וַיַּעַשׂ יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ בִירוּשָׁלִַם פֶּסַח לַה' וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ הַפֶּסַח בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן

Yoshiyahu performed the paschal offering to the Lord in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the paschal offering on the fourteenth day of the first month, in accordance with the commandment of the Torah.

וַיַּעֲמֵד הַכֹּהֲנִים עַל־מִשְׁמְרוֹתָם וַיְחַזְּקֵם לַעֲבוֹדַת בֵּית ה'

He, the king, set the priests at their watches, and encouraged them in the service of the House of the Lord.

וַיֹּאמֶר לַלְוִיִּם הַמְּבִינִים לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל הַקְּדוֹשִׁים לַה' תְּנוּ אֶת־אֲרוֹן־הַקֹּדֶשׁ בַּבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה שְׁלֹמֹה בֶן־דָּוִיד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין־לָכֶם מַשָּׂא בַּכָּתֵף עַתָּה עִבְדוּ אֶת־ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְאֵת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל

He said to the Levites who teach all Israel, who were sanctified to the Lord, and devoted to His service: Place the Holy Ark back in the House, the Temple, which Solomon son of David, king of Israel, built; the previous kings had apparently removed the Holy Ark from its rightful place. Yoshiyahu further stated to the Levites: You have no service of carrying items on your shoulders as you had when you carried the Sanctuary’s vessels from place to place in the wilderness; now serve the Lord your God and His people Israel through the other tasks assigned to you.

וְהָכִינוּ לְבֵית־אֲבֹתֵיכֶם כְּמַחְלְקוֹתֵיכֶם בִּכְתָב דָּוִיד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְמִכְתַּב שְׁלֹמֹה בְנוֹ

Prepare yourselves according to your patrilineal houses by your divisions, your watches, as determined according to the records of David king of Israel, and according to the records of Solomon his son.

וְעִמְדוּ בַקֹּדֶשׁ לִפְלֻגּוֹת בֵּית הָאָבוֹת לַאֲחֵיכֶם בְּנֵי הָעָם וַחֲלֻקַּת בֵּית־אָב לַלְוִיִּם

Stand in the Sanctuary according to the group divisions of the patrilineal houses of your brethren, the members of the people. All Israel were called upon to prepare to offer the paschal offering as families, in accordance with the verse: “They shall take for themselves, each one, a lamb for each house of the fathers.” And let there be a division according to the patrilineal houses of the Levites as well.

וְשַׁחֲטוּ הַפָּסַח וְהִתְקַדְּשׁוּ וְהָכִינוּ לַאֲחֵיכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת כִּדְבַר־ה' בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה

Slaughter the paschal offering, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare also for your brethren, in order to act in accordance with the word of the Lord given by Moses.

וַיָּרֶם יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ לִבְנֵי הָעָם צֹאן כְּבָשִׂים וּבְנֵי־עִזִּים הַכֹּל לַפְּסָחִים לְכָל הַנִּמְצָא לְמִסְפַּר שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף וּבָקָר שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים אֵלֶּה מֵרְכוּשׁ הַמֶּלֶךְ

Yoshiyahu donated to the members of the people from the flocks, lambs and goats, everything for the paschal offerings for everyone who was present in Jerusalem, to the number of thirty thousand, and cattle, three thousand, for the festival peace offering that is brought together with the paschal offering; they, all these animals, were brought from the property of the king.

וְשָׂרָיו לִנְדָבָה לָעָם לַכֹּהֲנִים וְלַלְוִיִּם הֵרִימוּ חִלְקִיָּה וּזְכַרְיָהוּ וִיחִיאֵל נְגִידֵי בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים לַכֹּהֲנִים נָתְנוּ לַפְּסָחִים אַלְפַּיִם וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת וּבָקָר שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת

His, the king’s, princes, donated gifts to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites, they gave the following: Hilkiyahu, Zekharyahu, and Yehiel, high officials of the House of God, gave to the priests for the paschal offerings two thousand six hundred sheep, and three hundred cattle.

וְכָנַנְיָהוּ וּשְׁמַעְיָהוּ וּנְתַנְאֵל אֶחָיו וַחֲשַׁבְיָהוּ וִיעִיאֵל וְיוֹזָבָד שָׂרֵי הַלְוִיִּם הֵרִימוּ לַלְוִיִּם לַפְּסָחִים חֲמֵשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וּבָקָר חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת

Konanyahu, and Shemayahu and Netanel his brothers, and Hashavyahu, Ye’iel, and Yozabad, the heads of the Levites, gave five thousand sheep as a donation to the Levites for the paschal offerings, and five hundred cattle for the accompanying sacrifices.

וַתִּכּוֹן הָעֲבוֹדָה וַיַּעַמְדוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים עַל־עָמְדָם וְהַלְוִיִּם עַל־מַחְלְקוֹתָם כְּמִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ

The service was established, performed in the proper, orderly manner, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites by their divisions, in accordance with the king’s command.

וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ הַפָּסַח וַיִּזְרְקוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים מִיָּדָם וְהַלְוִיִּם מַפְשִׁיטִים

They slaughtered the paschal offering, and the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from their hand, of those who slaughtered the animals, and the Levites flayed the animals.

וַיָּסִירוּ הָעֹלָה לְתִתָּם לְמִפְלַגּוֹת לְבֵית־אָבוֹת לִבְנֵי הָעָם לְהַקְרִיב לַה' כַּכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר מֹשֶׁה וְכֵן לַבָּקָר

They removed the portions of the sacrifices to be offered up on the altar, in order to give them, the paschal offerings, to the divisions by the patrilineal houses of the members of the people, to present to the Lord those portions designated for the altar, as it is written in the book of Moses; and likewise they did with the cattle.

וַיְבַשְּׁלוּ הַפֶּסַח בָּאֵשׁ כַּמִּשְׁפָּט וְהַקֳּדָשִׁים בִּשְּׁלוּ בַּסִּירוֹת וּבַדְּוָדִים וּבַצֵּלָחוֹת וַיָּרִיצוּ לְכָל־בְּנֵי הָעָם

They roasted the paschal offering with fire in accordance with the ordinance of the Torah; the other sacraments they cooked in pots, in cauldrons, and in bowls, and they quickly distributed them to all the members of the people.

וְאַחַר הֵכִינוּ לָהֶם וְלַכֹּהֲנִים כִּי הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן בְּהַעֲלוֹת הָעוֹלָה וְהַחֲלָבִים עַד־לָיְלָה וְהַלְוִיִּם הֵכִינוּ לָהֶם וְלַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן

Afterward, after the Levites had prepared the sacrifices for their brethren, they prepared for themselves, and for the priests, because all day the priests, sons of Aaron, were offering up on the altar the portions to be offered up, and the fat, the choice parts of the meat, until night; the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests, sons of Aaron.

וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים בְּנֵי־אָסָף עַל־מַעֲמָדָם כְּמִצְוַת דָּוִיד וְאָסָף וְהֵימָן וִידֻתוּן חוֹזֵה הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִים לְשַׁעַר וָשָׁעַר אֵין לָהֶם לָסוּר מֵעַל עֲבֹדָתָם כִּי־אֲחֵיהֶם הַלְוִיִּם הֵכִינוּ לָהֶם

The singers, sons of Asaf, were standing in their place, according to the command of David, Asaf, Heiman, and Yedutun, each the king’s seer, called such because the king’s singers were inspired with the Holy Spirit. And the gatekeepers were standing at their posts at each and every gate; they did not need to leave their service, as their brethren the Levites prepared for them as well.

וַתִּכּוֹן כָּל־עֲבוֹדַת ה' בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת הַפֶּסַח וְהַעֲלוֹת עֹלוֹת עַל מִזְבַּח ה' כְּמִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ

All the service of the Lord was established on that day, to perform the paschal offering, and to offer up burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord, in accordance with the command of King Yoshiyahu.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל הַנִּמְצְאִים אֶת־הַפֶּסַח בָּעֵת הַהִיא וְאֶת־חַג הַמַּצּוֹת שִׁבְעַת יָמִים

The children of Israel who were present in Jerusalem performed the paschal offering at that time, and they celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days.

וְלֹא־נַעֲשָׂה פֶסַח כָּמֹהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִימֵי שְׁמוּאֵל הַנָּבִיא וְכָל־מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא־עָשׂוּ כַּפֶּסַח אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וְכָל־יְהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הַנִּמְצָא וְיוֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִָם

There had been no paschal offering performed like it, according to the Torah’s command and with the participation of so many people, in Israel, since the days of Samuel the prophet; all the kings of Israel had not performed the paschal offering like that which Yoshiyahu performed, with the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

בִּשְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה לְמַלְכוּת יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ נַעֲשָׂה הַפֶּסַח הַזֶּה

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Yoshiyahu, this paschal offering was performed.

אַחֲרֵי כָל־זֹאת אֲשֶׁר הֵכִין יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ אֶת־הַבַּיִת עָלָה נְכוֹ מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם לְהִלָּחֵם בְּכַרְכְּמִישׁ עַל־פְּרָת וַיֵּצֵא לִקְרָאתוֹ יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ

After all this, when Yoshiyahu had established, strengthened and renovated, the House, Nekho king of Egypt came up to wage war at Karkemishon the Euphrates. Yoshiyahu went out toward him, for war. Pharaoh Nekho did not intend to fight against Judah. Rather, he and his army were headed northward to the Euphrates, in order to do battle with the northern empires, for which purpose they had to pass through the territory of the Kingdom of Judah. Yoshiyahu decided to stand in their way and block their progress.

וַיִּשְׁלַח אֵלָיו מַלְאָכִים לֵאמֹר מַה־לִּי וָלָךְ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה ! לֹא־עָלֶיךָ אַתָּה הַיּוֹם כִּי אֶל־בֵּית מִלְחַמְתִּי וֵאלֹהִים אָמַר לְבַהֲלֵנִי חֲדַל־לְךָ מֵאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר־עִמִּי וְאַל־יַשְׁחִיתֶךָ

He, the king of Egypt, sent emissaries to him, saying: What is there between me and you, king of Judah? There is no quarrel between us. It is not against you that I come to fight today, but to the theater of my war, in the battlefield in Karkemish. God said that I should make haste; he has encouraged me. Restrain yourself from the god who is with me, and he will not destroy, kill, you. Do not provoke the god who is accompanying me to war.

וְלֹא־הֵסֵב יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ פָנָיו מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי לְהִלָּחֶם־בּוֹ הִתְחַפֵּשׂ וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֶל־דִּבְרֵי נְכוֹ מִפִּי אֱלֹהִים וַיָּבֹא לְהִלָּחֵם בְּבִקְעַת מְגִדּוֹ

Yoshiyahu refused to heed Pharaoh Nekho’s warning, and did not turn his face from him, but donned armor to wage war with him, and did not heed the words of Nekho from the mouth of God. He did not listen to the prophets of Israel who confirmed that the campaign of the king of Egypt was in accordance with God’s will. And he, King Yoshiyahu, came to wage war in the valley of Megiddo.

וַיֹּרוּ הַיֹּרִים לַמֶּלֶךְ יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לַעֲבָדָיו הַעֲבִירוּנִי כִּי הָחֳלֵיתִי מְאֹד

The archers shot King Yoshiyahu, and the king said to his servants: Take me away; remove me from the battlefield, as I am severely wounded.

וַיַּעֲבִירֻהוּ עֲבָדָיו מִן־הַמֶּרְכָּבָה וַיַּרְכִּיבֻהוּ עַל רֶכֶב הַמִּשְׁנֶה אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ וַיּוֹלִיכֻהוּ יְרוּשָׁלִַם וַיָּמָת וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּקִבְרוֹת אֲבֹתָיו וְכָל־יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם מִתְאַבְּלִים עַל־ יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ

His servants took him from the chariot from which he had been fighting, and placed him in the second chariot that he had, which was faster and more comfortable, and brought him to Jerusalem, and he, Yoshiyahu, died. He was buried in the graves of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned Yoshiyahu. Not only was Yoshiyahu a righteous and talented king, but he was also esteemed and beloved by his people.

וַיְקוֹנֵן יִרְמְיָהוּ עַל־יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמְרוּ כָל־הַשָּׁרִים וְהַשָּׁרוֹת בְּקִינוֹתֵיהֶם עַל־יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ עַד־הַיּוֹם וַיִּתְּנוּם לְחֹק עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִנָּם כְּתוּבִים עַל הַקִּינוֹת

Jeremiah lamented for Yoshiyahu, and all the singers, male and female, recite their lamentations for Yoshiyahu to this day; they instituted them as a custom in Israel. They turned the practice of mentioning Yoshiyahu in their eulogies into a fixed custom in Israel, and, behold, they, the words of mourning, are written in the lamentations, the book of Lamentations in the Bible.

וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ וַחֲסָדָיו כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת ה'

The rest of the deeds of Yoshiyahu, and his kindnesses which he performed, as it is written and commanded in the Torah of the Lord,

וּדְבָרָיו הָרִאשֹׁנִים וְהָאַחֲרֹנִים הִנָּם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר מַלְכֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוּדָה

and his early and late deeds, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.