The Observance of The Passover ( 2Ki 23:21-23 ).

The making of the new covenant following the reading of the Law was then followed by an observance of the Passover. There are no grounds whatsoever for the suggestion that previously the Passover had been observed in people’s houses and that this was now changed so that it became an observance at the Central Sanctuary. As with the other major feasts Passover had always been observed at the Central Sanctuary since the time of Moses (see Exo 23:14-17; Exo 34:23; Deu 16:16). Deu 16:5 was simply confirming this. The reason therefore why this observance of the Passover was different from all others ‘since the time of the Judges’ had nothing to do with where it was held. It was to do with the magnificence of the offerings, and the genuineness of the worshippers, which were seen as paralleling the celebrations in the days of Moses and Joshua (see Num 9:5; Jos 5:1-12). And it is significant that these offerings were not prescribed by Deu 16:1-8, but by Lev 23:4-8 and Num 28:16-25, demonstrating that the Book of the Covenant which had been discovered included at least one of these two passages.

The feast of the Passover, which celebrated the deliverance from Egypt, would have been seen as a very appropriate feast for celebrating the new deliverance from Assyria which was now being enjoyed and celebrated as the chains of Assyria were being flung off by the removal of all that was connected with the worship of Assyrian gods. No wonder that it was celebrated with such fervour.

2Ki 23:21

‘And the king commanded all the people, saying, “Keep the passover to YHWH your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant.”

The making of the covenant following the full reading of the Law was now to be brought into effect ritually by the observance of the Feast of the Passover and Unleavened Bread ‘to YHWH your God’, the feast which especially celebrated the deliverance from Egypt. It now celebrated their equally important deliverance from Assyria. Passover was thus to be a part of their rededication of themselves to YHWH. And it was to be observed ‘as it is written in this Book of the Covenant’. It was to be a return to the old ways. Passover may well have been neglected in the days of Manasseh and Amon, and even prior to Hezekiah (2Ch 30:5) but now it was to be restored in all its glory.

2Ki 23:22

‘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.’

As pointed out above the point here is that it exceeded all previous Passovers since the time of the Judges in its magnificence, and in the purity with which it was observed. It was seen as taking ‘Israel’ back to the glory days of Moses and Joshua themselves. And that required following the prescriptions found in Num 28:16-25, which had possibly been neglected. This description was, of course, hyperbole, emphasising the magnificence of the way in which it was observed. It was seen as restoring them to the purity of their beginnings. (The literal following of the rather minimal requirements of Deu 16:1-8 could hardly be spoken of in these terms).

2Ki 23:23

‘But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah was this passover kept to YHWH in Jerusalem.’

And this Passover was observed to YHWH in Jerusalem in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, sealing the new re-establishment of the covenant in 2Ki 23:2-3. Thus the making of the covenant, followed by the observance of the Passover, have here formed an inclusio within which we have had described the whole of Josiah’s reforming programme.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The Passover Kept

v. 21. And the king, probably in the early years of his reformatory labors, commanded all the people, saying, Keep the Passover unto the Lord, your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant, Exo 12:3; Lev 23:5; Num 9:2; Deu 16:2. This command was carried out, as we read 2Ch 35:1-19.

v. 22. 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,

v. 23. but in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, wherein this Passover was holden to the Lord in Jerusalem. In point of attendance, in point of strict adherence to the precepts of the Law, this was the most extraordinary festival of its kind ever held.

v. 24. Moreover, the workers with familiar spirits, the necromancers, and the wizards, and the images, the household gods, to whom magical power was imputed, and the idols, small gods, which also were used chiefly in the households, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, he put an end to all the superstitious practices and idol-worship which were carried on in private houses, that he might perform the words of the Law which were written in the book that Hilkiah, the priest, found in the house of the Lord. He wanted to see all the precepts of the Lord in actual operation throughout the land.

v. 25. And like unto him was there no king before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, which he intended to enforce with all severity; neither after him arose there any like him, he stood alone in this respect.

v. 26. Notwithstanding, the Lord turned not from the fierceness of His great wrath wherewith His anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked Him withal. The offense given by Manasseh had been so great and the consequences of his many transgressions so deep-rooted that even this reformation with all its outward show of success was unable to stem the tide of God’s indignation.

v. 27. And the Lord said, I will remove Judah also out of My sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there, 1Ki 8:29.

v. 28. Now, the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? Cf 2 Chronicles 35.

v. 29. In his days Pharaoh-nechoh, king of Egypt, went up against the king of Assyria, to the river Euphrates, this being probably Nabopolassar, who was ruler of both Babylon and Assyria. And King Josiah went against him, to prevent him from marching through his country; and he, the Egyptian king, slew him at Megiddo when he had seen him, they met in battle at this city, in the Plain of Jezreel, at the foot of Mount Carmel.

v. 30. And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulcher. Thus the attempt of Josiah to avert misfortune from his country met with disaster, he died in the defense of his position. Thus the just are mercifully taken away before misfortune breaks upon them, finding peace in the tomb until the great day of resurrection. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s stead.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

2Ki 23:21 And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as [it is] written in the book of this covenant.

Ver. 21. Keep the passover. ] 2Ch 35:1 . If the passover had been neglected, the law, the sacrifices had been in vain. No true Israelite might want whether this monument of their deliverance past, or this type of the Messiah to come. Rather than fail, Josiah’s bounty shall supply to Judah lambs for their paschal devotion. No alms is so acceptable as that whereby the soul is furthered. a

a Dr Hall.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Keep the passover. See note on Exo 12:28.

the book of this covenant = this covenant-book. Authorized Version 1611, reads “this book of the covenant”.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Keep: 2Ch 35:1-19

as it is written: Exo 12:3-20, Lev 23:5-8, Num 9:2-5, Num 28:16-25, Deu 16:1-8

Reciprocal: Exo 12:14 – by an ordinance Exo 12:21 – and take Exo 23:15 – the feast 2Ch 34:30 – the book 2Ch 35:18 – there was no passover

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2Ki 23:21. The king commanded, saying, Keep the passover, &c. Having abolished false worship, he now endeavours to set up the true worship of the true God. Thus he differed greatly from Jehu, who, when he had destroyed the worship of Baal, took no heed to walk in the commandments and ordinances of God. Josiah considered that we must not only cease to do evil, but also learn to do well, and that the way to keep out all abominable customs is to keep up all instituted ordinances. He therefore commanded all the people to keep the passover, which was not only a memorial of their deliverance out of Egypt, but a token of their being dedicated to him who brought them out, and of their communion with him. As it is written in this book of the covenant This book which he had found, wherein is contained the covenant made between God and Israel, and the terms of it.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2Ki 23:21-24. Celebration of the Passover. The mention of the eighteenth year (2Ki 23:23; cf. 2Ki 22:3) shows that the reforms of Josiah occupied six months. The book was discovered in the first month of the civil year, in autumn. It was read (cf. Deu 31:10-12) at the Feast of Tabernacles. The Passover contemplated in Deu 16:6 was celebrated in the central sanctuary. It was not the domestic feast of the Priestly Code (Exodus 12), but a general assembly of the nation. In 2 Chronicles 30 Hezekiah is said to have kept a similar feast, but this is denied in 2Ki 23:22.

2Ki 23:29 f. Death of Josiah.Pharaoh-necoh (pp. 60, 72) is the first Pharaoh in the Bible whose name is given. He belonged to the 26th Dynasty. Apparently, when he advanced to occupy a position on the Euphrates, Josiah, prompted either by loyalty to his former masters, the Assyrians, or confident that his reforms had secured him Divine support, tried to stop the progress of the Egyptians at Megiddo. His defeat sealed Judahs ruin (Jer 22:10). Megiddo is the Armageddon (Har-magedon) of the Apocalypse (Rev 16:16). The date of Josiahs defeat is about 608 B.C.

2Ki 23:31 to 2Ki 25:21. Fall and Captivity of Judah.The last kings of Judah were Jehoahaz and Eliakim (Jehoiakim), sons of Josiah; Jehoiachin, son of Jehoiakim; and Zedekiah (Mattaniah), another son of Josiah. The history of this period is related or alluded to throughout the Book of Jeremiah. Its most important feature is the rise of the Babylonian or Chaldean empire under Nabopolassar and his son Nebuchadrezzar (pp. 60, 72f.).

2Ki 23:31-35. Jehoahaz.This king was also called Shallum (Jer 22:11). His captivity in Egypt is the subject of an elegy by Ezekiel (Eze 19:1-4). The scene of his first imprisonment, Riblah in the land of Hamath, was also that of Zedekiahs humiliation (2Ki 25:21, Jer 39:5).

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible