this - don't interfere with what God wants, or He will destroy you."

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.

*Nevertheless, Josiah did not turn away from him, but disguised himself to fight alongside him. He didn't listen to Necho's words, which came from God. Then, he went to fight in the Valley of Megiddo.

23 And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.

*The archers shot at King Josiah, and he told his helpers, "Get me out of here, I'm badly hurt."

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 sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

*So, his helpers took him from the first carriage and put him in the second one. They brought him to Jerusalem, where he passed away and was placed in a tomb with his ancestors. Everyone in Judah and Jerusalem was sad about Josiah's death.

25 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.

*Jeremiah mourned for Josiah. The singers, both men and women, included stories about Josiah in their sad songs. These songs became a rule in Israel and are still written down in the lamentations.

26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to that which was written in the law of the LORD,

*Now, the remaining deeds of Josiah and his righteousness, as recorded in the LORD's law,

27 And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

*His actions, from start to finish, can be found in the book of the Israeli and Judean kings.

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