2 Chronicles 35

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Josiah then celebrated a Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem. The Passover victims were slaughteredon the fourteenth day of the first month.	1 Josiah celebrated in Jerusalem a Passover to honor the LORD; the Passover sacrifice was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month.
2 He assigned the priests to their posts, encouraging them to do their duty in the Temple of Yahweh.	2 He reappointed the priests to their duties and encouraged them in the service of the LORD'S house.
3 Then he said to the Levites, who had understanding for al Israel and were consecrated to Yahweh,'Put the sacred ark in the Temple built by Solomon son of David, king of Israel. You need not carry it about on your shoulders any more. Now serve Yahweh your God and Israel his people!	3 He said to the Levites who were to instruct all Israel, and who were consecrated to the LORD: "Put the holy ark in the house built by Solomon, son of David, king of Israel. It shall no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Serve now the LORD, your God, and his people Israel.
4 Prepare yourselves by families according to your orders, as laid down in the decree of David king ofIsrael and that of Solomon his son,	4 Prepare yourselves in your ancestral houses and your classes according to the prescriptions of King David of Israel and his son Solomon.
5 and take up positions in the sanctuary corresponding to the family divisions of your brothers the laity,so that there are Levites for each family division.	5 Stand in the sanctuary according to the divisions of the ancestral houses of your brethren, the common people, so that the distribution of the Levites and the families may be the same.
6 Slaughter the Passover, sanctify yourselves and prepare it so that your brothers can observe it in theway the word of Yahweh through Moses requires.'	6 Slay the Passover sacrifice, sanctify yourselves, and be at the disposition of your brethren, that all may be carried out according to the word of the LORD given through Moses."
7 For the laity Josiah provided small livestock, that is, lambs and young goats -- everything for thePassover offerings for al who attended -- to the number of thirty thousand, as well as three thousand bul ocks;these were from the king's own possessions.	7 Josiah contributed to the common people a flock of lambs and kids, thirty thousand in number, each to serve as a Passover victim for any who were present, and also three thousand oxen; these were from the king's property.
8 His officials also made voluntary contributions for the people, the priests and the Levites; and Hilkiah,Zechariah and Jehiel, the chiefs of the Temple of God, gave two thousand six hundred lambs and three hundredbullocks to the priests for the Passover offerings;	8 His princes also gave a free-will gift to the people, the priests and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel, prefects of the house of God, gave to the priests two thousand six hundred Passover victims together with three hundred oxen.
9 while Conaniah, Shemaiah, Nethanel his brother, Hashabiah, Jeiel and Jozabad, the head Levites,provided five thousand lambs and five hundred bul ocks as Passover offerings for the Levites.	9 Conaniah and his brothers Shemaiah, Nethanel, Hashabiah, Jehiel and Jozabad, the rulers of the Levites, contributed to the Levites five thousand Passover victims, together with five hundred oxen.
10 So the service was arranged, the priests stood in their places and the Levites in their orders as theking had commanded.	10 When the service had been arranged, the priests took their places, as did the Levites in their classes according to the king's command.
11 Then they slaughtered the Passover victims and while the priests sprinkled the blood as theyreceived it from the Levites, the latter did the skinning.	11 The Passover sacrifice was slaughtered, whereupon the priests sprinkled some of the blood and the Levites proceeded to the skinning.
12 Next they put the burnt offering aside for presentation to the family divisions of the laity, so that theycould offer it to Yahweh in the way prescribed in the Book of Moses; they did the same with the bul ocks.	12 They separated what was destined for the holocaust and gave it to various groups of the ancestral houses of the common people to offer to the LORD, as is prescribed in the book of Moses. They did the same with the oxen.
13 They roasted the Passover victim over an open fire in accordance with the regulation and boiled theconsecrated offerings in pots, kettles and pans, which they then distributed to al the laity as quickly as theycould.	13 They cooked the Passover on the fire as prescribed, and also cooked the sacred meals in pots, caldrons and pans, then brought them quickly to all the common people.
14 Afterwards they provided for themselves and the priests, since the Aaronite priests were kept busy tilnightfall making the burnt offerings and offering the fat; that was why the Levites prepared the Passover forthemselves and for the Aaronite priests.	14 Afterward they prepared the Passover for themselves and for the priests. Indeed the priests, the sons of Aaron, were busy offering holocausts and the fatty portions until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron.
15 The Asaphite singers were at their places, in accordance with the command of David and Asaph,Heman and Jeduthun the king's seer; so were the gatekeepers at each gate. Because they could not leave theirduties, their brothers the Levites prepared the Passover for them.	15 The singers, the sons of Asaph, were at their posts as prescribed by David: Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, the king's seer. The gatekeepers were at every gate; there was no need for them to leave their stations, for their brethren, the Levites, prepared for them.
16 So the whole service of Yahweh was arranged that day to celebrate the Passover and to bring burntofferings on the altar of Yahweh, in accordance with King Josiah's command.	16 Thus the entire service of the LORD was arranged that day so that the Passover could be celebrated and the holocausts offered on the altar of the LORD, as King Josiah had commanded.
17 On that occasion the Israelites who were present celebrated the Passover and the feast ofUnleavened Bread for seven days.	17 The Israelites who were present on that occasion kept the Passover and the feast of the Unleavened Bread for seven days.
18 No Passover like this one had ever been celebrated in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel,nor had any of the kings of Israel ever celebrated a Passover like the one celebrated by Josiah, the priests, theLevites, al Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.	18 No such Passover had been observed in Israel since the time of the prophet Samuel, nor had any king of Israel kept a Passover like that of Josiah, the priests and Levites, all of Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
19 This Passover was celebrated in the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign.	19 It was in the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign that this Passover was observed.
20 After all this, when Josiah had provided for the Temple, Necho king of Egypt advanced to give battleat Carchemish on the Euphrates and Josiah went to intercept him.	20 After Josiah had done all this to restore the temple, Neco, king of Egypt, came up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to intercept him.
21 Necho however sent him messengers to say, 'Why be concerned about me, king of Judah? I havenot come today to attack you; my quarrel is with another dynasty. God has commanded me to move quickly, sokeep wel clear of the god who is with me!'	21 Neco sent messengers to him, saying: "What quarrel is between us, king of Judah? I have not come against you this day, for my war is with another kingdom, and God has told me to hasten. Do not interfere with God who is with me, as otherwise he will destroy you."
22 But Josiah was not to be deflected from his determination to fight him, and would not listen toNecho's words, which came from the mouth of God. He gave battle in the plain of Megiddo.	22 But Josiah would not withdraw from him, for he had sought a pretext for fighting with him. Therefore he would not listen to the words of Neco that came from the mouth of God, but went out to fight in the plain of Megiddo.
23 The archers shot King Josiah. The king then said to his retainers, 'Take me away; I am badlywounded.'	23 Then the archers shot King Josiah, who said to his servants, "Take me away, for I am seriously wounded."
24 So his retainers lifted him out of his own chariot, transferred him to one which he had in reserve andbrought him to Jerusalem, where he died and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors. Al Judah and Jerusalemheld mourning for Josiah.	24 His servants removed him from his own chariot, placed him in another he had in reserve, and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned him.
25 Jeremiah composed a lament for Josiah and all the male and female singers to this day lamentJosiah in their dirges; they have made it a rule in Israel; they are recorded in the Lamentations.	25 Jeremiah also composed a lamentation over Josiah, which is recited to this day by all the male and female singers in their lamentations over Josiah. These have been made obligatory for Israel, and can be found written in the Lamentations.
26 The rest of the history of Josiah, his deeds of faithful love conforming to what is prescribed in theLaw of Yahweh,	26 The rest of the chronicle of Josiah, his pious deeds in regard to what is written in the law of the LORD, and his acts, first and last, can be found written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
27 his history from first to last, are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.