19. Nor had any of the kings of Israel ever celebrated a Passover like that celebrated by Josiah, the priests, the Levites, the Judeans, and all of Israel who were living in Jerusalem.
20. In the eighteenth year of the rule of Josiah this Passover was celebrated.
21. Josiah did the right thing in the Lord’s presence, because his heart was devoted to God.
22. The story of his rule was officially recorded in ancient times. The records include those who sinned and committed ungodly acts toward the Lord, beyond those of any other nation and kingdom. Their acts intentionally grieved the Lord, so that the Lord spoke against Israel.
23. Sometime after Josiah’s actions, Pharaoh, Egypt’s king, went to start a war at Carchemish on the Euphrates. Josiah went out against him.
24. The king of Egypt sent a message to Josiah: "What do you want with me, King of Judea?
25. I haven’t been sent out by the Lord God against you; rather, my war is at the Euphrates. Now the Lord is with me and urges me on. So stand aside and don’t oppose the Lord."
26. Josiah, however, didn’t return to his chariot but resolved to fight. He didn’t pay attention to the words of the prophet Jeremiah, which came from the Lord.
27. He went to war with Pharaoh in the plain of Megiddo, and Pharaoh’s commanders came against King Josiah.
28. The king said to his attendants, "Take me away from the battle, for I’m severely wounded." His attendants immediately took him away from the line of battle.
29. Josiah got into a second chariot. After he was brought back to Jerusalem, he died and was buried in his family tomb.
30. The whole land of Judea mourned for Josiah. The prophet Jeremiah also grieved for Josiah. The leading citizens, with the women, grieve over him until this day. This has become a tradition for the whole nation of Israel to observe.
31. These events have been written in the official records of the Judean kings. All of Josiah’s actions—including his honor, his understanding of the Law of the Lord, all that he did previously, and these things that are now told—are described in the official records of the kings of Israel and Judea.
32. Then the leaders of the nation appointed Jeconiah, Josiah’s son, who was 23 years old, as king to succeed his father.