The Greatest Passover and the Fall of a Good King.

וַיַּ֨עַשׂ יֹאשִׁיָּ֧הוּ בִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם פֶּ֖סַח לַיהוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁחֲט֣וּ הַפֶּ֔סַח בְּאַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר לַחֹ֥דֶשׁ הָרִאשֽׁוֹן׃

Josiah kept a Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem. And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month.

וַיַּעֲמֵ֥ד הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים עַל־מִשְׁמְרוֹתָ֑ם וַֽיְחַזְּקֵ֔ם לַעֲבוֹדַ֖ת בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

[2] He appointed the priests to their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the Lord .

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לַ֠לְוִיִּם ׳הַמְּבוּנִים׳ ״הַמְּבִינִ֨ים״ לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל הַקְּדוֹשִׁ֣ים לַיהוָ֗ה תְּנ֤וּ אֶת־אֲרוֹן־הַקֹּ֙דֶשׁ֙ בַּ֠בַּיִת אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֜ה שְׁלֹמֹ֤ה בֶן־דָּוִיד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵין־לָכֶ֥ם מַשָּׂ֖א בַּכָּתֵ֑ף עַתָּ֗ה עִבְדוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת עַמּ֥וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[3] And he said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the Lord , “Put the holy ark in the house that Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. You need not carry it on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel.

׳וְהִכּוֹנוּ׳ ״וְהָכִ֥ינוּ״ לְבֵית־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם כְּמַחְלְקוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם בִּכְתָ֗ב דָּוִיד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּבְמִכְתַּ֖ב שְׁלֹמֹ֥ה בְנֽוֹ׃

[4] Prepare yourselves according to your fathers' houses by your divisions, as prescribed in the writing of David king of Israel and the document of Solomon his son.

וְעִמְד֣וּ בַקֹּ֗דֶשׁ לִפְלֻגּוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית הָֽאָב֔וֹת לַאֲחֵיכֶ֖ם בְּנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַחֲלֻקַּ֥ת בֵּֽית־אָ֖ב לַלְוִיִּֽם׃

[5] And stand in the Holy Place according to the groupings of the fathers' houses of your brothers the lay people, and according to the division of the Levites by fathers' household.

וְשַׁחֲט֖וּ הַפָּ֑סַח וְהִתְקַדְּשׁוּ֙ וְהָכִ֣ינוּ לַאֲחֵיכֶ֔ם לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת כִּדְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ פ

[6] And slaughter the Passover lamb, and consecrate yourselves, and prepare for your brothers, to do according to the word of the Lord by Moses.”

וַיָּ֣רֶם יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ לִבְנֵ֪י הָעָ֟ם צֹ֞אן כְּבָשִׂ֣ים וּבְנֵֽי־עִזִּים֮ הַכֹּ֣ל לַפְּסָחִים֒ לְכָל־הַנִּמְצָ֗א לְמִסְפַּר֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים אֶ֔לֶף וּבָקָ֖ר שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֑ים אֵ֖לֶּה מֵרְכ֥וּשׁ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ס

[7] Then Josiah contributed to the lay people, as Passover offerings for all who were present, lambs and young goats from the flock to the number of 30,000, and 3,000 bulls; these were from the king's possessions.

וְשָׂרָ֞יו לִנְדָבָ֥ה לָעָ֛ם לַכֹּהֲנִ֥ים וְלַלְוִיִּ֖ם הֵרִ֑ימוּ חִלְקִיָּ֨ה וּזְכַרְיָ֜הוּ וִֽיחִיאֵ֗ל נְגִידֵי֙ בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים לַכֹּהֲנִ֞ים נָתְנ֣וּ לַפְּסָחִ֗ים אַלְפַּ֙יִם֙ וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וּבָקָ֖ר שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃

[8] And his officials contributed willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the chief officers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings 2,600 Passover lambs and 300 bulls.

׳וְכוֹנַנְיָהוּ׳ ״וְ֠כָֽנַנְיָהוּ״ וּשְׁמַֽעְיָ֨הוּ וּנְתַנְאֵ֜ל אֶחָ֗יו וַחֲשַׁבְיָ֧הוּ וִיעִיאֵ֛ל וְיוֹזָבָ֖ד שָׂרֵ֣י הַלְוִיִּ֑ם הֵרִ֨ימוּ לַלְוִיִּ֤ם לַפְּסָחִים֙ חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֔ים וּבָקָ֖ר חֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃

[9] Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for the Passover offerings 5,000 lambs and young goats and 500 bulls.

וַתִּכּ֖וֹן הָעֲבוֹדָ֑ה וַיַּֽעַמְד֨וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים עַל־עָמְדָ֛ם וְהַלְוִיִּ֥ם עַל־מַחְלְקוֹתָ֖ם כְּמִצְוַ֥ת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

[10] When the service had been prepared for, the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their divisions according to the king's command.

וַֽיִּשְׁחֲט֖וּ הַפָּ֑סַח וַיִּזְרְק֤וּ הַכֹּהֲנִים֙ מִיָּדָ֔ם וְהַלְוִיִּ֖ם מַפְשִׁיטִֽים׃

[11] And they slaughtered the Passover lamb, and the priests threw the blood that they received from them while the Levites flayed the sacrifices.

וַיָּסִ֨ירוּ הָעֹלָ֜ה לְ֠תִתָּם לְמִפְלַגּ֤וֹת לְבֵית־אָבוֹת֙ לִבְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם לְהַקְרִיב֙ לַיהוָ֔ה כַּכָּת֖וּב בְּסֵ֣פֶר מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְכֵ֖ן לַבָּקָֽר׃

[12] And they set aside the burnt offerings that they might distribute them according to the groupings of the fathers' houses of the lay people, to offer to the Lord , as it is written in the Book of Moses. And so they did with the bulls.

וַֽיְבַשְּׁל֥וּ הַפֶּ֛סַח בָּאֵ֖שׁ כַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט וְהַקֳּדָשִׁ֣ים בִּשְּׁל֗וּ בַּסִּיר֤וֹת וּבַדְּוָדִים֙ וּבַצֵּ֣לָח֔וֹת וַיָּרִ֖יצוּ לְכָל־בְּנֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃

[13] And they roasted the Passover lamb with fire according to the rule; and they boiled the holy offerings in pots, in cauldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the lay people.

וְאַחַ֗ר הֵכִ֤ינוּ לָהֶם֙ וְלַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים כִּ֤י הַכֹּהֲנִים֙ בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֔ן בְּהַֽעֲל֛וֹת הָעוֹלָ֥ה וְהַחֲלָבִ֖ים עַד־לָ֑יְלָה וְהַלְוִיִּם֙ הֵכִ֣ינוּ לָהֶ֔ם וְלַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים בְּנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹֽן׃

[14] And afterward they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were offering the burnt offerings and the fat parts until night; so the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron.

וְהַמְשֹֽׁרֲרִ֨ים בְּנֵי־אָסָ֜ף עַל־מַעֲמָדָ֗ם כְּמִצְוַ֤ת דָּוִיד֙ וְאָסָ֞ף וְהֵימָ֤ן וִֽידֻתוּן֙ חוֹזֵ֣ה הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִ֖ים לְשַׁ֣עַר וָשָׁ֑עַר אֵ֣ין לָהֶ֗ם לָסוּר֙ מֵעַ֣ל עֲבֹֽדָתָ֔ם כִּֽי־אֲחֵיהֶ֥ם הַלְוִיִּ֖ם הֵכִ֥ינוּ לָהֶֽם׃

[15] The singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their place according to the command of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer; and the gatekeepers were at each gate. They did not need to depart from their service, for their brothers the Levites prepared for them.

וַ֠תִּכּוֹן כָּל־עֲבוֹדַ֨ת יְהוָ֜ה בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת הַפֶּ֔סַח וְהַעֲל֣וֹת עֹל֔וֹת עַ֖ל מִזְבַּ֣ח יְהוָ֑ה כְּמִצְוַ֖ת הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ יֹאשִׁיָּֽהוּ׃

[16] So all the service of the Lord was prepared that day, to keep the Passover and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord , according to the command of King Josiah.

וַיַּעֲשׂ֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֛ים אֶת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֑יא וְאֶת־חַ֥ג הַמַּצּ֖וֹת שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃

[17] And the people of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days.

וְלֹֽא־נַעֲשָׂ֨ה פֶ֤סַח כָּמֹ֙הוּ֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִימֵ֖י שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל הַנָּבִ֑יא וְכָל־מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל׀ לֹֽא־עָשׂ֡וּ כַּפֶּ֣סַח אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֣ה יֹֽ֠אשִׁיָּהוּ וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֤ם וְכָל־יְהוּדָה֙ וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל הַנִּמְצָ֔א וְיוֹשְׁבֵ֖י יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ ס

[18] No Passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as was kept by Josiah, and the priests and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

בִּשְׁמוֹנֶ֤ה עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְמַלְכ֖וּת יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ נַעֲשָׂ֖ה הַפֶּ֥סַח הַזֶּֽה׃

[19] In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept.

אַחֲרֵ֣י כָל־זֹ֗את אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵכִ֤ין יֹֽאשִׁיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֶת־הַבַּ֔יִת עָלָ֞ה נְכ֧וֹ מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֛יִם לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם בְּכַרְכְּמִ֖ישׁ עַל־פְּרָ֑ת וַיֵּצֵ֥א לִקְרָאת֖וֹ יֹאשִׁיָּֽהוּ׃

[20] After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to meet him.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח אֵלָ֣יו מַלְאָכִ֣ים׀ לֵאמֹר֩׀ מַה־לִּ֨י וָלָ֜ךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה לֹא־עָלֶ֨יךָ אַתָּ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙ כִּ֚י אֶל־בֵּ֣ית מִלְחַמְתִּ֔י וֵאלֹהִ֖ים אָמַ֣ר לְבַֽהֲלֵ֑נִי חֲדַל־לְךָ֛ מֵאֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־עִמִּ֖י וְאַל־יַשְׁחִיתֶֽךָ׃

[21] But he sent envoys to him, saying, “What have we to do with each other, king of Judah? I am not coming against you this day, but against the house with which I am at war. And God has commanded me to hurry. Cease opposing God, who is with me, lest he destroy you.”

וְלֹֽא־הֵסֵב֩ יֹאשִׁיָּ֨הוּ פָנָ֜יו מִמֶּ֗נּוּ כִּ֤י לְהִלָּחֵֽם־בּוֹ֙ הִתְחַפֵּ֔שׂ וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֛ע אֶל־דִּבְרֵ֥י נְכ֖וֹ מִפִּ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיָּבֹ֕א לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בְּבִקְעַ֥ת מְגִדּֽוֹ׃

[22] Nevertheless, Josiah did not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to fight with him. He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to fight in the plain of Megiddo.

וַיֹּרוּ֙ הַיֹּרִ֔ים לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ לַעֲבָדָיו֙ הַעֲבִיר֔וּנִי כִּ֥י הָחֳלֵ֖יתִי מְאֹֽד׃

[23] And the archers shot King Josiah. And the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded.”

וַיַּֽעֲבִירֻ֨הוּ עֲבָדָ֜יו מִן־הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֗ה וַֽיַּרְכִּיבֻהוּ֮ עַ֣ל רֶ֣כֶב הַמִּשְׁנֶה֮ אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֒ וַיּוֹלִיכֻ֙הוּ֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיָּ֕מָת וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּקִבְר֣וֹת אֲבֹתָ֑יו וְכָל־יְהוּדָה֙ וִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם מִֽתְאַבְּלִ֖ים עַל־יֹאשִׁיָּֽהוּ׃ פ

[24] So his servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in his second chariot and brought him to Jerusalem. And he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

וַיְקוֹנֵ֣ן יִרְמְיָהוּ֮ עַל־יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ֒ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ כָֽל־הַשָּׁרִ֣ים׀ וְ֠הַשָּׁרוֹת בְּקִינ֨וֹתֵיהֶ֤ם עַל־יֹאשִׁיָּ֙הוּ֙ עַד־הַיּ֔וֹם וַיִּתְּנ֥וּם לְחֹ֖ק עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהִנָּ֥ם כְּתוּבִ֖ים עַל־הַקִּינֽוֹת׃

[25] Jeremiah also uttered a lament for Josiah; and all the singing men and singing women have spoken of Josiah in their laments to this day. They made these a rule in Israel; behold, they are written in the Laments.

וְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ וַחֲסָדָ֑יו כַּכָּת֖וּב בְּתוֹרַ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃

[26] Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his good deeds according to what is written in the Law of the Lord ,

וּדְבָרָ֕יו הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְהָאַחֲרֹנִ֑ים הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֔ים עַל־סֵ֥פֶר מַלְכֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וִיהוּדָֽה׃

[27] and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.