The King James Version Bible

1 Esdras 1:20-40

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

  2. Yea, 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.

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

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

  5. As 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.

  6. Now 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.

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

  8. I 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.

  9. Howbeit 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:

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

  11. Then 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.

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

  13. And 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.

  14. These 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.

  15. And 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.

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

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

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

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

  20. Five 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.

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