2 Chronicles 35 – “Josiah Part II – The Passover; Battle with Necho”

24B - 2 Chronicles

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
The people keep the passover in Jerusalem. Josiah is killed in a battle with Pharaoh Necho.

II. Photo
Josiah is injured in battle: “Archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, ‘Get me away from here, for I am badly wounded.’” (v. 23)

III. Select Verses    
16-18: The entire service of the LORD was arranged well that day, to keep the Passover and to make the burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD, according to the command of King Josiah.  All the Israelites present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.  Since the time of the prophet Samuel, no Passover like that one had ever been kept in Israel; none of the kings of Israel had kept a Passover like the one kept by Josiah and the priests and the Levites and all Judah and Israel there present and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
20-24: After all this furbishing of the Temple by Josiah, King Necho of Egypt came up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him.  [Necho] sent messengers to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I do not march against you this day but against the kingdom that wars with me, and it is God’s will that I hurry. Refrain, then, from interfering with God who is with me, that He not destroy you.”  But Josiah would not let him alone; instead, he donned [his armor] to fight him, heedless of Necho’s words from the mouth of God; and he came to fight in the plain of Megiddo.  Archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, “Get me away from here, for I am badly wounded.”  His servants carried him out of his chariot and put him in the wagon of his second-in-command, and conveyed him to Jerusalem. There he died, and was buried in the grave of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem went into mourning over Josiah.
25: Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah which all the singers, male and female, recited in their laments for Josiah, as is done to this day; they became customary in Israel and were incorporated into the laments.

IV. Outline

1-19. The Passover
    1. Introduction to the Passover
    2. Josiah stations the priests
    3-6. Message to the Levites
        3. The ark
        4-5. Clan divisions
        6. The passover sacrifice
    7-9. Donations of Josiah, his officers, and the Levites
    10-16. The service is run well
    17-19. Praise; Summary statement
20-25.
    20. Josiah goes out to fight Necho
    21-22. Necho’s warning to Josiah
    23-24a. Josiah is wounded by arrows
    24b. Death
    24c-25. The people and Jeremiah lament
26. Summary statement

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Photo copied from http://cryptome.quintessenz.at/mirror/im01/pict364.jpg

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