Chapter 35

1 Josiah keepeth a most solemn passover. 20 He, provoking Pharaoh-necho, is slain at Megiddo. 25 Lamentations for Josiah.

1. Kept a passover. Chronicles gives a long and detailed account of Josiah’s Passover (vs. 1–19), whereas the parallel section in Kings is very brief (2 Kings 23:21–23).

There is no need to find, as some do, a difficulty in the narrative because so many activities of the 18th year of Josiah took place before the 14th of the 1st month of that year. It is obvious that 13 days is an impossibly short time to take away “all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel”—to say nothing of slaying all the Israelite priests and moving those of the high places of Judah to Jerusalem—and to prepare for the greatest Passover ever held in the kingdom, even if, as some suggest, the long account in Kings includes some of the events of the earlier reform that began in the 12th year. It has been suggested that the campaign against idolatry of the 18th year did not begin until after the feasts of the Passover and of the Unleavened Bread. The sequence of the narratives seems to be against this, as is also the statement that the local priests of Judah were brought to Jerusalem to “eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren.”

But even if the campaign against idolatry is placed subsequent to the Passover, there is still insufficient time for the other events recorded to have taken place between the 1st and 14th day of the same month. The money had been counted and paid out to the contractors before the book was delivered to the king; then came the formal consultation with Huldah, the convening of a large assembly to make the covenant of obedience, and then preparations for a major festival by people unaccustomed to the procedure but determined to observe it according to all the regulations. The lambs (more than 30,000 were used) were normally set aside on the 10th of the month, and Temple arrangements needed to be made for these and for the thousands of other offerings; also multitudes of worshipers must travel to Jerusalem and find accommodations before the 14th. Even without the reform campaign the timing is impossible.

But attempts to crowd all these events into such a short period are unnecessary. The obvious solution lies in the fact that the month Abib (later Nisan), which was always numbered the first, was the first of the religious year, but not of the civil year (see Vol. II, pp. 109, 110, 116). Obviously the 18th regnal year of Josiah did not begin two weeks before the Passover, but had begun six months earlier with the 1st of Tishri (the 7th month), the autumn New Year (see Vol. II, pp. 106, 109, 134, 146).

The events leading up to this Passover may be summarized from 2 Kings 22 and 23; 2 Chron. 34 and 35, as follows:

1. In the 18th year of his reign Josiah sent Shaphan the scribe to tell the high priest to “sum the silver” (2 Kings 22:4) collected by the Temple doorkeepers and to make arrangements for repairing the Temple.

2. “When they brought out the money” (2 Chron. 34:14) the book of the law was found.

3. Hilkiah the priest gave the book to Shaphan, who read it.

4. Shaphan came before the king, announced that the money had been gathered and delivered to those who had oversight of the repair work, and then he read the newly found book to the king.

5. The king sent high officials to inquire of Huldah the prophetess.

6. Josiah summoned to the Temple “all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem” and “all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem” as well as “all the people, great and small” (2 Chron. 34:29, 30) and read the book to them, whereupon the people made a covenant with the Lord to obey what was written in the book.

7. Josiah “took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel” (2 Chron. 34:33). The campaign was thorough and extensive (2 Kings 23:4–20).

8. Josiah commanded the people to keep the Passover “as it is written in the book of this covenant” (2 Kings 23:21).

9. The Passover was kept, the greatest ever held in the kingdom, on the 14th of the 1st month of the same 18th year (2 Chron. 35:1, 19).

The fourteenth day of the first month. Moses directed that this was the date on which the Passover should be observed (Lev. 23:5); it was not a delayed feast in the second month, as was Hezekiah’s (2 Chron. 30:2, 13). The “first month” referred to the beginning of the religious year, and was called Abib (later Nisan), and came in the spring (see Vol. II, p. 105).

2. In their charges. The priests were appointed to their various offices to discharge their proper duties.

Encouraged them. Compare ch. 29:4–11.

3. Taught all Israel. It was the responsibility of the Levites to instruct the people in the law and in the things of God (Lev. 10:11; Deut. 33:8, 10; cf. Neh. 8:7; 2 Chron. 17:7–9).

Which were holy. These Levites had been separated and sanctified to the work of the Lord. “Holiness to the Lord” was the inscription on Aaron’s miter (Ex. 28:36).

Put the holy ark in the house. This command indicates that the ark had previously been removed from the Temple and was now to be restored to its proper place. There is no Biblical record as to when and by whom the ark may have been removed from its regular place in the Temple. One suggestion is that it was removed in order to make the Temple repairs.

Not be a burden. Compare Num. 7:9; 1 Chron. 15:2.

4. After your courses. According to the written directives prepared by David and Solomon concerning the divisions of the priests and Levites assigned to the Temple services (see 1 Chron. 23, 24).

6. So kill the passover. Since these words were directed to the Levites (v. 3), it appears that on this occasion the Levites again had the responsibility of slaying the Passover lambs (see ch. 30:17). Originally the Passover lambs were slain by the people themselves (Ex. 12:6).

Sanctify yourselves. Compare 2 Chron. 29:5, 15; 30:3, 15; Ezra 6:20.

Prepare your brethren. Better, “prepare for your brethren.” They were to prepare the Passover for their brethren among the laity.

7. Josiah gave. Hezekiah had made similar but smaller gifts of animals to the people (ch. 30:24).

Three thousand bullocks. These were for peace offerings in which the people participated in the sacrificial feasting (v. 13).

8. Hilkiah. The high priest (ch. 34:9).

Zechariah and Jehiel. Probably the second and the third priests in rank. They were evidently men of wealth and importance, and able to contribute liberally to the people.

11. Sprinkled the blood. Compare ch. 30:16.

12. Removed. The LXX reads, “prepared.” The burnt offerings were to be treated in an entirely different manner from the Passover offerings. The Passover lamb was to be roasted whole (Ex. 12:8, 9), while the burnt offering was to be cut in pieces (Lev. 1:12) and burned entire. The peace offerings were to have certain parts removed for the priest (Lev. 7:29–34).

13. Roasted the passover. See on Ex. 12:8, 9; Deut 16:7.

Sod. Heb. bashal, “cooked” or “boiled.” These were the peace offerings, which were slain during the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Deut. 16:1–8) following the 14th of Nisan.

15. Might not depart. Neither the singers nor the gatekeepers needed to depart from their posts of service to prepare their own offerings, for these were prepared for them by the Levites.

17. Kept the passover. The Passover was kept on the 14th of Nisan, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread was observed from the 15th to the 21st days of the month (Ex. 12:18; Lev. 23:5–8; Num. 28:16, 17).

18. From the days of Samuel. The parallel passage reads, “from the days of the judges that judged Israel” (2 Kings 23:22). Samuel was the last of the judges.

All Judah and Israel. By Israel is meant the territory of the former kingdom of Israel, now apparently under Josiah’s control, at least to some extent (see on ch. 34:6; also Vol. II, p. 88).

20. After all this. This was 13 years after Josiah’s Passover in his 18th year (v. 19), since he reigned 31 years (ch. 34:1). The history of Judah for this 13-year period is almost a complete blank. Some idea of conditions during this period may be gained from such contemporary prophetic books as Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah.

When Josiah had prepared the temple. This clause is explanatory of the preceding phrase “after all this,” that is, the events to be narrated happened after the time that Josiah had prepared the Temple, not at the time of the preparation, as the English translation may be interpreted.

Against Charchemish. This section dealing with Josiah’s death in battle against Necho (vs. 20–27) is parallel to 2 Kings 23:29, 30. The Chronicles account contains more details than the account in Kings. Necho’s object was to aid the Assyrians against the Babylonian forces that had moved west, threatening both Syria and Palestine, for ultimately those forces would become a menace to Egypt. For further details on the situation at that time see on 2 Kings 23:29.

21. Meddling with God. These words are remarkable in that they come from a heathen king to a king of Judah who was a servant of the living God. In this instance God was speaking to Josiah through Necho, as is shown by v. 22 (see EGW, Supplementary Material on 2 Kings 23:29, 30). It was an occasion where prudence would have been the better part of valor, and where Josiah would have shown himself a wiser man had he recognized in the words of Necho a message from God (see on v. 22).

22. Disguised himself. Compare the similar conduct of Ahab in war against Syria (1 Kings 22:30).

From the mouth of God. God speaks to man in many ways, and it is always the part of wisdom to be alert to the voice of Heaven, whether it come from layman or prophet, from one’s own countryman or from a messenger from lands afar. Of course Josiah might have justifiably questioned whether the words were of God, but he had available prophetic guidance by which the matter could be certified. In fact, he should never have gone on this venture without the approval of Heaven. By refusing to hearken to the words of Necho, Josiah refused the voice of God, and thus brought death upon himself.

24. The second chariot. Such a chariot was possibly heavier and more comfortable than a war chariot.

And he died. The account here apparently contradicts the account of Josiah’s death in 2 Kings 23:29, 30, which seems to imply that the king died at Megiddo. The incident may be understood in two ways: (1) Josiah died at Megiddo, and the statement “and he died” (2 Chron. 35:24) may be taken as opening a new sentence summarizing the incident described in the previous verses. (2) Josiah died at Jerusalem, as 2 Chron. 35:24 seems to imply, and the statements “slew him at Megiddo” and “dead from Megiddo” (2 Kings 23:29, 30) may be taken in their literal meaning, “caused him to die at Megiddo” and “dying from Megiddo.” The participle meth, translated “dead” in 2 Kings 23:30, may also refer to one who must die, as in Deut. 4:22 and possibly also in Gen. 20:3.

One of the sepulchres. “In his own sepulchre” (2 Kings 23:30), which was evidently in one of the family tombs of his ancestors.

25. Jeremiah lamented. Jeremiah began his ministry in the 13th year of Josiah (Jer. 1:2) and thus had carried on his prophetic work for 18 years before Josiah’s death (2 Chron. 34:1). There is no evidence that this lament of Jeremiah for Josiah was written out—if it was, it has been lost.

In their lamentations. Minstrels in their dirges sang of the untimely death of Judah’s last good king. Jeremiah requested that men weep not for Josiah but for his successor Shallum (Jer. 22:10–12), that is, Jehoahaz (see on 1 Chron. 3:15), who, after a reign of only three months, was taken to Egypt (2 Kings 23:30–34).

Written in the lamentations. This was a book of dirges which was probably still extant in the chronicler’s day.

26. His goodness. Literally, “goodnesses,” that is, his good acts. According to 2 Kings 23:25 there was no king like unto him “that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses.”

Ellen G. White comments

24, 25 PK 405