Iosias.

1   And Iosias made in Ierusalem ^note a Phase to our Lord, which was immolated the fourtenth day of the first moneth.

2   And he appoynted the Priestes in their offices, and exhorted them that they would minister in the house of our Lord.

3   To the Leuites also, at whose instruction al Israel was sanctified to our Lord, he spake: Put the Arke in the Sanctuarie of the temple, which Salomon built the sonne of Dauid the king of Israel, for you shal carie it no more: but now minister to our Lord your God, and to his people Israel.

4   And prepare your selues by your houses, and kinredes in the diuisions of euerie one, as Dauid the king of Israel commanded, and Salomon his sonne described.

5   And minister ye in the Sanctuarie by families and Leuitical companies,

6   and being sanctified immolate the Phase, prepare also your brethren, that they may doe according to the wordes, which our Lord spake in the hand of Moyses.

7   Moreouer Iosias gaue to al the people, that was found there in the solemnitie of the Phase, lambes and kiddes of the flockes, and of the rest of the cattel thirtie thousand, of oxen also three thousand, al these thinges of the kinges substance.

8   His dukes also voluntarily offered that which they vowed, as wel to the people, as to the Priestes and the Leuites. Moreouer Helcias, and Zacharias, and Iahiel princes of the house of our Lord, gaue to the Priestes to make the Phase cattel one with an other two thousand six hundred, and oxen three hundred.

9   And Chonenias, and Semeias, also Nathanael, his brethren, moreouer Hasabias, and Iehiel, and Iozabad princes of the Leuites, gaue to the rest of the Leuites to celebrate the Phase fiue thousand sheepe, and oxen fiue hundred.

10   And the ministerie was prepared, and the Priestes stood in their office: the Leuites also in companies, according to the kinges commandement.

11   And the Phase was immolated: and Priestes sprinkled the blood with their hand, and the Leuites drew of the skinnes of the holocaustes:

12   and they seperated them to geue them by the houses and families of euerie one, and to be offered to our Lord, as it is writen in the Booke of Moyses, of oxen also they did in like maner.

13   And they rosted the Phase vpon fyre, according to that which is writen in the law: but the pacifique hostes they boyled in caudrons, and kettles, and portes, and in hast they distributed it to al the people.

14   And for themselues, and for

Iosias. the Priestes they prepared afterward: for in oblation of holocaustes and of fatte the Priestes were occupied vntil night: wherfore the Leuites prepared for themselues, and for the Priestes the children of Aaron last.

15   Moreouer the singing men the children of Asaph stood in their order, according to the precept of Dauid, and Asaph, and Heman, and Idithun the prophetes of the king: and the porters watched at euerie gate, so that they departed not a moment from the ministerie: for the which cause also their brethren the Leuites prepared meates for them.

16   Therfore al the seruice of our Lord was ritely accomplished that day, so that they made the Phase, and offered holocaustes vpon the altar of our Lord, according to the precept of king Iosias.

17   And the children of Israel that were found there, made the Phase at that time, and the solemnitie of Azymes seuen daies.

18   There was not a Phase like to this in Israel, from the daies of Samuel the prophete: neither did anie of al the kinges of Israel make a Phase as Iosias, to the Priestes, and the Leuites, and to al Iuda, and Israel that was found, and to the inhabitantes of Ierusalem.

19   In the eightenth yeare of the kingdom of Iosias was this Phase celebrated.

20   After that Iosias had repayred the temple, came vp Nechao the king of Ægypt to fight in Charcamis beside Euphrates: and Iosias went forth to meete him.

21   But he sending messengers vnto him, sayd: What haue I to doe with thee king of Iuda? I come not agaynst thee this day, but I fight agaynst an other house, to the which God hath commanded me to goe in hast: leaue to doe agaynst God, who is with me, lest he kil thee.

22    ^noteIosias would not returne, but prepared battel agaynst him, neither did he agree to the wordes of Nechao from the mouth of God, but went forward to fight in the fielde of Mageddo.

23   And there being wounded of the Archers, he sayd to his seruantes: Carie me out of the battel, because I am sore wounded.

24   Who remoued him from one chariote into an other chariote, that folowed him after the maner of kinges, and they caried him away into Ierusalem, & he died, and was buried in the monument of his fathers, and al Iuda and Ierusalem ^note mourned for him.

25   Ieremie most of al: whose lamentations al the singing men and singing wemen repeate vntil this present day vpon Iosias, and it is growen as it were a law in Israel: Behold it is sayd to be writen in the lamentations.

26   But the rest of the wordes

Ioachaz. Ioakim. Ioachim. Sedecias. of Iosias & of his mercies: which are commanded by the law of our Lord:

27   his workes also the first and the last, are writen in the Booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel.

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