2 Chronicles 35

Josia setting the worship of God in order, keepeth the feast of the pass-over with great solemnity, v.1. etc undertaketh an unnecessary war against Pharao Necho, 20. Wherein he is mortally wounded, and dieth, 23. He is exceedingly lamented, 24. The close of his history, 26.

1. After that Josia kept the Pass-over [See of this feast, Exod.12.3. and 34,18. Levit.23.5. Numb.9.2. and 28.16.] unto the LORD at Jerusalem: and they killed the Pass-over [that is, the Lamb that was to be killed at the feast. See Numb.9.on vers.11.] on the fourteenth day of the first month. [According to the ordinance of the Law, Exod.12. vers.6. The first month here mentioned was the first month of the Holy, or Ecclesiastical year, and was called Nisan, or Abib. See Exod.12.on vers.2. and Numb.9.on vers.1.]

2. And he set the Priests on their watches; and he strengthened them to the service of the house of the LORD. [That is, he exhorted them to their duty, and encouraged them.]

3. And he said unto the Levites, that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the LORD: [See above chap.23.on vers.6.] Put the holy Ark [Hebr. the Ark of holiness. See Lev.16.on vers.4.] in the house, which Salomon the son of David the king of Israel did build; [hence may be gathered, that the Ark at this time was not in the Temple, or at least not in the Holy of Holies, where it ought to have been; being taken away from thence by some idolatrous King] ye have no burden upon (your) shouldiers: [to wit, to bear the Ark commonly, as their ancestors had done formerly in the wilderness, and as long as the Tabernacle stood, Numb.7.9.] serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel. [The meaning is, that for as they were eased of that former burden, and that which appertained thereunto, they ought therefore to have the more regard to the other parts of their office. See 1 Chron.23. on vers.27, 28, etc.]

4. And prepared your selves according to the houses of your fathers, according to your divisions, according to the prescription of Salomon his son.

5. And stand in the Sanctuary, [Others, in the holy place: that is, by the Temple in the Court of the Priests, there to receive the Paschal Lambs of those, that were not of the Tribe of Levi, and to kill them, seeing the Priests were other ways sufficiently employed about the offerings, and sprinkling of the bloud, etc. See of this place, Levit.6.on vers.16. and Numb.28.on vers.7. wherein it is also called the Sanctuary] according to the distinction of the fatherly houses, for your brethren, the people, [Hebr. the sons, or, children of the people; that is, the people. Understand those that were not of the Tribe of Levi, but belonged to the other tribes, and were not consecrated to the work of the service of God] and (according to) the division of the fatherly houses of the Levites.

6. And slay the Pass-over, [That is, the Paschal Lambs. See of this phrase, Numb.9.on vers.11. So below vers.11.] and sanctify your selves, and prepare (that) for your brethren, doing according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moseh.

7. And Josia gave [Or, heaved, or, gave an heaving: that is, an offering or gift. The Verb to heave is taken for to offer, or, o give, as above chap.30.24. See the Annotations. As the word heaving is taken for offering. See Numb.5.on vers.9. and above chap.30.24. with the Annotations. Item, here in the following verse] for the people, of small cattle, lambs, and young he-goats, [Hebr. so of goats. See Lev.1.on vers.15.] all them for the Passover-offerings, according to all that was found there, [that is, was a presentor at hand among the small cattle of the King, that was sit to be slain at this feast, according to the law, Exod.12.5. Oth. According to all those that were found there: that is, according to that which was enough for the people that were come to Jerusalem to the Passover feast] thirty thousand in number: but of Bullocks three thousand: [these served for burnt-offerings, and thank-offerings, which they were likewise to offer at this feast. See Num.28.19.] these were of the Kings substance.

8. Also his Princes gave for a free-will-offering, [See Lev.7.on vers.14.] for the people, for the Priests, and for the Levites: Compare above chap.30.24. where it may be seen what they gave] Hilkia, and Zacharia, and Jehiel, Rulers of the house of God, [That is, the high Priests, and the two Priests of the second order, who were the high Priests fellow-helpers, yet were under him. See Num.3.on vers.32. and 2 Kings 23. On vers.4.] gave unto the Priests for the passovr-offerings, two thousand and six hundred (small cattle): [the sense is here perfected by this insertion taken out of the former verse: The same is also done in the next verse following] and three hundred oxen.

9. Moreover, Conania, and Semaia, and Nethaneel, his brethren; together with Hasahis, and Jiel, and Josaphat, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for Passover-offerings, five thousand (small cattle:) and five hundred oxen.

10. So the service was prepared, and the Priests stood in their station, and the Levites in their divisions, according to the commandment of the King.

11. After that they slew the Passover, and the Priests sprinkled (the blood) [To wit, upon the altar. See above chap.29.22.] from their hands: [that is, which they received from the hand of the slayer or killer: For the word sprinkled comprehendeth here in it also the signification of the word taking, or, receiving. See Gen.12.on vers.15. and above chap.30. vers.16.] and the Levites slayed (them.)

12. And they took away there [To wit, from the lambs or Kids which they had slain and slayed] the burnt-offering, [That is, that part which was to be offered unto the Lord for a burnt-offering; as the fat, (see ver.14.) the tail, the Kindney, the cawl, which were all to be burnt with fire, Lev.3.v.9.10,11. Some conceive that they separated or set apart some lambs, to give them unto the people according to the fatherly houses, for to be offered] that they might give them [to wit, the Passover-offerings, lambs, or kids, goats] to the people, [Hebr. to the sons, or children of the people, as above v.5,7. And below v.13.] according to the divisions of the fatherly houses, to offered unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moseh; and so [to wit, did they] with the oxen.

13. And they dressed the Passover with fire, [That is, they rosted it at the fire, as appeareth by the opposition, which is there immediately added of those things which were sod in pots, etc. For God had commanded that they should roost the Paschal lamb, Exod.12.v.8,9. The Hebrew word is also taken for rosting, Deut.16.7.] [meaning the pieces & parts of the thank-offerings, which pertained to those that offered them] they dressed [that is, sod, boiled] in pots, and in kettles, and in pans: And they divided (them) speedily among all the people. [Heb.they caused (them) to run to all the children of the people. That is, they divided to every one among the people, with singular hast and nimbleness, their part portion of the offering.]

14. After that they prepared also for themselves, and for the Priests: [To wit, the paschal lambs that pertained to them, and to the Priests] For the Priests the sons of Aaron were [to wit, 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. [the meaning is, in regard the Levites were so much employed, and so full of business, in and about the burnt –offerings, (whereof is spoken above vers.12.) that they could not make ready for themselves the paschal lambs which belonged to them, that therefore the Levites did it for them.]

15. And the singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their station, according to the commandement of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun [See of this order, which David had made according to the text, had renewed, and inculcated or whetted upon their sons, 1 Chron.25. and 26.] the kings Seer, [that is, Prophet. See 1 Sam.9.9. and the an.] together with the porters at every gate: [Hebr. at gate and gate] they needed not to depart from their service, because their brethren the Levites prepared for them.

16. So all the service of the LORD was ordered the same day, to keep the Passover, and to offer burnt-offerings [See above on v.12.] upon the altar of the LORD according to the commandment of the King Josia.

17. And the children of Israel that were found there, kept the Passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread-(loaves) seven days.

18. Also there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel, from the days of Samuel the Prophet: [See the exposition hereof, 2 Kings 23.on v.22.] and no Kings of Israel had kept such a Passover, like to that which Josia kept with the Priests, and the Levites, and all Juda, and Israel that were found there, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

19. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josia was this Passover kept.

20. After all this, when Josiah d prepared the house, [To wit, of God; that is, the Temple, and consequently the whole worship of God] Necho [See hereof, and of Carchemis (mentioned in the following words) 2 Kings 23.on vers.29.] the king of Egypt marched up, to war against Carchemis by the Phrath; and Josia marched forth to meet him.

21. Then (he) [To wit, Necho the King of Egypt] sent messengers unto him, saying; what have I to do with thee; [Hebr. what is it to me and thee. Compare 2 Sam.16.10. and the an.] thou king of Juda? As for thee, I am not against thee this day, but against an house that wageth war against me, [Hebr. an house of my war. That is, which against me, [Hebr. an house of my war. That is, which maketh war against me, or with whom I have war: He meaneth the Assyrians that had taken Carchemis, of which their King boasteth, Isa.10.v.9. See 2 Kings 23.on v.29. Compare also 2 Sam.8.on v.10. and 23. The an.] and God hath said that I should make haste: For hear from God, who is with me, [That is, from coming against him, and from desiring to hinder his purpose, which he intendeth and desireth to executed by me] left he destroy thee.

22. But Josia turned not his face from him, but he disguished himself, [That is, he changed his apparel, that he might not known, as Achab had formerly done, 2 Kings 22.vers.30.] to fight against him, and hearkened not to the words of Necho from the mouth of God: But he came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. [see 1 Kings 9.on .15. Zach.12.11.]

23. And the Arches shot King Josia; then the King said to his servants, carrying me away, for I am sore wounded [Heb. grown sick: that is, so wounded, that I am grown very sick and faint of it. See the same phrase, 1 Kings 22:34.]

24. And his servants took him away from the charet, and carried him in the second charet that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he died, and was buried in the sepulchers of his fathers, [That is, in one of them. See Gen. 19.on vers.29. Or, among these pulchres of his Fathers] and all Juda and Jerusalem mourned for Josia. Compare Genes.23. vers.2. and the annotate.

25. And Jeremia made a lamentation over Josia; [Which was written to the end, that men reading the same, might ensure themselves, to ponder on the most sad doleful condition of that kingdom, and to lament the cause thereof, to repent of their sins, and to pray unto God of mercy and pardon] likewise all the singing men, and singing women spake to Josia in their lamentations unto this day: [that is, which continue unto this day, wherein this was written] for they gave them (to be) an ordinance in Israel: [to wit, to be sung every year] and behold, they are written in the lamentations. [some understand this of the lamentations of Jeremy, wherein not only the final destruction of Jerusalem is lamented, but also all the miseries and calamities that came upon the city, and upon the land: The beginning whereof was the death of this godly King.]

26. Now the rest of the acts of Josia, and his good deeds, [Understand the works of his piety, in destroying all idolatry, and reforming Religion, and maintaining the ordinances of God. The Hebrew word is likewise so taken, above chap.32. vers.32. Nehem. 13.v.14.] according to that which was written in the law of the lord.

27. His acts then the first, and the last; behold, they are written in the book of the Kings of Israel and Juda.