Josiah Keeps the Passover

2 Chronicles 35

1 Now a Josiah kept a Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the b fourteenth day of the first month. 2 And he set the priests in their c duties and d encouraged them for the service of the house of the LORD. 3 Then he said to the Levites e who taught all Israel, who were holy to the LORD: f "Put the holy ark g in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. h It shall no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel. 4 "Prepare yourselves i according to your fathers' 1 houses, according to your divisions, following the j written instruction of David king of Israel and the k written instruction of Solomon his son. 5 "And l stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers' houses of your brethren the lay people, and according to the division of the father's house of the Levites. 6 "So slaughter the Passover offerings, m consecrate yourselves, and prepare them for your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses."

7 Then Josiah n gave the lay people lambs and young goats from the flock, all for Passover offerings for all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, as well as three thousand cattle; these were from the king's o possessions. 8 And his p leaders gave willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand six hundred from the flock, and three hundred cattle. 9 Also q Conaniah, his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave to the Levites for Passover offerings five thousand from the flock and five hundred cattle.

10 So the service was prepared, and the priests r stood in their places, and the s Levites in their divisions, according to the king's command. 11 And they slaughtered the Passover offerings; and the priests t sprinkled the blood with their hands, while the Levites u skinned the animals. 12 Then they removed the burnt offerings that they might give them to the divisions of the fathers' houses of the lay people, to offer to the LORD, as it is written v in the Book of Moses. And so they did with the cattle. 13 Also they w roasted the Passover offerings with fire according to the ordinance; but the other holy offerings they x boiled in pots, in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them quickly among all the lay people. 14 Then afterward they prepared portions for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were busy in offering burnt offerings and fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared portions for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron. 15 And the singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their places, according to the y command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer. Also the gatekeepers z were at each gate; they did not have to leave their position, because their brethren the Levites prepared portions for them.

16 So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD, according to the command of King Josiah. 17 And the children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of a Unleavened Bread for seven days. 18 b There had been no Passover kept in Israel like that since the days of Samuel the prophet; and none of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as Josiah kept, with the priests and the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept.

  1. Cross References
    2 Kings 23:21
    Then the king commanded all the people, saying, "Keep the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.
    2 Kings 23:22
    Such a Passover surely had never been held since the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah.
  2. Cross References
    Exodus 12:6
    Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight.
    Numbers 9:3
    "On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time. According to all its rites and ceremonies you shall keep it."
    Ezra 6:19
    And the descendants of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
  3. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 23:18
    Also Jehoiada appointed the oversight of the house of the LORD to the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had assigned in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was established by David.
    Ezra 6:18
    They assigned the priests to their divisions and the Levites to their divisions, over the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.
  4. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 29:5 - 15
    And said to them: "Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place.
  5. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 33:10
    They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, And Israel Your law. They shall put incense before You, And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar.
    2 Chronicles 17:8
    And with them he sent Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah - the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests.
    2 Chronicles 17:9
    So they taught in Judah, and had the Book of the Law of the LORD with them; they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people.
    Nehemiah 8:7
    Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law; and the people stood in their place.
  6. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 34:14
    Now when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses.
  7. Cross References
    Exodus 40:21
    And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, hung up the veil of the covering, and partitioned off the ark of the Testimony, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
    2 Chronicles 5:7
    Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim.
  8. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 23:26
    And also to the Levites, "They shall no longer carry the tabernacle, or any of the articles for its service.
  9. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 9:10 - 13
    Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin.
  10. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 23:1
    So when David was old and full of days, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
    1 Chronicles 26:1
    Concerning the divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.
  11. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 8:14
    And, according to the order of David his father, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, the Levites for their duties (to praise and serve before the priests) as the duty of each day required, and the gatekeepers by their divisions at each gate; for so David the man of God had commanded.
  12. Cross References
    Psalms 134:1
    Behold, bless the LORD, All you servants of the LORD, Who by night stand in the house of the LORD!
  13. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 29:5
    And said to them: "Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place.
    2 Chronicles 29:15
    And they gathered their brethren, sanctified themselves, and went according to the commandment of the king, at the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.
  14. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 30:24
    For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the leaders gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
  15. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 31:3
    The king also appointed a portion of his possessions for the burnt offerings: for the morning and evening burnt offerings, the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths and the New Moons and the set feasts, as it is written in the Law of the LORD.
  16. Cross References
    Numbers 7:2
    Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, who were the leaders of the tribes and over those who were numbered, made an offering.
  17. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 31:12
    Then they faithfully brought in the offerings, the tithes, and the dedicated things; Cononiah the Levite had charge of them, and Shimei his brother was the next.
  18. Cross References
    Ezra 6:18
    They assigned the priests to their divisions and the Levites to their divisions, over the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.
    Hebrews 9:6
    Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services.
  19. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 5:12
    And the Levites who were the singers, all those...
    2 Chronicles 7:6
    And the priests attended to their services; the...
    2 Chronicles 8:14
    And, according to the order of David his father...
    2 Chronicles 8:15
    They did not depart from the command of the kin...
    2 Chronicles 13:10
    But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have...
    2 Chronicles 29:25 - 34
    And he stationed the Levites in the house of th...
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 12:22
    And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning.
    2 Chronicles 29:22
    So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. Likewise they killed the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They also killed the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar.
  21. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 29:34
    But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings; therefore their brethren the Levites helped them until the work was ended and until the other priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more diligent in sanctifying themselves than the priests.
  22. Cross References
    Leviticus 3:3
    Then he shall offer from the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails.
    Ezra 6:18
    They assigned the priests to their divisions and the Levites to their divisions, over the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.
  23. Cross References
    Exodus 12:8
    Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
    Exodus 12:9
    Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire - its head with its legs and its entrails.
    Deuteronomy 16:7
    And you shall roast and eat it in the place which the LORD your God chooses, and in the morning you shall turn and go to your tents.
  24. Cross References
    1 Samuel 2:13 - 15
    And the priests' custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling.
  25. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 25:1 - 6
    Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was:
  26. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 9:17
    And the gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brethren. Shallum was the chief.
    1 Chronicles 9:18
    Until then they had been gatekeepers for the camps of the children of Levi at the King's Gate on the east.
  27. Cross References
    Exodus 12:15
    Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.
    Exodus 13:6
    Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD.
    2 Chronicles 30:21
    So the children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing to the LORD, accompanied by loud instruments.
  28. Cross References
    2 Kings 23:22
    Such a Passover surely had never been held since the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah.
    2 Kings 23:23
    But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah this Passover was held before the LORD in Jerusalem.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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