2 Chronicles 35 Study Notes

35:1 The revival started by the king turned into a massive celebration of the Passover (see note at 30:1). In contrast to the Passover under Hezekiah’s reforms, Josiah was able to celebrate this festival on its normal day—during the first month (see note at 30:2-5).

35:2 This verse begins the account of the preparation for the Passover (vv. 2-9), which would have preceded v. 1.

35:3 This verse is the last time the ark of the covenant is mentioned in the OT. We do not know where it ended up after this. Josiah’s explanation to the Levites that they no longer needed to carry the ark on their shoulders reflects the fact that they learned about this practice when they read the newly discovered book of the law (Ex 25:14; 1Ch 15:15), and they may have been holding it on their shoulders ever since. The other possibility is that Manasseh had made the Levites remove the ark when he desecrated the temple and made them carry it in procession on special occasions. Josiah reassured them that the ark would once again have a proper, permanent resting place in the temple.

35:4-6 Josiah implemented David’s and Solomon’s work schedule for the priests and Levites in the temple. He also arranged the distribution of the food so everyone could partake of the Passover properly.

35:7-9 Theoretically all families celebrating the Passover should have brought their own sacrificial animals, but the economics of the day made this impossible. Thus the king and his officials, including the high priest Hilkiah and the Levites, supplied a large number of animals for this purpose.

35:10-14 In these verses the Chronicler documents that Josiah carried out to the letter the commandments of the Torah about sacrificial offerings. The Levites made preparations so that, even while they continued working, they and the priests received portions of the feast along with those given to the lay people.

35:15 Josiah also implemented David’s musical procedures, with the musicians from the lines of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun contributing to the celebration. Gatekeepers were stationed at the temple to ensure ritual purity and physical protection. As with themselves and the priests, Levites made sure that the gatekeepers on duty enjoyed their share of the feast.

35:16-17 That day refers back to v. 1, which these verses continue.

35:18-19 The Chronicler declared that this was the greatest Passover celebration since the kingship was first established in the days of . . . Samuel. Perhaps the last good Passover celebration was when Israel first entered the promised land (Jos 5:10-11; cp. 2Kg 23:22). No king of Judah or Israel had celebrated so well. This evaluation may be a reference to the precise attention to the proper procedure, or to the joyful participation of the Levites, priests, gatekeepers, Israelites, and all the common people of Jerusalem. It was a true restoration of the ancient tradition, incorporating all the appropriate guilds and procedures.

35:20 The three superpowers of that time—Assyria, Babylonia, and Egypt—were about to fight for world supremacy. Egypt and Assyria had formed an alliance against the Babylonians. Neco, the pharaoh of Egypt, had assembled a large army and was heading to Carchemish in Mesopotamia to join the fight against Babylon.

35:21 Pharaoh Neco of Egypt was not an enemy of Judah. He had no intention of conquering Judah. Nevertheless, Josiah marched out to meet the Egyptian army in battle. Ominously, the Chronicler does not say that Josiah inquired of God whether he should fight. Josiah’s death at Megiddo occurred in 609 BC.

35:22-24 Josiah confronted Neco on the large plain of Megiddo. To protect himself from any personal revenge by Neco, he disguised himself. But the king was mortally wounded by an arrow. He was transported to Jerusalem where he died. It is ironic that Josiah, one of the best kings of Judah, was killed in a manner remarkably similar to Ahab, perhaps the worst king of Israel (18:29-34).

35:25-27 Josiah’s obituary contains many positive words, which makes his premature and unnecessary death all the more tragic. The Dirges does not refer to the canonical book of Lamentations.