Josiah Celebrates the Passover
1Josiah celebrated the Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem, and the Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2He appointed the priests to their duties and encouraged them in the service of the Lord’s temple. 3He said to the Levites, who instructed all Israel and who had been consecrated to the Lord: “Put the sacred ark in the temple that Solomon son of David king of Israel built. It is not to be carried about on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel. 4Prepare yourselves by families in your divisions, according to the instructions written by David king of Israel and by his son Solomon.
5“Stand in the holy place with a group of Levites for each subdivision of the families of your fellow Israelites, the lay people. 6Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves and prepare the lambs for your fellow Israelites, doing what the Lord commanded through Moses.”
7Josiah provided for all the lay people who were there a total of thirty thousand lambs and goats for the Passover offerings, and also three thousand cattle—all from the king’s own possessions.
8His officials also contributed voluntarily to the people and the priests and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel, the officials in charge of God’s temple, gave the priests twenty-six hundred Passover offerings and three hundred cattle. 9Also Konaniah along with Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel and Jozabad, the leaders of the Levites, provided five thousand Passover offerings and five hundred head of cattle for the Levites.
10The service was arranged and the priests stood in their places with the Levites in their divisions as the king had ordered. 11The Passover lambs were slaughtered, and the priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them, while the Levites skinned the animals. 12They set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the subdivisions of the families of the people to offer to the Lord, as it is written in the Book of Moses. They did the same with the cattle. 13They roasted the Passover animals over the fire as prescribed, and boiled the holy offerings in pots, caldrons and pans and served them quickly to all the people. 14After this, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fat portions until nightfall. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the Aaronic priests.
15The musicians, the descendants of Asaph, were in the places prescribed by David, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun the king’s seer. The gatekeepers at each gate did not need to leave their posts, because their fellow Levites made the preparations for them.
16So at that time the entire service of the Lord was carried out for the celebration of the Passover and the offering of burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord, as King Josiah had ordered. 17The Israelites who were present celebrated the Passover at that time and observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. 18The Passover had not been observed like this in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel; and none of the kings of Israel had ever celebrated such a Passover as did Josiah, with the priests, the Levites and all Judah and Israel who were there with the people of Jerusalem. 19This Passover was celebrated in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign.
The Death of Josiah
20After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Necho king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. 21But Necho sent messengers to him, saying, “What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.”
22Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.
23Archers shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, “Take me away; I am badly wounded.” 24So they took him out of his chariot, put him in his other chariot and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.
25Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments.
26The other events of Josiah’s reign and his acts of devotion in accordance with what is written in the Law of the Lord— 27all the events, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
Yosia Di Twam Afahyɛ
1Afei, Yosia bɔɔ dawuro sɛ, wɔbɛdi Awurade Twam Afahyɛ no wɔ Yerusalem wɔ bosome a ɛdi ɛkan no da a ɛtɔ so dunan. Wɔkunkumm Twam Afahyɛ nnwammaa no da no wɔ ɛberɛ a owia rekɔtɔ. 2Yosia maa asɔfoɔ no kɔɔ wɔn nnwuma so, na ɔhyɛɛ wɔn nkuran wɔ wɔn dwumadie mu wɔ Awurade Asɔredan mu hɔ. 3Ɔhyɛɛ Lewifoɔ a wɔayi wɔn asi hɔ sɛ wɔnsom Awurade, na wɔyɛ akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ wɔ Israel no sɛ, “Esiane sɛ seesei Apam Adaka no wɔ Salomo Asɔredan mu, na ɛho nhia sɛ mobɛsoa no mo mmati so de adi akɔneaba enti, momfa mo mmerɛ nsom Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn ne ne nkurɔfoɔ Israel. 4Monkɔ mo nnwuma so sɛdeɛ mo agyanom mmusua nkyekyɛmu teɛ, ne sɛdeɛ Israelhene Dawid ne ne babarima Salomo ahyɛdeɛ a wɔatwerɛ no kyerɛ.
5“Afei, monnyinagyina kronkronbea a wɔayi ama mo no, na mommoa mmusua a wɔde wɔn ahyɛ mo nsa no wɔ ɛberɛ a wɔde wɔn afɔdeɛ aba Asɔredan mu no. 6Monkum Twam Afahyɛ nnwammaa no, na monnwira mo ho, na mommoa wɔn a wɔbɛba no. Ahyɛdeɛ biara a Awurade nam Mose so de maeɛ no, monni so.”
7Na Yosia firii deɛ ɔwɔ mu, maa nnwammaa ne mmirekyie mma ɔpeduasa ne anantwinini mpem mmiɛnsa sɛ nnipa no Twam Afahyɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ.
8Ɔhene no mpanimfoɔ nso firi wɔn pɛ mu, boaa ɔmanfoɔ, asɔfoɔ ne Lewifoɔ no. Hilkia, Sakaria ne Yehiel a wɔyɛ Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no ho mpanimfoɔ nso maa asɔfoɔ no nnwammaa ne mmirekyie mma mpem mmienu ne ahansia ne anantwinini ahasa sɛ Twam Afahyɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ. 9Lewifoɔ ntuanofoɔ Kenania ne ne nuanom mmarima Semaia, Netanel, Hasabia, Yeiel ne Yosabad maa Lewifoɔ nnwammaa ne mmirekyie mma mpem enum ne anantwinini ahanum sɛ wɔn Twam Afahyɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ.
10Ɛberɛ a Twam Afahyɛ no ho ahosiesie baa awieeɛ no, asɔfoɔ ne Lewifoɔ no gyinagyinaa wɔn afa sɛdeɛ ɔhene no ahyehyɛ ama akuakuo no. 11Lewifoɔ no kunkumm Twam Afahyɛ nnwammaa no, na wɔde mogya no maa asɔfoɔ no, na wɔde petee afɔrebukyia no so wɔ ɛberɛ a na Lewifoɔ no redwa mmoa no. 12Wɔkyekyɛɛ ɔhyeɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ no maa ɔmanfoɔ no sɛdeɛ wɔn mmusua nkyekyɛmu no teɛ, na wɔatumi de abɔ afɔdeɛ ama Awurade, sɛdeɛ mmara a wɔatwerɛ agu Mose nwoma no mu kyerɛ. Saa ara na wɔyɛɛ anantwinini no nso. 13Afei, wɔtotoo Twam Afahyɛ nnwammaa no sɛdeɛ wɔakyerɛ no, na wɔnoaa afɔrebɔdeɛ kronkron no wɔ nkukuo, nnadesɛn ne nkyɛnsee mu, de baa ntɛm so sɛdeɛ ɔmanfoɔ no bɛtumi awe. 14Akyire yi, Lewifoɔ yɛɛ wɔn ne asɔfoɔ no aduane, ɛfiri sɛ, na asɔfoɔ no ayɛ adwuma firi anɔpa kɔsi anadwo a wɔrebɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ no na wɔrehye sradeɛ no. Saa ahosiesie yi nyinaa, Lewifoɔ no na wɔgye too wɔn ho so yɛeɛ.
15Asaf asefoɔ nnwom ho nimdefoɔ no nso, na wɔwɔ wɔn nnwuma so, sɛdeɛ Dawid, Asaf, Heman ne Yedutun, ɔhene adehunumuni no kyerɛɛ wɔn no. Aponoanohwɛfoɔ no wɛnee apono no a na ɛho nhia sɛ wɔfiri wɔn nnwuma so, ɛfiri sɛ, na wɔn mfɛfoɔ Lewifoɔ no de wɔn nnuane kɔma wɔn wɔ hɔ.
16Awurade Twam Afahyɛ no baa awieeɛ da no. Wɔbɔɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ no nyinaa wɔ Awurade afɔrebukyia no so, sɛdeɛ ɔhene Yosia hyɛeɛ no. 17Israelfoɔ a wɔwɔ Yerusalem de nnanson dii Twam Afahyɛ ne Apiti Afahyɛ no. 18Ɛfiri odiyifoɔ Samuel berɛ so no, wɔnnii Twam Afahyɛ sei da. Israel ahemfo no mu biara mpo anni Twam Afahyɛ sɛdeɛ Yosia yɛeɛ a ɔmaa asɔfoɔ, Lewifoɔ, ɔmanfoɔ a wɔwɔ Yerusalem ne nnipa a wɔfiri Yuda ne Israel nyinaa bɛkaa ho. 19Wɔdii saa Twam Afahyɛ yi wɔ Yosia ahennie mfirinhyia dunwɔtwe so.35.19 Afe a ɛtɔ so dunwɔtwe. Afe korɔ no ara mu na wɔhunuu Mmara Nwoma no (34.8,14).
Yosia Wu Wɔ Akono
20Yosia siesiee Asɔredan no wieeɛ no, Misraimhene Neko dii nʼakodɔm anim firii Misraim, sɛ wɔrebɛko wɔ Karkemis wɔ asuo Eufrate ano. Na Yosia ne nʼakodɔm nso sii mu sɛ wɔne no rekɔko. 21Nanso, ɔhene Neko tuu ananmusifoɔ, de nkra yi kɔmaa Yosia sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na wo Yudahene hwehwɛ afiri me nkyɛn? Me ne wo nni akasakasa ɛnnɛ! Deɛ mehwehwɛ ne sɛ, me ne ɔman a matu ne so sa no bɛko. Na Onyankopɔn aka akyerɛ me sɛ, menyɛ no ntɛm. Ntwintwane Onyankopɔn a ɔka me ho no anan mu, anyɛ saa a ɔbɛsɛe wo.”
22Nanso, Yosia antie Neko a Onyankopɔn akasa akyerɛ no ampa ara no, annane nʼani. Mmom, ɔdii nʼakodɔm anim, kɔkoo wɔ Megido tata so. Ɔworɔɔ nʼahentadeɛ no guu nkyɛn baabi sɛdeɛ atamfoɔ no renhunu no.
23Nanso, atamfoɔ agyantofoɔ no too bɛmma ma ɛwɔɔ ɔhene Yosia, piraa no. Ɔteaam frɛɛ ne mmarima sɛ, “Momfa me mfiri akono ha, ɛfiri sɛ, mapira pira bɔne.” 24Enti, wɔyii Yosia firi ne teaseɛnam mu, de no too teaseɛnam foforɔ mu. Na wɔde no kɔɔ Yerusalem, na ɛhɔ na ɔwuiɛ. Wɔsiee no hɔ wɔ adehyeɛ amusieeɛ. Na Yuda ne Yerusalem nyinaa yɛɛ no ayie.
25Odiyifoɔ Yeremia too kwadwom maa Yosia, na ɛbɛsi ɛnnɛ yi, nnwomtofoɔ to saa kwadwom a ɛfa ne owuo no ho no. Saa kwadwom yi abɛyɛ amanneɛ a wɔatwerɛ ahyɛ Kwadwom Nwoma mu.
26Yosia ahennie ho nsɛm nkaeɛ ne nʼahofama sɛdeɛ Awurade mmara teɛ no, 27firi ahyɛaseɛ kɔsi awieeɛ no, wɔatwerɛ agu Israel ne Yuda Ahemfo Nwoma mu.
