He issued this edict because a Passover like this had not been observed since the days of the judges; it was neglected for the entire period of the kings of Israel and Judah.

自从士师治理以色列人和以色列王、犹大王的时候，直到如今，实在没有守过这样的逾越节；

自从士师治理以色列，到以色列诸王、犹大列王在位的一切日子，从来没有守过这样的逾越节，

自从士师治理以色列，到以色列诸王、犹大列王在位的一切日子，从来没有守过这样的逾越节，

约西亚执政第十八年，他们在耶路撒冷庆祝逾越节，以尊崇耶和华。自士师治理以色列起，至以色列和犹大列王统治期间，都没有这样庆祝过逾越节。

真的自从士师治理以色列的日子以来，以及以色列诸王和犹大列王所有的日子以来，没有守过像这次的逾越节的。

自從士師治理以色列人和以色列王、猶大王的時候，直到如今，實在沒有守過這樣的逾越節；

自從士師治理以色列，到以色列諸王、猶大列王在位的一切日子，從來沒有守過這樣的逾越節，

自從士師治理以色列，到以色列諸王、猶大列王在位的一切日子，從來沒有守過這樣的逾越節，

約西亞執政第十八年，他們在耶路撒冷慶祝逾越節，以尊崇耶和華。自士師治理以色列起，至以色列和猶大列王統治期間，都沒有這樣慶祝過逾越節。

真的自從士師治理以色列的日子以來，以及以色列諸王和猶大列王所有的日子以來，沒有守過像這次的逾越節的。

自從士師治理以色列人的日子，又自從以色列王猶大王的日子以來，都沒有守過這樣的逾越節；

自士師治以色列人、以及以色列列王猶大列王時、未嘗守如是之逾越節、

約西亞王十八年、在耶路撒冷守逾越節禮、奉事耶和華、

約西亞王十八年、在耶路撒冷守逾越節於主前、自士師治以色列人之時、以及以色列列王、猶大列王之時、從未守若是之逾越節、

Neither in the days of the judges who led Israel nor in the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah had any such Passover been observed.

A Passover Feast like that one had not been held for a long time. There hadn’t been any like it in the days of the judges who led Israel. And there hadn’t been any like it during the whole time the kings of Israel and Judah were ruling.

For no such Passover had been kept since the days of the judges who judged Israel, or during all the days of the kings of Israel or of the kings of Judah.

There had not been a Passover celebration like that since the time when the judges ruled in Israel, nor throughout all the years of the kings of Israel and Judah.

No such Passover had ever been observed from the time of the judges who judged Israel through the entire time of the kings of Israel and Judah.

Truly such a Passover had not been celebrated since the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah.

Such a Passover surely had never been held since the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah.

Surely there was not kept such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah;

No such Passover had ever been kept from the time of the judges who judged Israel through the entire time of the kings of Israel and Judah.

Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah;

Surely there was not kept such a Passover from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah;

Hezekiah sent messages throughout Israel and Judah; he even wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, summoning them to come to the LORD’s temple in Jerusalem and observe a Passover celebration for the LORD God of Israel.The king, his officials, and the entire assembly in Jerusalem decided to observe the Passover in the second month.They were unable to observe it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem.

He told the Levites, who instructed all Israel about things consecrated to the LORD,“ Place the holy ark in the temple which King Solomon son of David of Israel built. Don’t carry it on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and his people Israel!Prepare yourselves by your families according to your divisions, as instructed by King David of Israel and his son Solomon.Stand in the sanctuary and, together with the Levites, represent the family divisions of your countrymen.Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves, and make preparations for your countrymen to do what the LORD commanded through Moses.”From his own royal flocks and herds, Josiah supplied the people with 30,000 lambs and goats for the Passover sacrifice, as well as 3,000 cattle.His officials also willingly contributed to the people, priests, and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the leaders of God’s temple, supplied 2,600 Passover sacrifices and 300 cattle.Konaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, along with Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the officials of the Levites, supplied the Levites with 5,000 Passover sacrifices and 500 cattle.Preparations were made, and the priests stood at their posts and the Levites in their divisions as prescribed by the king.They slaughtered the Passover lambs and the priests splashed the blood, while the Levites skinned the animals.They reserved the burnt offerings and the cattle for the family divisions of the people to present to the LORD, as prescribed in the scroll of Moses.They cooked the Passover sacrifices over the open fire as prescribed and cooked the consecrated offerings in pots, kettles, and pans. They quickly served them to all the people.Afterward they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were offering burnt sacrifices and fat portions until evening. The Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.The musicians, the descendants of Asaph, manned their posts, as prescribed by David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s prophet. The guards at the various gates did not need to leave their posts, for their fellow Levites made preparations for them.So all the preparations for the LORD’s service were made that day, as the Passover was observed and the burnt sacrifices were offered on the altar of the LORD, as prescribed by King Josiah.So the Israelites who were present observed the Passover at that time, as well as the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.A Passover like this had not been observed in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had observed a Passover like the one celebrated by Josiah, the priests, the Levites, all the people of Judah and Israel who were there, and the residents of Jerusalem.This Passover was observed in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign.

A huge crowd assembled in Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month.They removed the altars in Jerusalem; they also removed all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt sacrifices to the LORD’s temple.They stood at their posts according to the regulations outlined in the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests were splashing the blood as the Levites handed it to them.Because many in the assembly had not consecrated themselves, the Levites slaughtered the Passover lambs of all who were ceremonially unclean and could not consecrate their sacrifice to the LORD.The majority of the many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun were ceremonially unclean, yet they ate the Passover in violation of what is prescribed in the law. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying:“ May the LORD, who is good, forgiveeveryone who has determined to follow God, the LORD God of his ancestors, even if he is not ceremonially clean according to the standards of the temple.”The LORD responded favorably to Hezekiah and forgave the people.