Back to 2 Kings 23

2 Kings 23:21-23

The king commanded all the people, saying, “Keep the Passover to Yahweh your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant.” 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; but in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, this Passover was kept to Yahweh in Jerusalem.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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2 Kings 23:21-23 sits inside this longer paragraph.

The king commanded all the people, saying, “Keep the Passover to Yahweh your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant.” 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; but in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, this Passover was kept to Yahweh in Jerusalem. Moreover Josiah removed those who had familiar spirits, the wizards, and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in Yahweh’s house. There was no king like him before him, who turned to Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; and there was none like him who arose after him. Notwithstanding, Yahweh didn’t turn from the fierceness of his great wrath, with which his anger burned against Judah, because of all the provocation with which Manasseh had provoked him. Yahweh said, “I will also remove Judah out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city which I have chosen, even Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, ‘My name shall be there.’ ”

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    The king commanded all the people, saying, “Keep the Passover to Yahweh your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant.”

    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;

    but in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, this Passover was kept to Yahweh in Jerusalem.

  • KJV King James Version

    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.

    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;

    But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    And the king commanded all the people, saying: 'Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant.'

    For there was not kept 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;

    but in the eighteenth year of king Josiah was this passover kept to the LORD in Jerusalem.

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Cross-references (9)

  • Deuteronomy 16:1-8 (v21) Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to Yahweh your God; for in the month of Abib Yahweh your God brought you out of Egypt by…
  • Numbers 9:2-5 (v21) “Let the children of Israel keep the Passover in its appointed season. On the fourteenth day of this month, at evening, you shall keep it…
  • Exodus 12:3-20 (v21) Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth day of this month, they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to…
  • Leviticus 23:5-8 (v21) In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is Yahweh’s Passover. On the fifteenth day of the same month is the…
  • Numbers 28:16-25 (v21) “ ‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Yahweh’s Passover. On the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast.…
Show all 9 cross-references
  • 2 Chronicles 30:1-3 (v22) Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to Yahweh’s house at…
  • 2 Chronicles 30:13-20 (v22) Many people assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly. They arose and took…
  • 2 Chronicles 35:1-19 (v21) Josiah kept a Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem. They killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. He set the priests in…
  • 2 Chronicles 35:3-19 (v22) He said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to Yahweh, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (18 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v22 For the multitude and zeal of the people with…

For the multitude and zeal of the people with the great preparation.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv21–23 2Ki 23:21 And the king commanded all the people,…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv21–22 Keep the passover: having abolished false worship, he now…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv21–23 Surely there was not holden such a passover from…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v22 Such a passover - Celebrated with such solemn care,…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v22 Verse 22. Surely there was not holden such a…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv21–22 2Ki 23:21. The king commanded, saying, Keep the passover,…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv21–22 See 2Ki 23:4 note. With this verse the author…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv21–22 Covenant, in Deuteronomy, chap. xxii. 8. (Menochius)
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v21 the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv21–22 21. Keep the passover — It seemed to the…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv21–23 21–30. He puts down superstitious rites and worship. He…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv21–23 (21) Keep the passover.—Hold a passover (2Ki_23:22). (Comp. 2Ch_35:1-19…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv21–23 And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v22 Surely there was not holden such a Passover.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v21 The Passover Kept
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v21 Keep the Passover
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v21 23:21-23 Hezekiah had observed the Passover with modifications (2…
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