2 Chron. 35 Josiah keepeth a solemn passover, 2 Chron. 35:1–19. He provoketh Pharaoh-necho, and is slain at Megiddo, 2 Chron. 35:20–24. Lamentations for Josiah, 2 Chron. 35:25–27.

Which were holy; or, and which were holy. In the house; in the temple; or in the holy of holies; whence, it may seem, it had been removed, either, 1. By some of the wicked and idolatrous kings of Judah, possibly by Josiah’s father Amon; which peradventure may be implied by that expression, 2 Chron.

Stand in the place, or, minister, as that word is frequently used, in the court of the priests, which is so called elsewhere, as hath been noted before. After the division of the families of the Levites, i.e.

Prepare your brethren, by purifying them, and quickening them to fit themselves for so great and solemn a work.

Lambs and kids, for either of these might be used for the paschal-offering, Ex. 12:5. Three thousand bullocks, which were to be offered after the lambs, upon the several days of the feast of unleavened bread.

His princes; not the political, but ecclesiastical princes, or the chief of the priests and Levites, whose names here follow. To the priests and to the Levites, for the use of any of the families of any of them, as need should be; for they supposed the 30, 000 which the king had given were not…

Which they did, though properly it belonged to the priests, because the priests, who were sanctified, were not sufficient for that work, there being so many thousands of the cattle; and they were fully employed in the killing of the sacrifices and the sprinkling of the blood, which was more…

They removed the burnt-offerings, i.e. those cattle which were to be offered for burnt-offerings, to wit, some of the lesser cattle; for these also might be offered as burnt-offerings, Lev. 1:10.

The other holy offerings; those from which the burnt offerings were removed, 2 Chron. 35:12, to wit, the peace-offerings, part of which fell to the share of the offerer, who was Josiah, and by his gift to the people.

Afterward they made ready, to wit, the paschal lambs, and their part of the peace-offerings.

When Josiah had prepared the temple; when he and his people hoped that God was reconciled, and the foundation of a solid and lasting happiness was laid, their hopes were quickly blasted. So much are men oft mistaken in their judgments about the designs of God’s counsel and providence.

Against the house wherewith I have war, Heb. against the house or family of my war, i.e. against the house of the king of Assyria, between whom and me there is war. God commanded me; either his false god by their lying priests; or the true God, either, 1.

Josiah would not turn his face from him; being peradventure encouraged to do so by a misinterpretation of that promise made to him, 2 Chron. 34:28, Thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace: thus God overrules the errors and miscarriages of men to the accomplishment of his own counsels.

In their lamentations to this day; in all their succeeding lamentations for their public calamities, and for the ruin of their city, and temple, and state, and church they remembered Josiah’s death as their first and most fatal blow, and as that which opened the flood-gates to all their following…

His goodness; either, 1. His piety towards God and his house. Or, 2. His benignity, clemency, and kindness towards all his subjects, being of a most tender disposition and carriage both towards God, 2 Chron. 34:27, and towards men.