2 Chronicles 35:1-19
Josiah Keeps the Passover
1Then Josiah kept the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and the Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month.
2He appointed the priests to their duties and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD.
3To the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the LORD, Josiah said: “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. It is not to be carried around on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel.
4Prepare yourselves by families in your divisions, according to the instructions written by David king of Israel and Solomon his son.
5Moreover, stand in the Holy Place by the divisions of the families of your kinsmen the lay people, and by the divisions of the families of the Levites.
6Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves, and make preparations for your fellow countrymen to carry out the word of the LORD given by Moses.”
7From his own flocks and herds Josiah contributed 30,000 lambs and goats plus 3,000 bulls for the Passover offerings for all the people who were present.
8His officials also contributed willingly to the people and priests and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the chief officials of the house of God, gave the priests 2,600 Passover offerings and 300 bulls.
9Additionally, Conaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, as well as Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, officers of the Levites, contributed to the Levites 5,000 Passover offerings and 500 bulls.
10So the service was prepared; the priests stood in their places and the Levites in their divisions according to the king’s command.
11And they slaughtered the Passover lambs, while the priests splattered the blood handed to them and the Levites skinned the animals.
12They set aside the burnt offerings to be given to the divisions of the families of the people to offer to the LORD, as it is written in the Book of Moses. And they did the same with the bulls.
13They roasted the Passover animals on the fire according to the regulation, and they boiled the other holy offerings in pots, kettles, and bowls and quickly brought them to all the people.
14Afterward, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, since the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were offering up burnt offerings and fat until nightfall. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
15The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer. And the gatekeepers at each gate did not need to leave their posts, because their fellow Levites made preparations for them.
16So on that day the entire service of the LORD was carried out for celebrating the Passover and offering burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD, according to the command of King Josiah.
17The Israelites who were present also observed the Passover at that time, as well as the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.
18No such Passover had been observed in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel ever observed a Passover like the one that Josiah observed with the priests, the Levites, all Judah, the Israelites who were present, and the people of Jerusalem.
19In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was observed.
Berean Standard Bible
Josiah keeps the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem. The priests are assigned their duties, and he tells the Levites to put the holy ark in the temple Solomon built. They are not to carry it on their shoulders anymore; their service is to the LORD and to His people.
Josiah provides lambs and young goats for the people, along with cattle for the priests and Levites. The officials also give willingly. The Passover is organized by families, divisions, and duties, so the worship can be carried out according to the word of the LORD through Moses.
The priests stand in their places, the Levites prepare the offerings, and the singers and gatekeepers serve without leaving their assigned posts. The worship follows what was written by David, Solomon, and the earlier leaders. The day is marked by memory, sacrifice, music, and order.
No Passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of Samuel. Josiah and the priests, Levites, all Judah and Israel present, and the people of Jerusalem keep the feast in the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign. The celebration is a high point in the reform, but the next passage will show that devotion in one area does not guarantee wisdom in every decision.
Questions
1 What did Josiah tell the Levites to do with the ark?
AnswerHe told them to put the holy ark in the temple Solomon had built and no longer carry it on their shoulders.
2 What did Josiah provide?
AnswerJosiah provided lambs, young goats, and cattle for the people, priests, and Levites.
3 How did the Levites serve?
AnswerThey prepared offerings, served in their divisions, and remained at their assigned posts with the singers and gatekeepers.
4 When was the Passover kept?
AnswerIt was kept in the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign in Jerusalem.
What This Means for Us
Josiah's celebration joins memory with careful service. People are not invited merely to feel nostalgic; they are gathered into a commanded pattern of worship that includes preparation and shared responsibility.
Good traditions need living faith and thoughtful care. Preserve what points people to God, and keep learning how to serve the people who depend on the tradition.
Prayer
God, help us remember your saving work with grateful and careful worship. Teach us to serve faithfully in our assigned places and to pass on traditions that lead people toward you. Amen.