DENISON

[column A]

ómnium jumentórum, caulásque pécorum, et urbes ædificávit sibi: habébat quippe greges óvium et armentórum innumerábiles, eo quod dedísset ei Dóminus substántiam multam nimis. Ipse est Ezechías, qui obturávit superiórem fontem aquárum Gihon, et avértit eas subter ad occidéntem urbis David: in ómnibus opéribus suis fecit próspere quæ vóluit. Attámen in legatióne príncipum Babylónis, qui missi fúerant ad eum ut interrogárent de porténto quod accíderat super terram, derelíquit eum Deus ut tentarétur, et nota fíerent ómnia quæ erant in corde ejus. Réliqua autem sermónum Ezechíæ, et misericordiárum ejus, scripta sunt in visióne Isaíæ fílii Amos prophétæ, et in libro regum Juda et Israël. Dormivítque Ezechías cum pátribus suis, et sepeliérunt eum super sepúlchra filiórum David: et celebrávit ejus exéquias univérsus Juda, et omnes habitatóres Jerúsalem: regnavítque Manásses fílius ejus pro eo. XXXIII. Duódecim annórum erat Manásses cum regnáre cœpísset, et quinquagínta quinque annis regnávit in Jerúsalem. Fecit autem malum coram Dómino, juxta abominatiónes géntium quas subvértit Dóminus coram fíliis Israël: et convérsus instaurávit excélsa quæ demolítus fúerat Ezechías pater ejus: construxítque aras Baálim, et fecit lucos, et adorávit omnem milítiam cæli, et cóluit eam. Ædificávit quoque altária in domo Dómini, de qua díxerat Dóminus: In Jerúsalem erit nomen meum in ætérnum. Ædificávit autem ea cuncto exercítui cæli in duóbus átriis domus Dómini. Transiréque fecit fílios suos per ignem in valle Benénnom: observábat sómnia, sectabátur augúria, maléficis ártibus inserviébat, habébat secum magos et incantatóres, multáque mala operátus est coram Dómino ut irritáret eum. Scúlptile quoque et conflátile signum pósuit in domo Dei, de qua locútus est Deus ad David, et ad Salomónem fílium ejus, dicens: In domo hac, et in Jerúsalem quam elégi de cunctis tríbubus Israël, ponam nomen meum in sempitérnum. Et movéri non fáciam pedem Israël de terra quam trádidi pátribus eórum: ita dumtáxat si custodíerint fácere quæ præcépi eis, cunctámque legem, et cæremónias atque judícia, per manum Móysi. Ígitur Manásses sedúxit Judam, et habitatóres Jerúsalem, ut fácerent malum super omnes gentes quas subvérterat Dóminus a fácie filiórum Israël. Locutúsque est Dóminus ad eum, et ad pópulum illíus, et atténdere noluérunt. Idcírco superindúxit eis príncipes exércitus regis Assyriórum: ceperúntque Manássen, et vinctum caténis atque compédibus duxérunt in Babylónem. Qui postquam coangustátus est, orávit Dóminum Deum suum: et egit pœniténtiam valde coram Deo patrum suórum. Deprecatúsque est eum, et obsecrávit inténte: et exaudívit oratiónem ejus, reduxítque eum Jerúsalem in regnum suum, et cognóvit Manásses quod Dóminus ipse esset Deus. Post hæc ædificávit murum extra civitátem David ad occidéntem Gihon in conválle, ab intróitu portæ píscium per circúitum usque ad Ophel, et exaltávit illum veheménter: constituítque príncipes exércitus in cunctis civitátibus Juda munítis: et ábstulit deos aliénos, et simulácrum de domo Dómini: aras quoque, quas fécerat in monte domus Dómini et in Jerúsalem: et projécit ómnia extra urbem. Porro instau-

[column B]

rávit altáre Dómini, et immolávit super illud víctimas, et pacífica, et laudem: præcepítque Judæ ut servíret Dómino Deo Israël. Attámen adhuc pópulus immolábat in excélsis Dómino Deo suo. Réliqua autem gestórum Manásse, et obsecrátio ejus ad Deum suum, verba quoque vidéntium qui loquebántur ad eum in nómine Dómini Dei Israël, continéntur in sermónibus regum Israël. Orátio quoque ejus et exaudítio, et cuncta peccáta atque contémptus, loca étiam in quibus ædificávit excélsa, et fecit lucos et státuas ántequam ágeret pœniténtiam, scripta sunt in sermónibus Hózai. Dormívit ergo Manásses cum pátribus suis, et sepeliérunt eum in domo sua: regnavítque pro eo fílius ejus Amon. Vigínti duórum annórum erat Amon cum regnáre cœpísset, et duóbus annis regnávit in Jerúsalem. Fecítque malum in conspéctu Dómini, sicut fécerat Manásses pater ejus: et cunctis idólis quæ Manásses fúerat fabricátus, immolávit atque servívit. Et non est revéritus fáciem Dómini, sicut revéritus est Manásses pater ejus, et multo majóra delíquit. Cumque conjurássent advérsus eum servi sui, interfecérunt eum in domo sua. Porro réliqua pópuli multitúdo, cæsis iis qui Amon percússerant, constítuit regem Josíam fílium ejus pro eo. XXXIV. Octo annórum erat Josías cum regnáre cœpísset, et trigínta et uno anno regnávit in Jerúsalem. Fecítque quod erat rectum in conspéctu Dómini, et ambulávit in viis David patris sui: non declinávit neque ad dextram, neque ad sinístram. Octávo autem anno regni sui, cum adhuc esset puer, cœpit quǽrere Deum patris sui David: et duodécimo anno postquam regnáre cóeperat, mundávit Judam et Jerúsalem ab excélsis, et lucis, simulacrísque et sculptílibus. Destruxerúntque coram eo aras Baálim, et simulácra quæ superpósita fúerant, demolíti sunt: lucos étiam et sculptília succídit atque commínuit, et super túmulos eórum qui eis immoláre consuéverant, fragménta dispérsit. Ossa prætérea sacerdótum combússit in altáribus idolórum, mundavítque Judam et Jerúsalem. Sed et in úrbibus Manásse, et Éphraim, et Símeon, usque Nephtháli, cuncta subvértit. Cumque altária dissipásset, et lucos et sculptília contrivísset in frustra, cunctáque délubra demolítus esset de univérsa terra Israël, revérsus est in Jerúsalem. Ígitur anno octavodécimo regni sui, mundáta jam terra et templo Dómini, misit Saphan fílium Eséliæ, et Maásiam príncipem civitátis, et Joha fílium Jóachaz a commentáriis, ut instaurárent domum Dómini Dei sui. Qui venérunt ad Helcíam sacerdótem magnum: acceptámque ab eo pecúniam quæ illáta fúerat in domum Dómini, et quam congregáverant Levítæ, et janitóres de Manásse, et Éphraim, et univérsis relíquiis Israël, ab omni quoque Juda, et Bénjamin, et habitatóribus Jerúsalem, tradidérunt in mánibus eórum qui prǽerant operáriis in domo Dómini, ut instaurárent templum, et infírma quæque sarcírent. At illi dedérunt eam artifícibus et cæmentáriis, ut émerent lápides de lapicídinis, et ligna ad commissúras ædifícii, et ad contignatiónem domórum quas destrúxerant reges Juda. Qui fidéliter cuncta faciébant. Erant autem præpósiti operántium Jahath et Ábdias de fíliis Merári, Zacharías et Mosóllam de fíliis Caath, qui urgébant opus: omnes Levítæ sciéntes órganis cá-

[2 Chronicles 32:28-34:12]

...all beasts, and folds for cattle. 29 And he built himself cities: for he had flocks of sheep, and herds without number, for the Lord had given him very much substance. 30 This same Ezechias was, he that stopped the upper source of the waters of Gihon, and turned them away underneath toward the west of the city of David: in all his works he did prosperously what he would. 31 But yet in the embassy of the princes of Babylon, that were sent to him, to inquire of the wonder that had happened upon the earth, God left him that he might be tempted, and all things might be made known that were in his heart. 32 Now the rest of the acts of Ezechias, and of his mercies are written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel. 33 And Ezechias slept with his fathers, and they buried him above the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Juda, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem celebrated his funeral: and Manasses his son reigned in his stead.

1 Manasses was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2 And he did evil before the Lord, according to all the abominations of the nations, which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel: 3 And he turned, and built again the high places which Ezechias his father had destroyed: and he built altars to Baalim, and made groves, and he adored all the host of heaven, and worshipped them. 4 He built also altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said: In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. 5 And he built them for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 And he made his sons to pass through the fire in the valley of Benennom: he observed dreams, followed divinations, gave himself up to magic arts, had with him magicians, and enchanters: and he wrought many evils before the Lord, to provoke him to anger. 7 He set also a graven, and a molten statue in the house of God, of which God had said to David, and to Solomon his son: In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever. 8 And I will not make the foot of Israel to be removed out of the land which I have delivered to their fathers: yet so if they will take heed to do what I have commanded them, and all the law, and the ceremonies, and judgments by the hand of Moses. 9 So Manasses seduced Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to do evil beyond all the nations, which the Lord had destroyed before the face of the children of Israel. 10 And the Lord spoke to him, and to his people, and they would not hearken. 11 Therefore he brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of the Assyrians: and they took Manasses, and carried him bound with chains and fetters to Babylon. 12 And after that he was in distress he prayed to the Lord his God: and did penance exceedingly before the God of his fathers. 13 And he entreated him, and besought him earnestly: and he heard his prayer, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom, and Manasses knew that the Lord was God. 14 After this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon in the valley, from the entering in of the fish gate round about to Ophel, and raised it up to a great height: and he appointed captains of the army in all the fenced cities of Juda: 15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord: the altars also which he had made in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and he cast them all out of the city. 16 And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed upon it victims, and peace offerings, and praise: and he commanded Juda to serve the Lord the God of Israel. 17 Nevertheless the people still sacrificed in the high places to the Lord their God. 18 But the rest of the acts of Manasses, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers that spoke to him in the name of the Lord the God of Israel, are contained in the words of the kings of Israel. 19 His prayer also, and his being heard, and all his sins, and contempt, and places wherein he built high places, and set up groves, and statues before he did penance, are written in the words of Hozai. 20 And Manasses slept with his fathers. and they buried him in his house: and his son Amon reigned in his stead. 21 Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasses his father had done: and he sacrificed to all the idols which Manasses his father had made, and served them. 23 And he did not humble himself before the Lord, as Manasses his father had humbled himself, but committed far greater sins. 24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house. 25 But the rest of the multitude of the people slew them that had killed Amon, and made Josias his son king in his stead.

1 Josias was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one and thirty years in Jerusalem. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father: he declined not, neither to the right hand, nor to the left. 3 And in the eighth year of his reign, when he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of his father David: and in the twelfth year after he began to reign, he cleansed Juda and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the idols, and the graven things. 4 And they broke down before him the altars of Baalim, and demolished the idols that had been set upon them: and be cut down the groves and the graven things, and broke them in pieces: and strewed the fragments upon the graves of them that had sacrificed to them. 5 And he burnt the bones of the priests on the altars of the idols, and he cleansed Juda and Jerusalem. 6 And in the cities of Manasses, and of Ephraim, and of Simeon, even to Nephtali he demolished all. 7 And when he had destroyed the altars, and the groves, and had broken the idols in pieces, and had demolished all profane temples throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem. 8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land, and the temple of the Lord, he sent Saphan the son of Eselias, and Maasias the governor of the city, Joha the son of Joachaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God. 9 And they came to Helcias the high priest: and received of him the money which had been brought into the house of the Lord, and which the Levites and porters had gathered together from Manasses, and Ephraim, and all the remnant of Israel, and from all Juda, and Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 10 Which they delivered into the hands of them that were over the workmen in the house of the Lord, to repair the temple, and mend all that was weak. 11 But they gave it to the artificers, and to the masons, to buy stones out of the quarries, and timber for the couplings of the building, and to rafter the houses, which the kings of Juda had destroyed. 12 And they did all faithfully. Now the overseers of the workmen were Jahath and Abdias of the sons of Merari, Zacharias and Mosollam of the sons of Caath, who hastened the work: all Levites skilful to play on...

[column A]

-nere. Super eos vero qui ad divérsos usus ónera portábant, erant scribæ, et magístri de Levítis, janitóres. Cumque efférrent pecúniam quæ illáta fúerat in templum Dómini, réperit Helcías sacérdos librum legis Dómini per manum Móysi. Et ait ad Saphan scribam: Librum legis invéni in domo Dómini: et trádidit ei. At ille íntulit vólumen ad regem, et nuntiávit ei, dicens: Ómnia quæ dedísti in manu servórum tuórum, ecce compléntur. Argéntum quod repértum est in domo Dómini, conflavérunt, datúmque est præféctis artíficum, et divérsa ópera fabricántium. Prætérea trádidit mihi Helcías sacérdos hunc librum. Quem cum rege præsénte recitásset, audissétque ille verba legis, scidit vestiménta sua: et præcépit Helcíæ, et Áhicam fílio Saphan, et Abdon fílio Micha, Saphan quoque scribæ, et Ásaæ servo regis, dicens: Ite, et oráte Dóminum pro me, et pro relíquiis Israël et Juda, super univérsis sermónibus libri istíus, qui repértus est: magnus enim furor Dómini stillávit super nos, eo quod non custodíerint patres nostri verba Dómini ut fácerent ómnia quæ scripta sunt in isto volúmine. Ábiit ergo Helcías, et hi qui simul a rege missi fúerant, ad Oldam prophétidem, uxórem Sellum fílii Thécuath fílii Hasra custódis véstium, quæ habitábat in Jerúsalem in Secúnda: et locúti sunt ei verba quæ supra narrávimus. At illa respóndit eis: Hæc dicit Dóminus Deus Israël: Dícite viro qui misit vos ad me: Hæc dicit Dóminus: Ecce ego indúcam mala super locum istum et super habitatóres ejus, cunctáque maledícta quæ scripta sunt in libro hoc, quem legérunt coram rege Juda. Quia dereliquérunt me, et sacrificavérunt diis aliénis, ut me ad iracúndiam provocárent in cunctis opéribus mánuum suárum, idcírco stillábit furor meus super locum istum, et non extinguétur. Ad regem autem Juda, qui misit vos pro Dómino deprecándo, sic loquímini: Hæc dicit Dóminus Deus Israël: Quóniam audísti verba volúminis, atque emóllitum est cor tuum, et humiliátus es in conspéctu Dei super his quæ dicta sunt contra locum hunc et habitatóres Jerúsalem, reveritúsque fáciem meam scidísti vestiménta tua, et flevísti coram me: ego quoque exaudívi te, dicit Dóminus. Jam enim cólligam te ad patres tuos, et inféreris in sepúlchrum tuum in pace: nec vidébunt óculi tui omne malum quod ego inductúrus sum super locum istum, et super habitatóres ejus. Retulérunt ítaque regi cuncta quæ díxerat. At ille convocátis univérsis majóribus natu Juda et Jerúsalem, ascéndit in domum Dómini, unáque omnes viri Juda et habitatóres Jerúsalem, sacerdótes et Levítæ, et cunctus pópulus a mínimo usque ad máximum. Quibus audiéntibus in domo Dómini, legit rex ómnia verba volúminis: et stans in tribunáli suo, percússit fœdus coram Dómino ut ambuláret post eum, et custodíret præcépta, et testimónia, et justificatiónes ejus in toto corde suo, et in tota ánima sua, facerétque quæ scripta sunt in volúmine illo, quod légerat. Adjurávit quoque super hoc omnes qui repérti fúerant in Jerúsalem et Bénjamin: et fecérunt habitatóres Jerúsalem juxta pactum Dómini Dei patrum suórum. Ábstulit ergo Josías cunctas abominatiónes de univérsis regiónibus filiórum Israël: et fecit omnes qui resídui erant in Israël, servíre Dómino Deo suo. Cunctis diébus ejus non recessérunt

[column B]

a Dómino Deo patrum suórum. XXXV. Fecit autem Josías in Jerúsalem Phase Dómino, quod immolátum est quartadécima die mensis primi: et constítuit sacerdótes in offíciis suis, hortatúsque est eos ut ministrárent in domo Dómini: Levítis quoque, ad quorum eruditiónem omnis Israël sanctificabátur Dómino, locútus est: Pónite arcam in sanctuário templi, quod ædificávit Sálomon fílius David rex Israël, nequáquam enim eam ultra portábitis: nunc autem ministráte Dómino Deo vestro, et pópulo ejus Israël. Et præparáte vos per domos et cognatiónes vestras in divisiónibus singulórum, sicut præcépit David rex Israël, et descrípsit Sálomon fílius ejus. Et ministráte in sanctuário per famílias turmásque Levíticas, et sanctificáti immoláte Phase: fratres étiam vestros, ut possint juxta verba quæ locútus est Dóminus in manu Móysi fácere, præparáte. Dedit prætérea Josías omni pópulo qui ibi fúerat invéntus in solemnitáte Phase, agnos et hædos de grégibus et réliqui pécoris trigínta míllia, boum quoque tria míllia: hæc de regis univérsa substántia. Duces quoque ejus sponte quod vóverant, obtulérunt, tam pópulo quam sacerdótibus et Levítis. Porro Helcías, et Zacharías, et Jáhiel príncipes domus Dómini dedérunt sacerdótibus ad faciéndum Phase pécora commíxtim duo míllia sexcénta, et boves trecéntos. Chonénias autem, et Semeías, étiam Nathánaël fratres ejus, necnon Hasábias, et Jéhiel, et Jozábad príncipes Levitárum, dedérunt céteris Levítis ad celebrándum Phase quinque míllia pécorum, et boves quingéntos. Præparatúmque est ministérium, et stetérunt sacerdótes in offício suo: Levítæ quoque in turmis, juxta regis impérium. Et immolátum est Phase: asperserúntque sacerdótes manu sua sánguinem, et Levítæ detraxérunt pelles holocaustórum: et separavérunt ea ut darent per domos et famílias singulórum, et offerréntur Dómino, sicut scriptum est in libro Móysi: de bobus quoque fecérunt simíliter. Et assavérunt Phase super ignem, juxta quod in lege scriptum est: pacíficas vero hóstias coxérunt in lebétibus, et cacábis, et ollis, et festináto distribuérunt univérsæ plebi: sibi autem et sacerdótibus póstea paravérunt, nam in oblatióne holocaustórum et ádipum usque ad noctem sacerdótes fuérunt occupáti, unde Levítæ sibi et sacerdótibus fíliis Áaron paravérunt novíssimis. Porro cantóres fílii Asaph stabant in órdine suo, juxta præcéptum David, et Asaph, et Heman, et Ídithun prophetárum regis: janitóres vero per portas síngulas observábant, ita ut nec puncto quidem discéderent a ministério: quam ob rem et fratres eórum Levítæ paravérunt eis cibos. Omnis ígitur cultúra Dómini rite compléta est in die illa, ut fácerent Phase, et offérrent holocáusta super altáre Dómini, juxta præcéptum regis Josíæ. Fecerúntque fílii Israël, qui repérti fúerant ibi, Phase in témpore illo, et solemnitátem azymórum septem diébus. Non fuit Phase símile huic in Israël a diébus Samúelis prophétæ: sed nec quisquam de cunctis régibus Israël fecit Phase sicut Josías, sacerdótibus, et Levítis, et omni Judæ et Israël qui repértus fúerat, et habitántibus in Jerúsalem. Octavodécimo anno regni Josíæ hoc Phase celebrátum est. Postquam instauráverat Josías templum, ascéndit Néchao rex Ægýpti ad

[2 Chronicles 34:12-35:20]

...on instruments. 13 But over them that carried burdens for divers uses, were scribes, and masters of the number of the Levites, and porters. 14 Now when they carried out the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord, Helcias the priest found the book of the law of the Lord, by the hand of Moses. 15 And he said to Saphan the scribe: I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord: and he delivered it to him. 16 But he carried the book to the king, and told him, saying: Lo, all that thou hast committed to thy servants, is accomplished. 17 They have gathered together the silver that was found in the house of the Lord: and it is given to the overseers of the artificers, and of the workmen, for divers works. 18 Moreover Helcias the priest gave me this book. And he read it before the king. 19 And when he had heard the words of the law, he rent his garments: 20 And he commanded Helcias, and Ahicam the son of Saphan, and Abdon the son of Micha, and Saphan the scribe, and Asaa the king's servant, saying: 21 Go, and pray to the Lord for me, and for the remnant of Israel, and Juda, concerning all the words of this book, which is found: for the great wrath of the Lord hath fallen upon us, because our fathers have not kept the words of the Lord, to do all things that are written in this book. 22 And Helcias and they that were sent with him by the king, went to Olda the prophetess, the wife of Sellum the son of Thecuath, the son of Hasra keeper of the wardrobe: who dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second part: and they spoke to her the words above mentioned. 23 And she answered them: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Tell the man that sent you to me: 24 Thus saith the Lord: Behold I will bring evils upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, and all the curses that are written in this book which they read before the king of Juda. 25 Because they have forsaken me, and have sacrificed to strange gods, to provoke me to wrath with all the works of their hands, therefore my wrath shall fall upon this place, and shall not be quenched. 26 But as to the king of Juda that sent you to beseech the Lord, thus shall you say to him: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Because thou hast heard the words of this book, 27 And thy heart was softened. and thou hast humbled thyself in the sight of God for the things that are spoken against this place, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and reverencing my face, hast rent thy garments, and wept before me: I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. 28 For now I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be brought to thy tomb in peace: and thy eyes shall not see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and the inhabitants thereof. They therefore reported to the king all that she had said. 29 And he called together all the ancients of Juda and Jerusalem. 30 And went up to the house of the Lord, and all the men of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites, and all the people from the least to the greatest. And the king read in their hearing, in the house of the Lord, all the words of the book. 31 And standing up in his tribunal, he made a covenant before the Lord to walk after him, and keep his commandments, and testimonies, and justifications with all his heart, and with all his soul, and to do the things that were written in that book which he had read. 32 And he adjured all that were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to do the same: and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of the Lord the God of their fathers. 33 And Josias took away all the abominations out of all the countries of the children of Israel: and made all that were left in Israel, to serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived they departed not from the Lord the God of their fathers.

1 And Josias kept a phase to the Lord in Jerusalem, and it was sacrificed on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 And he set the priests in their offices, and exhorted them to minister in the house of the Lord. 3 And he spoke to the Levites, by whose instruction all Israel was sanctified to the Lord, saying: Put the ark in the sanctuary of the temple, which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built: for you shall carry it no more: but minister now to the Lord your God, and to his people Israel. 4 And prepare yourselves by your houses, and families according to your courses, as David king of Israel commanded, and Solomon his son hath written. 5 And serve ye in the sanctuary by the families and companies of Levi. 6 And being sanctified kill the phase, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the words which the Lord spoke by the hand of Moses. 7 And Josias gave to all the people that were found there in the solemnity of the phase, of lambs and of kids of the flocks, and of other small cattle thirty thousand, and of oxen three thousand, all these were of the king's substance. 8 And his princes willingly offered what they had vowed, both to the people and to the priests and the Levites. Moreover Helcias, and Zacharias, and Jahiel rulers of the house of the Lord, gave to the priests to keep the phase two thousand six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. 9 And Chonenias, and Semeias and Nathanael, his brethren, and Hasabias, and Jehiel, and Jozabad princes of the Levites, gave to the rest of the Levites to celebrate the phase five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen. 10 And the ministry was prepared, and the priests stood in their office: the Levites also in their companies, according to the king's commandment. 11 And the phase was immolated: and the priests sprinkled the blood with their hand, and the Levites flayed the holocausts: 12 And they separated them to give them by the houses and families of every one, and to be offered to the Lord, as it is written in the book of Moses, and with the oxen they did in like manner. 13 And they roasted the phase with fire, according to that which is written in the law: but the victims of peace offerings they boiled in caldrons, and kettles, and pots, and they distributed them speedily among all the people. 14 And afterwards they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: for the priests were busied in offering of holocausts and the fat until night: wherefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron last. 15 And the singers the sons of Asaph stood in their order, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Idithun the prophets of the king: and the porters kept guard at every gate, so as not to depart one moment from their service: and therefore their brethren the Levites prepared meats for them. 16 So all the service of the Lord was duly accomplished that day, both in keeping the phase, and offering holocausts upon the altar of the Lord, according to the commandment of king Josias. 17 And the children of Israel that were found there, kept the phase at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. 18 There was no phase like to this in Israel, from the days of Samuel the prophet: neither did any of all the kings of Israel keep such a phase as Josias kept, with the priests, and the Levites, and all Juda, and Israel that were found, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josias was this phase celebrated. 20 After that Josias had repaired the temple, Nechao king of Egypt came up...