6Offer the Passover in order, prepare the sacrifices for your kindred, and keep the Passover according to the Lord’s commandment, which was given to Moses.
7To the people which were present, Josias gave thirty thousand lambs and kids, and three thousand calves. These things were given from the king’s possessions, as he promised, to the people and to the priests and Levites.
8Helkias, Zacharias, and Esyelus, the rulers of the temple, gave to the priests for the Passover two thousand and six hundred sheep, and three hundred calves.
9Jeconias, Samaias, Nathanael his brother, Sabias, Ochielus, and Joram, captains over thousands, gave to the Levites for the Passover five thousand sheep and seven hundred calves.
10When these things were done, the priests and Levites, having the unleavened bread, stood in proper order according to the kindred,
11and according to the several divisions by fathers’ houses, before the people, to offer to the Lord as it is written in the book of Moses. They did this in the morning.
12They roasted the Passover lamb with fire, as required. They boiled the sacrifices in the brazen vessels and cauldrons with a pleasing smell,
13and set them before all the people. Afterward they prepared for themselves and for their kindred the priests, the sons of Aaron.
14For the priests offered the fat until night. The Levites prepared for themselves and for their kindred the priests, the sons of Aaron.
15The holy singers also, the sons of Asaph, were in their order, according to the appointment of David: Asaph, Zacharias, and Eddinus, who represented the king.
16Moreover the gatekeepers were at every gate. No one needed to depart from his daily duties, for their kindred the Levites prepared for them.
17So the things that belonged to the Lord’s sacrifices were accomplished in that day, in holding the Passover,
18and offering sacrifices on the altar of the Lord, according to the commandment of King Josias.
19So the children of Israel which were present at that time held the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.
20Such a Passover had not been held in Israel since the time of the prophet Samuel.
21Indeed, none of the kings of Israel held such a Passover as Josias with the priests, the Levites, and the Jews, held with all Israel that were present in their dwelling place at Jerusalem.
22This Passover was held in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josias.
23The works of Josias were upright before his Lord with a heart full of godliness.
24Moreover the things that came to pass in his days have been written in times past, concerning those who sinned and did wickedly against the Lord more than any other people or kingdom, and how they grieved him exceedingly, so that the Lord’s words were confirmed against Israel.
25Now after all these acts of Josias, it came to pass that Pharaoh the king of Egypt came to make war at Carchemish on the Euphrates; and Josias went out against him.
26But the king of Egypt sent to him, saying, “What do I have to do with you, O king of Judea?
27I wasn’t sent out from the Lord God against you, for my war is against the Euphrates. Now the Lord is with me, yes, the Lord is with me hastening me forward. Depart from me, and don’t be against the Lord.”
28However, Josias didn’t turn back to his chariot, but tried to fight with him, not regarding the words of the prophet Jeremy from the Lord’s mouth,
29but joined battle with him in the plain of Megiddo, and the commanders came down against King Josias.
30Then the king said to his servants, “Carry me away out of the battle, for I am very weak!” Immediately his servants carried him away out of the army.
31Then he got into his second chariot. After he was brought back to Jerusalem he died, and was buried in the tomb of his ancestors.
32All Judea mourned for Josias. Jeremy the prophet lamented for Josias, and the chief men with the women made lamentation for him to this day. This was given out for an ordinance to be done continually in all the nation of Israel.
33These things are written in the book of the histories of the kings of Judea, and every one of the acts that Josias did, and his glory, and his understanding in the law of the Lord, and the things that he had done before, and the things now told, are reported in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
34The people took Joachaz the son of Josias, and made him king instead of Josias his father, when he was twenty-three years old.
35He reigned in Judah and Jerusalem for three months. Then the king of Egypt deposed him from reigning in Jerusalem.
36He set a tax upon the people of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold.
37The king of Egypt also made King Joakim his brother king of Judea and Jerusalem.
1 Esdras 1
1 Esdras 1:6-37