1. Ezra 1

¹Ve Yoşiya, Yeruşalim'de kendi Rabbi için Fısıh bayramını gerçekleştirdi ve ilk ayın on dördüncü gününde Fısıh kurbanını kurban etti.

²Kâhinleri, Rabbin tapınağındaki günlük nöbet sıralarına göre törensel giysileri içinde yerlerine yerleştirdi.

³Ve İsrail'in tapınak hizmetkârları olan Levilere, Davut oğlu Kral Süleyman'ın inşa ettiği tapınakta, Rabbin kutsal sandığının yerleştirildiği yerde kendilerini Rab için kutsamalarını söyledi.

⁴"Artık onu omuzlarınızda taşımanız gerekmeyecek; şimdi Tanrınız Rabbe kulluk edin ve O'nun ulusu İsrail'e hizmet edin; İsrail Kralı Davut'un yazısına ve oğlu Süleyman'ın azametine göre ata soylarınıza ve kabilelerinize göre hazırlanın.

⁵Ve kutsal yerde, kardeşleriniz İsrail oğullarının önünde, siz Levilerin ata soyuna ait bölük düzenine göre yerlerinizi alın.

⁶Düzen içinde Fısıh kurbanını kesin, kardeşleriniz için kurbanları hazırlayın ve Fısıh bayramını Rabbin Musa aracılığıyla verdiği buyruğa göre gerçekleştirin."

⁷Ve Yoşiya orada bulunan halka otuz bin kuzu ve oğlak ile üç bin sığır bağışladı; bunlar kraliyet mülkünden, vaat edildiği üzere halka, kâhinlere ve Levilere verildi.

⁸Tapınağın yöneticileri Helkias, Zaharias ve Suelos da kâhinlere Fısıh kurbanı için iki bin altı yüz koyun ve üç yüz sığır verdiler.

⁹Binbaşılar Yehonias, Şemaya, kardeşi Netanel, Aşabya, Ohiel ve Yoram da Levilere Fısıh kurbanı için beş bin koyun ve yedi yüz sığır bağışladılar.

¹⁰Ve bu hazırlıklar tamamlanınca, kâhinler ve mayasız ekmekleri tutan Leviler, Musa'nın kitabında yazıldığı gibi Rabbe sunuda bulunmak üzere halkın önünde kabilelerine ve babalarının bölük düzenlerine göre uygun bir düzen içinde durdular; sabah sunusu da bu şekilde yapıldı.

¹¹Fısıh kurbanını usulüne uygun olarak ateşte pişirdiler; diğer kurbanları ise tunç kaplarda ve kazanlarda hoş kokulu baharatlarla kaynatıp halktan olanların hepsine dağıttılar.

¹²Bundan sonra hem kendileri hem de Harun oğlu kâhin kardeşleri için hazırlık yaptılar.

¹³Çünkü kâhinler yağlı parçaları gece geç vakte kadar sunmakla meşguldü; bu yüzden Leviler hem kendileri hem de Harun oğlu kâhin kardeşleri için hazırlık yaptılar.

¹⁴Asaf oğullarından olan kutsal ezgiciler, Davut'un, Asaf'ın, Zaharias'ın ve kralın yanındaki temsilcisi Eddinous'un buyruklarına göre kendi düzenleri içindeydi.

¹⁵Kapıcılar da her kapıda görevlerinin başındaydı; hiçbirinin kendi nöbet sırasını terk etmesi mümkün değildi, çünkü Levili kardeşleri onlar için hazırlık yapmıştı.

¹⁶Kral Yoşiya'nın buyruğu uyarınca, Fısıh bayramını kutlamak ve Rabbin sunağı üzerinde kurbanları sunmak için Rabbe yapılan ibadet o gün tamamlandı.

¹⁷O sırada orada bulunan İsrail oğulları Fısıh bayramını ve yedi gün boyunca Mayasız Ekmek bayramını kutladılar.

¹⁸Peygamber Samuel'in zamanlarından beri İsrail'de böyle bir Fısıh bayramı kutlanmamıştı.

¹⁹İsrail krallarından hiçbiri; Yoşiya'nın, kâhinlerin, Levilerin, Yahudilerin ve Yeruşalim'deki yerleşimlerinde bulunan tüm İsraillilerin kutladığı gibi bir Fısıh bayramı kutlamamıştı.

²⁰Bu Fısıh bayramı, Yoşiya'nın krallığının on sekizinci yılında kutlandı.

²¹Ve Yoşiya'nın işleri, dindarlıkla dolu bir yürekle kendi Rabbi önünde doğru kılındı.

²²Onun döneminde yaşananlar, Rabbe karşı her ulustan ve krallıktan daha çok günah işleyenler ve saygısızlık edenler, O'nu derinden kederlendiren şeyler ve Rabbin sözlerinin İsrail'e karşı nasıl gerçekleştiği hakkında önceki zamanların kayıtlarında yazılmıştır.

²³Yoşiya'nın bütün bu eylemlerinden sonra, Mısır Kralı Firavun, Fırat kıyısındaki Karkamış'ta savaş başlatmak üzere geldi; Yoşiya da onu karşılamak üzere çıktı.

²⁴Ancak Mısır Kralı ona haberciler göndererek şöyle dedi: "Ey Yahuda Kralı, seninle benim aramda ne var?

²⁵Ben Rab Tanrı tarafından sana karşı gönderilmedim; çünkü benim savaşım Fırat kıyısındadır. Şimdi Rab benimledir ve Rab beni acele ettirmektedir; benden uzak dur ve Rabbe karşı gelme."

²⁶Fakat Yoşiya kendisini arabasından geri çevirmedi, aksine Rabbin ağzından peygamber Yeremya aracılığıyla bildirilen sözlere kulak asmayıp onunla savaşmaya yeltendi.

²⁷Megiddo ovasında savaşa girişti ve komutanlar Kral Yoşiya'ya karşı saldırdılar.

²⁸Kral hizmetkârlarına, "Beni savaştan çıkarın, çünkü ağır yaralandım" dedi; hizmetkârları onu hemen savaş hattından çıkardılar.

²⁹Onu ikinci arabasına bindirdiler; Yeruşalim'e geri getirildiğinde yaşamını yitirdi ve babasının mezarına gömüldü.

³⁰Bütün Yahuda Yoşiya için yas tuttu; peygamber Yeremya da Yoşiya için ağıt yaktı. Kadınlarla birlikte tüm önderler bugüne dek onun için ağıt yakarlar; bu, tüm İsrail soyu için sürekli bir kural haline getirildi.

³¹Bu olaylar Yahuda krallarının tarih kitabında yazılmıştır; Yoşiya'nın yaptığı her bir eylem, onun yüceliği, Rabbin yasasındaki anlayışı, gerek önceden gerekse o dönemde yaptıkları, İsrail ve Yahuda krallarının kitabında anlatılmıştır.

³²Ülke halkı Yoşiya'nın oğlu Yehonias'ı alıp yirmi üç yaşındayken babası Yoşiya'nın yerine kral ilan etti.

³³İsrail ve Yeruşalim'de üç ay krallık yaptıktan sonra, Mısır Kralı Yeruşalim'de krallık yapmaması için onu indirdi.

³⁴Ülkeyi yüz talant gümüş ve bir talant altın tazminat ödemeye mahkûm etti.

³⁵Mısır Kralı, onun kardeşi Yoakim'i Yahuda ve Yeruşalim kralı yaptı.

³⁶Yoakim soyluları zincire vurdu; kardeşi Zarakes'i ise yakalayıp Mısır'dan getirtti.

³⁷Yoakim, Yahuda ve Yeruşalim'de kral olduğunda yirmi beş yaşındaydı ve Rabbin önünde kötü olanı yaptı.

³⁸Ona karşı Babil Kralı Nebukadnessar yola çıktı, onu tunç zincirlerle bağlayıp Babil'e götürdü.

³⁹Nebukadnessar, Rabbin tapınağının kutsal kaplarından da alıp götürdü ve onları Babil'deki kendi tapınağına yerleştirdi.

⁴⁰Onun hakkında, onun murdarlığı ve saygısızlığı hakkında kaydedilenler kralların günlüklerinde yazılmıştır.

⁴¹Onun yerine oğlu Yoakim kral oldu; kral ilan edildiğinde sekiz yaşındaydı.

⁴²Yeruşalim'de üç ay on gün krallık yaptı ve Rabbin önünde kötü olanı yaptı.

⁴³Bir yıl sonra Nebukadnessar adamlar gönderip onu, Rabbin tapınağının kutsal kaplarıyla birlikte Babil'e getirtti.

⁴⁴Onun yerine yirmi bir yaşındaki Sedekias'ı Yahuda ve Yeruşalim kralı yaptı; Sedekias on bir yıl krallık yaptı.

⁴⁵Rabbin önünde kötü olanı yaptı ve peygamber Yeremya'nın, Rabbin ağzından bildirdiği sözler karşısında saygı duyup boyun eğmedi.

⁴⁶Kral Nebukadnessar tarafından Rabbin adı üzerine yemin ettirilmiş olmasına rağmen, yalan yere yemin ederek isyan etti; boynunu ve yüreğini sertleştirerek İsrail'in Tanrısı Rabbin yasalarını çiğnedi.

⁴⁷Halkın ve kâhinlerin önderleri de büyük saygısızlıklar yaptılar, ulusların tüm murdarlıklarını aşarak Rabbin Yeruşalim'de kutsal kıldığı tapınağını kirlettiler.

⁴⁸Atalarının Tanrısı, onları ve kendi konutunu esirgediği için habercisi aracılığıyla onları geri çağırmak üzere defalarca söz gönderdi.

⁴⁹Fakat onlar O'nun habercileriyle alay ettiler; Rabbin kendilerine seslendiği gün O'nun peygamberlerini küçümsediler. Sonunda Rabbin kendi halkına karşı öfkesi, yaptıkları kötülükler yüzünden öyle alevlendi ki, üzerlerine Keldanilerin krallarını göndermeyi buyurdu.

⁵⁰Bunlar, gençlerini kutsal tapınaklarının çepeçevre etrafında kılıçtan geçirdiler; genç erkek, genç kız, yaşlı ya da çocuk demeden hiçbirini esirgemediler, hepsini onların eline teslim etti.

⁵¹Rabbin tapınağının büyük küçük bütün kutsal kaplarını, Rabbin sandıklarını ve kraliyet hazinelerini alıp Babil'e götürdüler.

⁵²Rabbin tapınağını ateşe verdiler, Yeruşalim'in surlarını yıktılar, kulelerini yangınla yok ettiler.

⁵³Kentin bütün görkemli şeylerini tamamen harap ettiler; kılıçtan kurtulanları ise Babil'e sürgün ettiler.

⁵⁴Yeremya'nın ağzından bildirilen Rabbin sözü yerine gelene dek, Persler egemen oluncaya kadar orada krala ve oğullarına kölelik ettiler.

⁵⁵Ülke şabat yıllarının tadını çıkarana dek, ıssız kaldığı tüm süre boyunca, yetmiş yıl tamamlanıncaya kadar şabat dinlenmesini yaşadı.

¹ΚΑΙ ἤγαγεν ᾿Ιωσίας τὸ πάσχα ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ τῷ Κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθυσε τὸ πάσχα τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ πρώτου

²στήσας τοὺς ἱερεῖς κατ᾿ ἐφημερίας ἐστολισμένους ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τοῦ Κυρίου.

³καὶ εἶπε τοῖς Λευίταις, ἱεροδούλοις τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ, ἁγιάσαι ἑαυτοὺς τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν τῇ θέσει τῆς ἁγίας κιβωτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ, ᾧ ᾠκοδόμησε Σαλωμὼν ὁ τοῦ Δαυὶδ ὁ βασιλεύς·

⁴οὐκ ἔσται ὑμῖν ἆραι ἐπ᾿ ὤμων αὐτήν· καὶ νῦν λατρεύετε τῷ Κυρίῳ Θεῷ ὑμῶν καὶ θεραπεύετε τὸ ἔθνος αὐτοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἑτοιμάσατε κατὰ τὰς πατριὰς καὶ τὰς φυλὰς ὑμῶν κατὰ τὴν γραφὴν Δαυὶδ βασιλέως ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ κατὰ τὴν μεγαλειότητα Σαλωμὼν τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ.

⁵καὶ στάντες ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ κατὰ τὴν μεριδαρχίαν τὴν πατρικὴν ὑμῶν τῶν Λευιτῶν, τῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὑμῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ,

⁶ἐν τάξει θύσατε τὸ πάσχα καὶ τὰς θυσίας ἑτοιμάσατε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὑμῶν καὶ ποιήσατε τὸ πάσχα κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ Κυρίου τὸ δοθὲν τῷ Μωυσῇ.

⁷καὶ ἐδωρήσατο ᾿Ιωσίας τῷ λαῷ τῷ εὑρεθέντι ἀρνῶν καὶ ἐρίφων τριάκοντα χιλιάδας, μόσχους τρισχιλίους· ταῦτα ἐκ τῶν βασιλικῶν ἐδόθη κατ᾿ ἐπαγγελίαν τῷ λαῷ καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι καὶ Λευίταις.

⁸καὶ ἔδωκε Χελκίας καὶ Ζαχαρίας καὶ Συῆλος οἱ ἐπιστάται τοῦ ἱεροῦ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν εἰς πάσχα πρόβατα δισχίλια ἑξακόσια, μόσχους τριακοσίους.

⁹καὶ ᾿Ιεχονίας καὶ Σαμαίας καὶ Ναθαναὴλ ὁ ἀδελφὸς καὶ ᾿Ασαβίας καὶ ᾿Οχιῆλος καὶ ᾿Ιωρὰμ χιλίαρχοι ἔδωκαν τοῖς Λευίταις εἰς πάσχα πρόβατα πεντακιχίλια, μόσχους ἑπτακοσίους.

¹⁰καὶ ταῦτα τὰ γενόμενα· εὐπρεπῶς ἔστησαν οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευῖται ἔχοντες τὰ ἄζυμα κατὰ τὰς φυλὰς καὶ κατὰ τὰς μεριδαρχίας τῶν πατέρων ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ λαοῦ προσενεγκεῖν τῷ Κυρίῳ κατὰ τὰ γεγραμμένα ἐν βιβλίῳ Μωυσῆ, καὶ οὕτω τὸ πρωϊνόν.

¹¹καὶ ὤπτησαν τὸ πάσχα πυρὶ ὡς καθήκει, καὶ τὰς θυσίας ἥψησαν ἐν τοῖς χαλκείοις καὶ λέβησι μετ᾿ εὐωδίας καὶ ἀπήνεγκαν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ.

¹²μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἡτοίμασαν ἑαυτοῖς τε καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἀδελφοῖς αὐτῶν υἱοῖς ᾿Ααρών·

¹³οἱ γὰρ ἱερεῖς ἀνέφερον τὰ στέατα ἕως ἀωρίας, καὶ οἱ Λευῖται ἡτοίμασαν ἑαυτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἀδελφοῖς αὐτῶν υἱοῖς ᾿Ααρών.

¹⁴καὶ οἱ ἱεροψάλται υἱοὶ ᾿Ασὰφ ἦσαν ἐπὶ τῆς τάξεως αὐτῶν, κατὰ τὰ ὑπὸ Δαυὶδ τεταγμένα καὶ ᾿Ασὰφ καὶ Ζαχαρίας καὶ ᾿Εδδινοῦς ὁ παρά τοῦ βασιλέως,

¹⁵καὶ οἱ θυρωροὶ ἐφ᾿ ἑκάστου πυλῶνος· οὐκ ἔστι παραβῆναι ἕκαστον τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐφημερίαν, οἱ γὰρ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτῶν οἱ Λευῖται ἡτοίμασαν αὐτοῖς.

¹⁶καὶ συνετελέσθη τὰ τῆς θυσίας τοῦ Κυρίου ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ἀχθῆναι τὸ πάσχα καὶ προσαχθῆναι τὰς θυσίας ἐπὶ τὸ τοῦ Κυρίου θυσιαστήριον κατὰ τὴν ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ βασιλέως ᾿Ιωσίου.

¹⁷καὶ ἠγάγοσαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ οἱ εὑρεθέντες ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τούτῳ τὸ πάσχα καὶ τὴν ἑορτὴν τῶν ἀζύμων ἡμέρας ἑπτά.

¹⁸καὶ οὐκ ἤχθη τὸ πάσχα τοιοῦτον ἐν τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀπὸ τῶν χρόνων Σαμουὴλ τοῦ προφήτου,

¹⁹καὶ πάντες οἱ βασιλεῖς τοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ οὐκ ἠγάγοσαν πάσχα τοιοῦτον, οἷον ἤγαγεν ᾿Ιωσίας καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευῖται καὶ οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι καὶ πᾶς ᾿Ισραὴλ ὁ εὑρεθεὶς ἐν τῇ κατοικήσει αὐτῶν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ·

²⁰ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῳ ἔτει βασιλεύοντος ᾿Ιωσίου ἤχθη τὸ πάσχα τοῦτο.

²¹καὶ ὠρθώθη τὰ ἔργα ᾿Ιωσίου ἐνώπιον τοῦ Κυρίου αὐτοῦ ἐν καρδίᾳ πλήρει εὐσεβείας.

²²καὶ τὰ κατ᾿ αὐτὸν δέ ἀναγέγραπται ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν χρόνοις, περὶ τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων καὶ ἠσεβηκότων εἰς τὸν Κύριον παρὰ πᾶν ἔθνος καὶ βασιλείαν, καὶ ἃ ἐλύπησαν αὐτὸν ἐν αἰσθήσει, καὶ οἱ λόγοι τοῦ Κυρίου ἀνέστησαν ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραήλ.

²³Καὶ μετὰ πᾶσαν τὴν πρᾶξιν ταύτην ᾿Ιωσίου συνέβη Φαραὼ βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου ἐλθόντα πόλεμον ἐγεῖραι ἐν Χαρκαμὺς ἐπὶ τοῦ Εὐφράτου, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτῷ ᾿Ιωσίας.

²⁴καὶ διεπέμψατο πρὸς αὐτὸν βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου λέγων· τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί ἐστι, βασιλεῦ τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας;

²⁵οὐχὶ πρός σε ἐξαπέσταλμαι ὑπὸ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἐπὶ γὰρ τοῦ Εὐφράτου ὁ πόλεμός μου ἐστί. καὶ νῦν Κύριος μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἐστι, καὶ Κύριος μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἐπισπεύδων ἐστίν· ἀπόστηθι καὶ μὴ ἐναντιοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ.

²⁶καὶ οὐκ ἀπέστρεψεν ἑαυτὸν ᾿Ιωσίας ἐπὶ τὸ ἅρμα αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ πολεμεῖν αὐτὸν ἐπεχείρει, οὐ προσέχων ῥήμασιν ῾Ιερεμίου προφήτου ἐκ στόματος Κυρίου·

²⁷ἀλλὰ συνεστήσατο πρὸς αὐτὸν πόλεμον ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ Μαγεδδώ, καὶ κατέβησαν οἱ ἄρχοντες πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ᾿Ιωσίαν.

²⁸καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῖς παισὶν ἑαυτοῦ· ἀποστήσατέ με ἀπὸ τῆς μάχης, ἠσθένησα γὰρ λίαν. καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέστησαν αὐτὸν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς παρατάξεως,

²⁹καὶ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὸ ἅρμα τὸ δευτέριον αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἀποκατασταθεὶς εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, μετήλλαξε τὸν βίον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐτάφη ἐν τῷ πατρικῷ τάφῳ.

³⁰καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ᾿Ιουδαίᾳ ἐπένθησαν τὸν ᾿Ιωσίαν, καὶ ἐθρήνησεν ῾Ιερεμίας ὁ προφήτης ὑπὲρ ᾿Ιωσίου, καὶ οἱ προκαθήμενοι σὺν γυναιξὶν ἐθρηνοῦσαν αὐτὸν ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης· καὶ ἐξεδόθη τοῦτο γίνεσθαι ἀεὶ εἰς ἅπαν τὸ γένος ᾿Ισραήλ.

³¹ταῦτα δὲ ἀναγέγραπται ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ τῶν ἱστορουμένων περὶ τῶν βασιλέων τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας· καὶ τὸ καθ᾿ ἓν πραχθὲν τῆς πράξεως ᾿Ιωσίου καὶ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς συνέσεως αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Κυρίου, τά τε προπραχθέντα ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ νῦν, ἱστόρηται ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τῶν βασιλέων ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ᾿Ιούδα.

³²Καὶ ἀναλαβόντες οἱ ἐκ τοῦ ἔθνους τὸν ᾿Ιεχονίαν υἱὸν ᾿Ιωσίου ἀνέδειξαν βασιλέα ἀντὶ ᾿Ιωσίου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ὄντα ἐτῶν εἴκοσι τριῶν.

³³καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ μῆνας τρεῖς. καὶ ἀπέστησεν αὐτὸν βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου τοῦ μὴ βασιλεύειν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ

³⁴καὶ ἐζημίωσε τὸ ἔθνος ἀργυρίου ταλάντοις ἑκατὸν καὶ χρυσίου ταλάντῳ ἑνί.

³⁵καὶ ἀνέδειξε βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου βασιλέα ᾿Ιωακὶμ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ βασιλέα τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας καὶ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.

³⁶καὶ ἔδησεν ᾿Ιωακὶμ τοὺς μεγιστᾶνας, Ζαράκην δὲ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ συλλαβὼν ἀνήγαγεν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου.

³⁷᾿Ετῶν δὲ ἦν εἰκοσιπέντε ᾿Ιωακίμ, ὅτε ἐβασίλευσε τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας καὶ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου.

³⁸μετ᾿ αὐτὸν δὲ ἀνέβη Ναβουχοδονόσορ ὁ βασιλεὺς Βαβυλῶνος καὶ δήσας αὐτὸν ἐν χαλκείῳ δεσμῷ καὶ ἀπήγαγεν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα.

³⁹καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἱερῶν σκευῶν τοῦ Κυρίου λαβὼν Ναβουχοδονόσορ καὶ ἀπενέγκας ἀπηρείσατο ἐν τῷ ναῷ αὐτοῦ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι.

⁴⁰τὰ δὲ ἱστορηθέντα περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀκαθαρσίας αὐτοῦ καὶ δυσσεβείας ἀναγέγραπται ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ τῶν χρόνων τῶν βασιλέων.

⁴¹Καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ ᾿Ιωακὶμ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ· ὅτε γὰρ ἀνεδείχθη, ἦν ἐτῶν ὀκτώ.

⁴²βασιλεύει δὲ μῆνας τρεῖς καὶ ἡμέρας δέκα ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ πονηρὸν ἔναντι Κυρίου.

⁴³Καὶ μετ᾿ ἐνιαυτὸν ἀποστείλας Ναβουχοδονόσορ μετήγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα ἅμα τοῖς ἱεροῖς σκεύεσι τοῦ Κυρίου

⁴⁴καὶ ἀνέδειξε Σεδεκίαν βασιλέα τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας καὶ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ὄντα ἐτῶν εἴκοσιν ἑνός, βασιλεύει δὲ ἔτη ἕνδεκα,

⁴⁵καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου καὶ οὐκ ἐνετράπη ἀπὸ τῶν ρηθέντων λόγων ὑπὸ ῾Ιερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου ἐκ στόματος τοῦ Κυρίου.

⁴⁶καὶ ὁρκισθεὶς ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως Ναβουχοδονόσορ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου, ἐπιορκήσας ἀπέστη· καὶ σκληρύνας αὐτοῦ τὸν τράχηλον καὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ παρέβη τὰ νόμιμα Κυρίου Θεοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ.

⁴⁷καὶ οἱ ἡγούμενοι δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τῶν ἱερέων πολλὰ ἠσέβησαν καὶ ὑπὲρ πάσας τὰς ἀκαθαρσίας πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ ἐμίαναν τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦ Κυρίου τὸ ἁγιαζόμενον ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.

⁴⁸καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν διὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου αὐτοῦ μετακαλέσαι αὐτούς, καθότι ἐφείδετο αὐτῶν καὶ τοῦ σκηνώματος αὐτοῦ.

⁴⁹αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐμυκτήρισαν ἐν τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ καὶ ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ἐλάλησε Κύριος ἦσαν ἐκπαίζοντες τοὺς προφήτας αὐτοῦ, ἕως οὗ θυμωθέντα αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ διὰ τὰ δυσσεβήματα προστάξαι ἀναβιβάσαι ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς τοὺς βασιλεῖς τῶν Χαλδαίων.

⁵⁰οὗτοι ἀπέκτειναν τοὺς νεανίσκους αὐτῶν ἐν ρομφαίᾳ περικύκλῳ τοῦ ἁγίου αὐτῶν ἱεροῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐφείσαντο νεανίσκου καὶ παρθένου καὶ πρεσβύτου καὶ νεωτέρου, ἀλλὰ πάντας παρέδωκαν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν.

⁵¹καὶ πάντα τὰ ἱερὰ σκεύη τοῦ Κυρίου τὰ μεγάλα καὶ τὰ μικρὰ καὶ τὰς κιβωτοὺς τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ τὰς βασιλικὰς ἀποθήκας ἀναλαβόντες ἀπήνεγκαν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα.

⁵²καὶ ἐνεπύρισαν τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Κυρίου καί ἔλυσαν τὰ τείχη ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ τοὺς πύργους αὐτῆς ἐνεπύρισαν ἐν πυρὶ

⁵³καὶ συνετέλεσαν πάντα τὰ ἔνδοξα αὐτῆς ἀχρειῶσαι, καὶ τοὺς ἐπιλοίπους ἀπήγαγε μετὰ ρομφαίας εἰς Βαβυλῶνα.

⁵⁴καὶ ἦσαν παῖδες αὐτῷ καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ μέχρι τοῦ βασιλεῦσαι Πέρσας εἰς ἀναπλήρωσιν ρήματος τοῦ Κυρίου ἐν στόματι ῾Ιερεμίου·

⁵⁵ἕως τοῦ εὐδοκῆσαι τὴν γῆν τὰ σάββατα αὐτῆς, πάντα τὸν χρόνον τῆς ἐρημώσεως αὐτῆς, σαββατιεῖ εἰς συμπλήρωσιν ἐτῶν ἑβδομήκοντα.

¹And Josias held the feast of the passover in Jerusalem unto his Lord, and offered the passover the fourteenth day of the first month;

²Having set the priests according to their daily courses, being arrayed in long garments, in the temple of the Lord.

³And he spake unto the Levites, the holy ministers of Israel, that they should hallow themselves unto the Lord, to set the holy ark of the Lord in the house that king Solomon the son of David had built:

⁴And said, Ye shall no more bear the ark upon your shoulders: now therefore serve the Lord your God, and minister unto his people Israel, and prepare you after your families and kindreds,

⁵According as David the king of Israel prescribed, and according to the magnificence of Solomon his son: and standing in the temple according to the several dignity of the families of you the Levites, who minister in the presence of your brethren the children of Israel,

⁶Offer the passover in order, and make ready the sacrifices for your brethren, and keep the passover according to the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto Moses.

⁷And unto the people that was found there Josias gave thirty thousand lambs and kids, and three thousand calves: these things were given of the king’s allowance, according as he promised, to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites.

⁸And Helkias, Zacharias, and Syelus, the governors of the temple, gave to the priests for the passover two thousand and six hundred sheep, and three hundred calves.

⁹And Jeconias, and Samaias, and Nathanael his brother, and Asabias, and Ochiel, and Joram, captains over thousands, gave to the Levites for the passover five thousand sheep, and seven hundred calves.

¹⁰And when these things were done, the priests and Levites, having the unleavened bread, stood in very comely order according to the kindreds, And according to the several dignities of the fathers, before the people, to offer to the Lord, as it is written in the book of Moses: and thus did they in the morning.

¹¹And they roasted the passover with fire, as appertaineth: as for the sacrifices, they sod them in brass pots and pans with a good savour,

¹²And set them before all the people: and afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests their brethren, the sons of Aaron.

¹³For the priests offered the fat until night: and the Levites prepared for themselves, and the priests their brethren, the sons of Aaron.

¹⁴The holy singers also, the sons of Asaph, were in their order, according to the appointment of David, to wit, Asaph, Zacharias, and Jeduthun, who was of the king’s retinue.

¹⁵Moreover the porters were at every gate; it was not lawful for any to go from his ordinary service: for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.

¹⁶Thus were the things that belonged to the sacrifices of the Lord accomplished in that day, that they might hold the passover,

¹⁶And offer sacrifices upon the altar of the Lord, according to the commandment of king Josias.

¹⁷So the children of Israel which were present held the passover at that time, and the feast of sweet bread seven days.

¹⁸And such a passover was not kept in Israel since the time of the prophet Samuel.

¹⁹Yea, all the kings of Israel held not such a passover as Josias, and the priests, and the Levites, and the Jews, held with all Israel that were found dwelling at Jerusalem.

²⁰In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josias was this passover kept.

²¹And the works of Josias were upright before his Lord with an heart full of godliness.

²²As for the things that came to pass in his time, they were written in former times, concerning those that sinned, and did wickedly against the Lord above all people and kingdoms, and how they grieved him exceedingly, so that the words of the Lord rose up against Israel.

²³Now after all these acts of Josias it came to pass, that Pharaoh the king of Egypt came to raise war at Carchamis upon Euphrates: and Josias went out against him.

²⁴But the king of Egypt sent to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, O king of Judea?

²⁵I am not sent out from the Lord God against thee; for my war is upon Euphrates: and now the Lord is with me, yea, the Lord is with me hasting me forward: depart from me, and be not against the Lord.

²⁶Howbeit Josias did not turn back his chariot from him, but undertook to fight with him, not regarding the words of the prophet Jeremy spoken by the mouth of the Lord:

²⁷But joined battle with him in the plain of Magiddo, and the princes came against king Josias.

²⁸Then said the king unto his servants, Carry me away out of the battle; for I am very weak. And immediately his servants took him away out of the battle.

²⁹Then gat he up upon his second chariot; and being brought back to Jerusalem died, and was buried in his father’s sepulchre.

³⁰And in all Jewry they mourned for Josias, yea, Jeremy the prophet lamented for Josias, and the chief men with the women made lamentation for him unto this day: and this was given out for an ordinance to be done continually in all the nation of Israel.

³¹These things are written in the book of the stories of the kings of Judah, and every one of the acts that Josias did, and his glory, and his understanding in the law of the Lord, and the things that he had done before, and the things now recited, are reported in the book of the kings of Israel and Judea.

³²And the people took Joachaz the son of Josias, and made him king instead of Josias his father, when he was twenty and three years old.

³³And he reigned in Judea and in Jerusalem three months: and then the king of Egypt deposed him from reigning in Jerusalem.

³⁴And he set a tax upon the land of an hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold.

³⁵The king of Egypt also made king Joacim his brother king of Judea and Jerusalem.

³⁶And he bound Joacim and the nobles: but Zaraces his brother he apprehended, and brought him out of Egypt.

³⁷Five and twenty years old was Joacim when he was made king in the land of Judea and Jerusalem; and he did evil before the Lord.

³⁸Wherefore against him Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon came up, and bound him with a chain of brass, and carried him into Babylon.

³⁹Nabuchodonosor also took of the holy vessels of the Lord, and carried them away, and set them in his own temple at Babylon.

⁴⁰But those things that are recorded of him, and of his uncleanness and impiety, are written in the chronicles of the kings.

⁴¹And Joacim his son reigned in his stead: he was made king being eighteen years old;

⁴²And reigned but three months and ten days in Jerusalem; and did evil before the Lord.

⁴³So after a year Nabuchodonosor sent and caused him to be brought into Babylon with the holy vessels of the Lord;

⁴⁴And made Zedechias king of Judea and Jerusalem, when he was one and twenty years old; and he reigned eleven years:

⁴⁵And he did evil also in the sight of the Lord, and cared not for the words that were spoken unto him by the prophet Jeremy from the mouth of the Lord.

⁴⁶And after that king Nabuchodonosor had made him to swear by the name of the Lord, he forswore himself, and rebelled; and hardening his neck, his heart, he transgressed the laws of the Lord God of Israel.

⁴⁷The governors also of the people and of the priests did many things against the laws, and passed all the pollutions of all nations, and defiled the temple of the Lord, which was sanctified in Jerusalem.

⁴⁸Nevertheless the God of their fathers sent by his messenger to call them back, because he spared them and his tabernacle also.

⁴⁹But they had his messengers in derision; and, look, when the Lord spake unto them, they made a sport of his prophets: So far forth, that he, being wroth with his people for their great ungodliness, commanded the kings of the Chaldees to come up against them;

⁵⁰Who slew their young men with the sword, yea, even within the compass of their holy temple, and spared neither young man nor maid, old man nor child, among them; for he delivered all into their hands.

⁵¹And they took all the holy vessels of the Lord, both great and small, with the vessels of the ark of God, and the king’s treasures, and carried them away into Babylon.

⁵²As for the house of the Lord, they burnt it, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem, and set fire upon her towers:

⁵³And as for her glorious things, they never ceased till they had consumed and brought them all to nought: and the people that were not slain with the sword he carried unto Babylon:

⁵⁴Who became servants to him and his children, till the Persians reigned, to fulfil the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremy:

⁵⁵Until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths, the whole time of her desolation shall she rest, until the full term of seventy years.