Josiah’s passover: the ark returned to the house, the courses set, lambs and bullocks given by the thousands from the king’s own substance, the singers in their place — 'And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet.' Then the unaccountable end: Necho of Egypt passes through toward Carchemish, warns him off in God’s own name, and Josiah goes out anyway, disguised, into the valley of Megiddo. 'And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants: Have me away; for I am sore wounded.' Jeremiah laments for him; the lament becomes an ordinance.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
And Josiah kept a passover to Hashem in Jerusalem; and they killed the passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month.
verse value 3756
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "passover" (פֶּ֖סַח, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·Jerusalem" (בִירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם, 7 letters). The root פסח appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 384x in II Chronicles); "and·he·made" (root עשה, 159x in II Chronicles); "in·Jerusalem" (root ירושלם, 127x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיַּ֨עַשׂ [and·he·made] (386) + יֹאשִׁיָּ֧הוּ [Josiah] (332) + בִירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם [in·Jerusalem] (588) + פֶּ֖סַח [passover] (148) + לַיהֹוָ֑ה [to·Hashem] (56) + וַיִּשְׁחֲט֣וּ [and·they·slaughtered] (339) + הַפֶּ֔סַח [the·passover] (153) + בְּאַרְבָּעָ֥ה [in·four] (280) + עָשָׂ֖ר [-teen] (570) + לַחֹ֥דֶשׁ [to·the·month] (342) + הָרִאשֽׁוֹן [the·first] (562) = 3756.
Rashi
And Josiah made the Passover sacrifice in Jerusalem since none of the wicked kings of Judah had made the Passover sacrifice according to its law.
Metzudat David
the first month – Since it was stated earlier that Hezekiah observed the Passover in the second month, [Scripture] here states that Josiah observed it in the first month, as the law requires.
And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of Hashem.
verse value 2507
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 39 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "house·of" (בֵּ֥ית, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·their·charges" (עַל־מִשְׁמְרוֹתָ֑ם, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 130: and·he·set, the·priests. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "to·service·of" (לַעֲבוֹדַ֖ת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 384x in II Chronicles); "house·of" (root בית, 191x in II Chronicles); "the·priests" (root כהן, 90x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·their·charges', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיַּעֲמֵ֥ד [and·he·set] (130) + הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים [the·priests] (130) + עַל־מִשְׁמְרוֹתָ֑ם [in·their·charges] (1126) + וַֽיְחַזְּקֵ֔ם [and·he·encouraged·them] (171) + לַעֲבוֹדַ֖ת [to·service·of] (512) + בֵּ֥ית [house·of] (412) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 2507.
Ralbag
'And he set the priests in their charges' — Meaning, he stationed them in the divisions that had been fixed and arranged among them since the days of David and Solomon. 'and encouraged them to the service of the house of Hashem' — Meaning, he roused them regarding the service, so that they would always be diligent in performing it properly.
Metzudat David
in their charges – Each one in his own watch. and encouraged them – He urged them with exhortation to perform the service of Hashem.
And he said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to Hashem: ‘Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; there shall no more be a burden upon your shoulders; now serve Hashem your God, and His people Israel.
verse value 8550
Insights
Verse structure: 26 words, 128 letters. Verse gematria: 8550 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "put" (תְּנ֤וּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "ark·of·the·holiness" (אֶת־אֲרוֹן־הַקֹּ֙דֶשׁ֙, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 541: Israel, Israel. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "the·ones·who·teach" (הַמְּבִינִ֨ים), "the·holy" (הַקְּדוֹשִׁ֣ים), "put" (תְּנ֤וּ). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 23 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 384x in II Chronicles); "king·of" (root מלך, 344x in II Chronicles); "son·of·David" (root בן, 225x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·shoulder', dividing the verse into phrases of 19 and 7 words.
Rashi
Place the Holy Ark According to its simple meaning, [they were to return it to its place] because Manasseh and Amon had removed the Holy Ark and placed their graven images in its place, as is proven above (33:7) concerning Manasseh: “And he placed the graven image of the idol, etc.” Therefore, Josiah commanded to return it and to place the Ark in the place that Solomon had built for it, but our Rabbis said (Yoma 42b) that he commanded the Levites to hide it there. you have no burden on the shoulders This is another argument and the beginning of a statement. He said to them. You have no more toil of carrying a burden on your shoulders, i.e., all the vessels of the House of the Lord. You can no longer say, “Because of the toil of the burdens on our shoulders, we cannot serve the Lord and His people.” Therefore, from now on, serve the Lord your God with song and His people Israel by slaughtering and flaying their Passover sacrifices, as is proven below (verse 6): “And slaughter the Passover sacrifice and prepare yourselves, etc.”
Ralbag
'Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build' — We know that the Ark was not taken during the exile of Jerusalem, for it is not mentioned among the vessels that the king of Babylon [took], nor is it mentioned among the vessels that Cyrus restored to Zerubbabel. It therefore appears that he [Josiah] commanded that it be placed in the chamber that Solomon had prepared for it, to store it there, for he knew that the House was destined to be destroyed — for were this not so, there would be no reason to say 'Put the holy ark in the house,' since it had never left there. And it has already been hinted, in this connection, that Solomon had prepared a place to store it there, in the Book of Kings. And when he said 'there shall no more be a burden upon your shoulders,' he meant that, in any case, this labor had already been removed from them and made light for them; and therefore he urged them to serve Hashem and His people, in the roles he had appointed them to.
Metzudat David
who taught – To the levitical priests, who taught understanding to Israel, etc. Put the holy ark – Our Sages said that he commanded that it be hidden away in a concealed place that Solomon had made, so that it would not be carried off into exile with Israel. But according to the plain sense, it means that the wicked kings who preceded him had removed the Ark from its place and set up an idol in its stead; he therefore told them to restore it to its place. there shall no more be a burden upon your shoulders – That is, once you have carried the Ark on your shoulders to restore it to its place, you will no longer have any work of carrying on the shoulder; and so you will be free, to serve Hashem and His people in the matter of the sacrifices.
Malbim
Put — [This is stated] because the ark was not in its place during the days of the wicked kings of Israel, as Rashi explains. And the Sages explained that [Josiah] foresaw that they were destined to go into exile (as Huldah the prophetess had told him), and so he commanded that it be hidden away. Now Solomon had made a concealed chamber in a passage beneath the Holy of Holies, to serve as a place for the ark, to be hidden there in time of need; and it may be said that this [chamber] was positioned directly below its place above, in the Holy of Holies, and so [Josiah] commanded that they put it there. there shall no more be a burden upon your shoulders — As there was in the wilderness [when the Levites carried the Tabernacle on their shoulders]; and now all your service is simply to serve Hashem and His people through the service of the Temple.
And prepare you after your fathers’ houses by your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.
verse value 3767
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 62 letters. The shortest word is "king·of" (מֶ֣לֶךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·house·of·your·fathers" (לְבֵית־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם, 11 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "to·house·of·your·fathers" (לְבֵית־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם), "as·your·courses" (כְּמַחְלְקוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם), "and·in·writing·of" (וּבְמִכְתַּ֖ב). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king·of" (root מלך, 344x in II Chronicles); "his·son" (root בן, 225x in II Chronicles); "to·house·of·your·fathers" (root בית, 191x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'as·your·courses', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 7 words.
Ralbag
'And prepare you after your fathers' houses by your courses' — Meaning, that you should take pains to assign the Levites according to their fathers' houses, each man to his own division.
Metzudat David
And prepare you – Prepare yourselves, each one according to his father's house, according to how you were divided, as stated in the writing of David and Solomon.
And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of your brethren the children of the people, and let there be for each a portion of a father’s house of the Levites.
verse value 3268
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 50 letters. Verse gematria: 3268 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "house·of" (בֵּ֣ית, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·divisions·of" (לִפְלוּגֹּת֙, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·stand" (וְעִמְד֣וּ), "to·divisions·of" (לִפְלוּגֹּת֙), "and·portion·of" (וַחֲלֻקַּ֥ת). The root בית appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 225x in II Chronicles); "house·of" (root בית, 191x in II Chronicles); "the·people" (root עם, 149x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·people', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְעִמְד֣וּ [and·stand] (126) + בַקֹּ֗דֶשׁ [in·the·holy·place] (406) + לִפְלוּגֹּת֙ [to·divisions·of] (549) + בֵּ֣ית [house·of] (412) + הָאָב֔וֹת [the·fathers] (414) + לַאֲחֵיכֶ֖ם [to·your·brothers] (109) + בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + הָעָ֑ם [the·people] (115) + וַחֲלֻקַּ֥ת [and·portion·of] (544) + בֵּֽית־אָ֖ב [house·of·father] (415) + לַלְוִיִּֽם [to·the·Levites] (116) = 3268.
Rashi
according to the divisions in divisions to make the Passover sacrifice according to its law, according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
Ralbag
'And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers' houses...' — Meaning: Stand, all of you, in the holy place, according to the divisions of the fathers' houses, each one at his own task, for the sake of your brethren the children of the people, to help them with the matter of the paschal offerings; and for the sake of the portion of a father's house among the Levites serving on that day — since the men of a single father's house alone would not be able to complete this work, given how much of it there was.
Metzudat David
in the holy place – In the Temple courtyard. according to the divisions of the fathers' houses – According to the division of the fathers' houses, each one separately. of your brethren the children of the people – He commanded that the Children of Israel be stationed each father's house separately, to perform the Passover-offering. and let there be for each a portion, etc. – Likewise the Levites shall stand, each father's house separately.
Metzudat Zion
divisions - [meaning] portions, as in 'for in his days the earth was divided' (Genesis 10:25).
Malbim
according to the divisions — [Meaning] every ancestral house among the [ordinary] people of Israel had a corresponding ancestral house among the Levites to perform its service; hence it says, 'and prepare for your brethren' — [meaning] that each ancestral house of the Levites was to prepare for the ancestral house of Israel that corresponded to it.
And kill the passover lamb, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your brethren, to do according to the word of Hashem by the hand of Moses.’
verse value 2928
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "the·passover" (הַפָּ֑סַח, 4 letters) and the longest is "according·to·the·word·of·Hashem" (כִּדְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·kill" (וְשַׁחֲט֖וּ), "and·sanctify·yourselves" (וְהִֽתְקַדְּשׁוּ֙), "according·to·the·word·of·Hashem" (כִּדְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "according·to·the·word·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 384x in II Chronicles); "to·do" (root עשה, 159x in II Chronicles); "and·sanctify·yourselves" (root קדש, 49x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·passover', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְשַׁחֲט֖וּ [and·kill] (329) + הַפָּ֑סַח [the·passover] (153) + וְהִֽתְקַדְּשׁוּ֙ [and·sanctify·yourselves] (821) + וְהָכִ֣ינוּ [and·prepare] (97) + לַאֲחֵיכֶ֔ם [to·your·brothers] (109) + לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת [to·do] (806) + כִּדְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה [according·to·the·word·of·Hashem] (252) + בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה [by·hand·of·Moses] (361) = 2928.
Ralbag
'and prepare for your brethren, to do' - Meaning, for the priests. This preparation consisted of the Levites skinning the passover offerings and assisting the priests in their service, preparing the various things for them so that the priests would be able to complete what they were obligated to do.
Metzudat David
and sanctify yourselves – Purify yourselves. and prepare – Also prepare and urge your brethren to purify themselves, so as to perform the Passover-offerings according to the word of Hashem.
And Josiah gave to the children of the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all of them for the passover-offerings, to all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks; these were of the king’s substance.
verse value 5449
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 88 letters. Notable word values: "these" (אֵ֖לֶּה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "the·people" (הָעָ֟ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·sons·of·goats" (וּבְנֵי־עִזִּים֮, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·he·gave" (וַיָּ֣רֶם), "and·sons·of·goats" (וּבְנֵי־עִזִּים֮), "to·all·that·was·found" (לְכׇל־הַנִּמְצָ֗א). The root בן appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·king" (root מלך, 344x in II Chronicles); "to·sons·of" (root בן, 225x in II Chronicles); "the·people" (root עם, 149x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'thousand', dividing the verse into phrases of 16 and 3 words.
Rashi
And Josiah separated for the members of the people - Heb. ויָּרֶם. An example is (Num. 18: 28): “So shall you too separate (תָּרִימוּ),” an expression of separation. for all that were present He separated small cattle for the Passover sacrifices for all the Israelites present. for the number of thirty thousand of small cattle, of lambs, and goats. and large cattle—three thousand for Festival peace offerings.
Metzudat David
to all that were present – In Jerusalem. and bullocks – For the peace-offerings of the festival.
Metzudat Zion
gave - [meaning] and he set aside.
Malbim
And Josiah gave — He set aside the Paschal offerings needed for the people of Israel; the officers set aside the Paschal offerings needed for the priests; and the officers of the Levites set aside the Paschal offerings needed for the Levites.
And his princes gave willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the passover-offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen.
verse value 5831
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 101 letters. The shortest word is "to·the·people" (לָעָ֛ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Zechariah" (וּזְכַרְיָ֜הוּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 447: hundred, hundred. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "for·a·freewill-offering" (לִנְדָבָ֥ה), "Hilkiah" (חִלְקִיָּ֨ה), "rulers·of" (נְגִידֵי֙). The root כהן appears 2 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 202x in II Chronicles); "house·of" (root בית, 191x in II Chronicles); "to·the·people" (root עם, 149x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'gave', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 15 words.
Metzudat David
to the people – And [Scripture] goes on to explain that this means to the priests and to the Levites. Hilkiah – That is, the officers Hilkiah, etc., the overseers of the House of God — they gave to the priests for the Passover-offerings, etc.
Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for the passover-offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.
verse value 5016
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 95 letters. The shortest word is "chiefs·of" (שָׂרֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Conaniah" (וְ֠כׇֽנַנְיָ֠הוּ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·Conaniah" (וְ֠כׇֽנַנְיָ֠הוּ), "and·Nethanel" (וּנְתַנְאֵ֜ל), "and·Hashabiah" (וַחֲשַׁבְיָ֧הוּ). The root לוי appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·Levites" (root לוי, 65x in II Chronicles); "thousand" (root אלף, 62x in II Chronicles); "hundred" (root מאה, 57x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·Levites', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 8 words.
So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites by their courses, according to the king’s commandment.
verse value 2566
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 53 letters. The shortest word is "the·king" (הַמֶּֽלֶךְ, 4 letters) and the longest is "upon·their·divisions" (עַל־מַחְלְקוֹתָ֖ם, 9 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "the·service" (הָעֲבוֹדָ֑ה). The root עמד appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·king" (root מלך, 344x in II Chronicles); "the·priests" (root כהן, 90x in II Chronicles); "and·the·Levites" (root לוי, 65x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·service', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַתִּכּ֖וֹן [and·it·was·prepared] (482) + הָעֲבוֹדָ֑ה [the·service] (92) + וַיַּעַמְד֨וּ [and·they·stood] (136) + הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים [the·priests] (130) + עַל־עׇמְדָ֛ם [upon·their·place] (254) + וְהַלְוִיִּ֥ם [and·the·Levites] (97) + עַל־מַחְלְקוֹתָ֖ם [upon·their·divisions] (724) + כְּמִצְוַ֥ת [as·commandment·of] (556) + הַמֶּֽלֶךְ [the·king] (95) = 2566.
Metzudat David
So the service was prepared – The service was carried out in proper order and with preparation. in their place – In the place designated for their standing, each division by itself. by their courses – According to how they were divided into watches. according to the king's commandment – Who had commanded that each division stand by itself.
And they killed the passover lamb, and the priests dashed the blood, which they received of their hand, and the Levites flayed them.
verse value 1631
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "the·passover" (הַפָּ֑סַח, 4 letters) and the longest is "flaying" (מַפְשִׁיטִֽים, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "from·their·hand" (מִיָּדָ֔ם), "flaying" (מַפְשִׁיטִֽים). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·priests" (root כהן, 90x in II Chronicles); "from·their·hand" (root יד, 72x in II Chronicles); "and·the·Levites" (root לוי, 65x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·passover', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַֽיִּשְׁחֲט֖וּ [and·they·killed] (339) + הַפָּ֑סַח [the·passover] (153) + וַיִּזְרְק֤וּ [and·they·dashed] (329) + הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ [the·priests] (130) + מִיָּדָ֔ם [from·their·hand] (94) + וְהַלְוִיִּ֖ם [and·the·Levites] (97) + מַפְשִׁיטִֽים [flaying] (489) = 1631.
Metzudat David
And they killed – The Levites did the slaughtering, for slaughter is valid [even] when done by non-priests. of their hand – From the hand of the Levites, for the priests had placed the basins with the blood in their [the Levites'] hands, so that it would be ready for dashing. flayed – The hides of the Passover-offerings.
Malbim
And they killed — The slaughtering and the flaying were done by the Levites, while the dashing [of the blood] — and likewise the receiving of it — were done by the priests; hence it says 'from their hand,' [meaning] that [the priests] received it in a vessel after [the Levites] had slaughtered it with their own hands.
And they removed the portions that were to be burnt, that they might give them to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of the children of the people, to present to Hashem, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen.
verse value 4865
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "the·people" (הָעָ֔ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·house·of·fathers" (לְבֵית־אָבוֹת֙, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "to·give·them" (לְ֠תִתָּ֠ם), "to·divisions" (לְמִפְלַגּ֤וֹת), "to·present" (לְהַקְרִיב֙). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 384x in II Chronicles); "to·sons·of" (root בן, 225x in II Chronicles); "to·house·of·fathers" (root בית, 191x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Moses', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיָּסִ֨ירוּ [and·they·removed] (292) + הָעֹלָ֜ה [the·burnt-offering] (110) + לְ֠תִתָּ֠ם [to·give·them] (870) + לְמִפְלַגּ֤וֹת [to·divisions] (589) + לְבֵית־אָבוֹת֙ [to·house·of·fathers] (851) + לִבְנֵ֣י [to·sons·of] (92) + הָעָ֔ם [the·people] (115) + לְהַקְרִיב֙ [to·present] (347) + לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה [to·Hashem] (56) + כַּכָּת֖וּב [as·it·is·written] (448) + בְּסֵ֣פֶר [in·book·of] (342) + מֹשֶׁ֑ה [Moses] (345) + וְכֵ֖ן [and·so] (76) + לַבָּקָֽר [to·the·oxen] (332) = 4865.
Ralbag
'And they removed the portions that were to be burnt, that they might give them to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of the children of the people' - Meaning, that they divided its pieces among the men of the ancestral house serving on that day, in that one man among them would take a piece or certain known pieces from it, and so on until all the pieces were distributed.
Metzudat David
And they removed the portions that were to be burnt – From each Passover-offering they removed the part to be burned on the altar — these are the sacrificial portions. that they might give them – To give the Passover-offerings to the groups divided by fathers' houses, etc. to present to Hashem – This refers back to the beginning of the verse, to say: they removed the portion to be burnt in order to present it to Hashem. And so did they with the oxen – And so too they did with the oxen of the festival peace-offerings: they first removed the sacrificial portions, and afterward gave the oxen to their owners.
Malbim
And they removed the portions that were to be burnt — They removed the fats and the sacrificial portions that go up to the One on High, so as to give the meat of the Paschal offering to the divisions of the ancestral houses of the people, and to give the sacrificial portions to the priests, to offer up to Hashem.
And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance; and the holy offerings boiled they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the children of the people.
verse value 3933
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 64 letters. The shortest word is "in·the·fire" (בָּאֵ֖שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·holy·offerings" (וְהַקֳּדָשִׁ֣ים, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·they·roasted" (וַֽיְבַשְּׁל֥וּ), "they·boiled" (בִּשְּׁל֗וּ), "in·the·pots" (בַּסִּיר֤וֹת). The root בשל appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·people" (root עם, 149x in II Chronicles); "to·all·sons·of" (root כל, 113x in II Chronicles); "and·in·the·caldrons" (root דוד, 68x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'like·the·ordinance', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַֽיְבַשְּׁל֥וּ [and·they·roasted] (354) + הַפֶּ֛סַח [the·passover] (153) + בָּאֵ֖שׁ [in·the·fire] (303) + כַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט [like·the·ordinance] (449) + וְהַקֳּדָשִׁ֣ים [and·the·holy·offerings] (465) + בִּשְּׁל֗וּ [they·boiled] (338) + בַּסִּיר֤וֹת [in·the·pots] (678) + וּבַדְּוָדִים֙ [and·in·the·caldrons] (72) + וּבַצֵּ֣לָח֔וֹת [and·in·the·pans] (542) + וַיָּרִ֖יצוּ [and·they·hastened] (322) + לְכׇל־בְּנֵ֥י [to·all·sons·of] (142) + הָעָֽם [the·people] (115) = 3933.
Rashi
And they cooked the Passover sacrifice with fire according to the law Exod. 12:8): “Roasted with fire.” and carried them quickly to all the members of the people [i.e.] the Levites [did this]; and after they had prepared for all Israel, the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, who did not have time to prepare.
Ralbag
'And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance' - We learn from this passage that roasting, too, is called "boiling" (bishul); this is why the Torah says, "nor sodden at all with water" - because [cooking] with fire is also called "boiling," meaning, roasting. 'and the holy offerings boiled they in pots' - The cattle were peace-offerings for the passover festival celebration, and these peace-offerings they boiled in water, in these vessels that are mentioned.
Metzudat David
And they roasted the passover with fire – That is, they roasted it over fire, and this was in accordance with the law. and the holy offerings – The meat of the peace-offerings. and carried them quickly – They rushed the meat to the people.
Metzudat Zion
pots - [meaning] cooking pots. caldrons - An expression for a kettle. pans - Similar to a pot, as in 'the dish' (II Kings 21:13).
Malbim
boiled — For the flock animals were for the Paschal offering and the cattle were for the chagigah [festival offering], as stated above in verses 7, 8, and 9; and they roasted the Paschal offering with fire, while they boiled the chagigah in water.
And afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests; because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering the portions that were to be burnt and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.
verse value 2641
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 86 letters. The shortest word is "because" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·to·the·priests" (וְלַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 256: Aaron, Aaron. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·afterward" (וְאַחַ֗ר), "in·offering" (בְּהַעֲל֛וֹת), "and·the·fat" (וְהַחֲלָבִ֖ים). The root כהן appears 3 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 225x in II Chronicles); "because" (root כי, 131x in II Chronicles); "and·to·the·priests" (root כהן, 90x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'until·night', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 6 words.
Ralbag
'And afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests' - Meaning, that the Levites [first] prepared the passover offering and the peace-offerings for the people according to the laws of the Torah, so that the people would not sin in this; and after that they prepared the passover offering and the holy offerings for themselves and for the priests, to cook them according to the law - because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were occupied until night in offering up the burnt portions and the fats of the passover offerings, and so the Levites needed to prepare these for them.
Metzudat David
And afterward – After this they prepared also for themselves and for the priests, because the priests were busy bringing up the burnt-offerings and the fat parts; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests.
Malbim
And afterward — After the Passover offerings of the people had been prepared, they [the Levites] prepared their own Passover offerings and those of the priests, because the priests could not prepare their own, since they were busy offering up the burnt-offering and the fats. Therefore the Levites prepared [offerings] for themselves and for the priests, and they also prepared for the singers and the gatekeepers, who could not leave their service.
And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the porters were at every gate; they needed not to depart from their service, for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.
verse value 5979
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 106 letters. Notable word values: "seer·of" (חוֹזֵ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "there·was·not" (אֵ֣ין, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·singers" (וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֨ים, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 91: the·Levites, they·prepared. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·the·singers" (וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֨ים), "sons·of·Asaph" (בְּנֵי־אָסָ֜ף), "upon·their·attendance" (עַל־מַעֲמָדָ֗ם). The root אסף appears 2 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·king" (root מלך, 344x in II Chronicles); "from·upon" (root על, 111x in II Chronicles); "David" (root דוד, 68x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·gate', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 9 words.
Rashi
the king’s seer Each one was a seer.
Ralbag
The singers were occupied the entire day with the service of song, and the gatekeepers stood at their several gates, and not one of them departed from his duty, because the rest of the Levites prepared everything needed for the priests and the people. And from this passage we learn that the singers sang during the offering of the passover sacrifices, for from the Torah itself it was not clear that the trumpets would be sounded except over burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.
Metzudat David
in their place – They stood in their proper place, to sing. according to the commandment of David – That is, in the hymns of praise that David, Asaph, and the others instituted, for they too composed psalms, as is stated in the book of Psalms. and the porters – The gatekeepers stood each at his post, each at his own gate. they needed not to depart – They had no need to depart from their service to prepare their paschal offerings, for their brethren the Levites, who were free from service, prepared for them.
So all the service of Hashem was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt-offerings upon the altar of Hashem, according to the commandment of king Josiah.
verse value 4263
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 68 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֜ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "upon" (עַ֖ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·service·of" (כׇּל־עֲבוֹדַ֨ת, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "all·service·of" (כׇּל־עֲבוֹדַ֨ת). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 384x in II Chronicles); "the·king" (root מלך, 344x in II Chronicles); "to·do" (root עשה, 159x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 3 words.
Metzudat David
was prepared – Everything was arranged with great care and in wonderful order, both regarding the passover and regarding the burnt-offerings.
Malbim
to keep the passover — [The offering] that is eaten by the Israelites. and to offer burnt-offerings — The fats and the sacrificial portions [offered] to the One on High.
And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.
verse value 4109
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 51 letters. The shortest word is "in·the·time" (בָּעֵ֣ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Israel" (בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·festival·of" (וְאֶת־חַ֥ג). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of·Israel" (root בן, 225x in II Chronicles); "and·they·made" (root עשה, 159x in II Chronicles); "days" (root יום, 71x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'that', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיַּעֲשׂ֨וּ [and·they·made] (392) + בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל [sons·of·Israel] (603) + הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֛ים [who·were·present] (236) + אֶת־הַפֶּ֖סַח [the·passover] (554) + בָּעֵ֣ת [in·the·time] (472) + הַהִ֑יא [that] (21) + וְאֶת־חַ֥ג [and·festival·of] (418) + הַמַּצּ֖וֹת [the·unleavened·bread] (541) + שִׁבְעַ֥ת [seven] (772) + יָמִֽים [days] (100) = 4109.
Metzudat David
that were present – In Jerusalem. and the feast of unleavened bread – That is, the offerings fixed for each day, along with the pilgrimage burnt-offerings and the festival peace-offerings.
And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did any of the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
verse value 6221
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 111 letters. Notable word values: "and·all·Judah" (וְכׇל־יְהוּדָה֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "passover" (פֶ֤סַח, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·Judah" (וְכׇל־יְהוּדָה֙, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·not·it·was·made" (וְלֹא־נַעֲשָׂ֨ה), "like·it" (כָּמֹ֙הוּ֙), "Samuel" (שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל). The root עשה appears 3 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·all·kings·of" (root מלך, 344x in II Chronicles); "and·not·it·was·made" (root עשה, 159x in II Chronicles); "in·Israel" (root ישראל, 140x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·prophet', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 13 words.
Rashi
And such a Passover sacrifice had not been made In II Kings (23:22) it is written: “For such a Passover sacrifice had not been performed since the time of the judges,” since the day that Israel was divided into two kingdoms, when the ten tribes separated from the kings of Judah and crowned a king over themselves. For all the time that they were two nations, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin made a Passover sacrifice for the sake of the Lord in Jerusalem, and these [made one] for the sake of pagan deities in Beth-El and in Dan. And this did not occur all the days of the judges, until Israel was divided into two families, and every generation had only one judge, and that judge would compel them to walk in the way of the Lord, as is explained in Judges (2:18): “and the Lord was with the judge and saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge.” And all the ten tribes would go to Shiloh and make a Passover sacrifice for the sake of the Lord. But such a Passover sacrifice had not been made all the days of the kings of Israel and Judah, that they should make a Passover sacrifice together. But in the days of Josiah, when the kingdom of the ten tribes had already ceased to exist, for since Jeremiah had returned the ten tribes, they did not crown another king, but Josiah reigned over them, and they all made a Passover sacrifice together in Jerusalem. This is the meaning of: “such a Passover sacrifice had not been performed...to the Lord in Jerusalem.” This interpretation, however, misleads me very much, and does not appear correct to me, for although Jeremiah had returned the ten tribes and Josiah reigned over them in Jerusalem, how is it possible that they did not make such a Passover sacrifice all the days of the judges and in the days of Samuel the Seer and in the days of David and Solomon, when Israel was dwelling in its land in peace and tranquility, and they had only one king, and their hearts were directed toward Heaven? Rather, this is the explanation, and this is the way Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Meshullam interpreted it to me: “And such a Passover sacrifice had not been made” ever, [it had never happened] that the king and the officers should supply enough animals for the Passover sacrifices and cattle for the festive peace offerings, and that he commanded the Levites to prepare for them and send each person according to how much he could eat.
Metzudat David
like to that – Meaning, [none was] like it in surpassing purity and in wonderful order. the kings of Israel – These are David and Solomon, who were also kings of Israel. that were present – Who came from their own cities and were present in Jerusalem.
Malbim
And there was no [such] passover — Abarbanel explains that [in earlier generations] they had always continued offering sacrifices on the high places, and there had never been [a Passover] like this one, [held] at a time when they had first burned all the idolatry and abolished the high places, and also when all the Israelites then present in the Land of Israel had gathered to him [Josiah].
In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept.
verse value 2786
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "year" (שָׁנָ֔ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·eight" (בִּשְׁמוֹנֶ֤ה, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "was·done" (נַעֲשָׂ֖ה). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "was·done" (root עשה, 159x in II Chronicles); "year" (root שנה, 77x in II Chronicles); "this" (root זה, 51x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Josiah', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: בִּשְׁמוֹנֶ֤ה [in·eight] (403) + עֶשְׂרֵה֙ [-teen] (575) + שָׁנָ֔ה [year] (355) + לְמַלְכ֖וּת [of·reign·of] (526) + יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ [Josiah] (332) + נַעֲשָׂ֖ה [was·done] (425) + הַפֶּ֥סַח [the·passover] (153) + הַזֶּֽה [this] (17) = 2786.
After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates; and Josiah went out against him.
verse value 5725
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 75 letters. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֨ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "king·of·Egypt" (מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֛יִם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 332: Josiah, Josiah. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "against·Carchemish" (בְּכַרְכְּמִ֖ישׁ), "by·Euphrates" (עַל־פְּרָ֑ת), "to·meet·him" (לִקְרָאת֖וֹ). The root יאשיהו appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king·of·Egypt" (root מלך, 344x in II Chronicles); "that" (root אשר, 203x in II Chronicles); "the·house" (root בית, 191x in II Chronicles). First appearance of the root נכו ("Neco") in II Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'by·Euphrates', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 3 words.
Rashi
After all this, that Josiah had prepared the Temple, Neco, the king of Egypt, went up Scripture decries and laments Josiah, for a miracle was not performed for him as it had been for Hezekiah, about whom it is written (32:1): “After these deeds of integrity, Sennacherib the king of Assyria came” upon Hezekiah, and a miracle was performed for him. went up to wage war in Carchemish on the Euphrates against the king of Assyria. So it is written in (II) Kings (23:29), and he wished to pass to him through the land of Israel, and Pharaoh Neco could not go to him by the way of the Euphrates River unless he were to pass through Israel, for Egypt is south of the land of Israel, and the Euphrates River is north of the land of Israel. went forth toward him for he interpreted (Lev. 26:6): “and a sword will not pass through your land” to mean that even peaceful armies passing through the land [to attack other countries] should not pass through your land, but he was unaware of “the sin of the scorners of the generation, who arose to set up [idolatrous symbols] behind the door,” [i.e., he did not know that his generation found but little favor in God’s eyes], as is explained in Tractate Taanith (22b)
Ralbag
'Neco king of Egypt went up' - He is already called, in the book of Kings, Pharaoh Necho.
Metzudat David
when Josiah had prepared [the temple], etc. – Who established the order of the Temple on its proper footing and foundation, by setting up the [priestly and levitical] divisions and the like. Neco – Pharaoh Necho; and so it is stated in II Kings. by the Euphrates – Near the Euphrates River.
Metzudat Zion
Neco - Targum Yonatan renders [the name] “chagira” [the lame one], from the sense of a break; similarly, 'lame of feet' (II Samuel 4:4).
But he sent ambassadors to him, saying: ‘What have I to do with you, you king of Judah? I come not against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; and God has given command to speed me; forbear you from meddling with God, who is with me, that He destroy you not.’
verse value 4787
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 101 letters. The shortest word is "but" (כִּ֚י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·He·destroy·you" (וְאַל־יַשְׁחִיתֶֽךָ, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 92: and·God, cease·to·you. 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "messengers" (מַלְאָכִ֣ים), "what·to·me" (מַה־לִּ֨י), "and·to·you" (וָלָ֜ךְ). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king·of" (root מלך, 344x in II Chronicles); "that·with·me" (root אשר, 203x in II Chronicles); "and·God" (root אלהים, 202x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·hasten·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 17 and 4 words.
Metzudat David
What have I to do with you – That is, what [claim] do I have against you, or you against me? Are we enemies to one another? I come not against you this day – This day I am not marching against you; and he added the word "you" for further clarity. but against the house with which I have war – Against the place of my war, namely against the king of Assyria. and God has given command to speed me – Perhaps he had heard from Jeremiah, by the word of Hashem, [a command] to hurry and go in haste against Assyria. forbear you from meddling with God – That is, cease fighting with God, who is with me; as if to say: is it not by the word of Hashem that I go? If so, He is with me, and if you hinder me from going, it will be reckoned as though you fought with Him; therefore, forbear, lest God destroy you.
Malbim
'I come not against you' — I am not going to fight against you, king of Judah! 'This day' — for I am going to the house with which I have war (he was going to fight the king of Assyria, as stated in Kings). and God has given command to speed me — He commanded me to hurry to this war [like the phrase 'and they hastened to bring Haman' (Esther 6:14)], and you need not fear that I will delay along the way to conquer your land as well, for I am commanded to hasten my journey; moreover, this war does not concern you, since I have not come against you. forbear you from meddling with God, who is with me — For I am going to this war at the command of God.
Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not to the words of Neco, from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
verse value 3407
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 75 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֑ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "that" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·fight·with·him" (לְהִלָּחֵֽם־בּוֹ֙, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·not·he·turned" (וְלֹא־הֵסֵב֩), "his·face" (פָנָ֜יו), "to·fight·with·him" (לְהִלָּחֵֽם־בּוֹ֙). The root לחם appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 202x in II Chronicles); "and·he·came" (root בוא, 159x in II Chronicles); "that" (root כי, 131x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'God', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 4 words.
Rashi
and he did not hearken to the words of Neco from the mouth of God who said to him from the mouth of God, for so said Isaiah, (19:2): “And I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians.” This is what the Kallir composed: “He withheld his troops from marching to Aram Naharaim, in order that no single sword should pass through Ephraim; and he did not hearken to the prophet to turn back, for it was decreed that Egyptian be set against Egyptian.”
Ralbag
'Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not to the words of Neco, from the mouth of God' - Meaning, that he changed his garments so that he would not be recognized, and put on weapons of war; and he did not listen to the words of Neco, [spoken] from the mouth of God. It appears that Neco's war was waged on the word of some prophet, who had told him that if he made haste he would succeed - as he [Neco] said, "and God has commanded me to make haste."
Metzudat David
would not turn [his face] – He did not turn his face away from him; and in order to fight him, he changed out of his royal garments to don battle garments. from the mouth of God – [Referring to] what Jeremiah's words had told him, from the mouth of God.
Metzudat Zion
disguised himself - An expression of putting on clothes different from those one usually wears; similarly, 'disguise yourself, and go into the battle' (above, 18:29).
Malbim
Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him — Josiah thought that Necho was disguising [his intentions] in order to fight him: that when Necho said he was going by way of Judah's land to Carchemish, this was a stratagem on his part, meant to conceal his real plans so that Josiah would not be on guard against him and could thus be conquered with ease. Therefore Josiah would not turn away from him, and did not heed the words of Necho — 'from the mouth of God' — that he was hastening to this war. Also included in the statement 'and God has given command to speed me' was that God had commanded him to hasten his journey, and that was why he went by way of [Judah's] land, which was the shorter route, so that he would arrive quickly. But Josiah did not accept this explanation, and thought it was a stratagem on Necho's part.
And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants: ‘Have me away; for I am sore wounded.’
verse value 2304
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 53 letters. Verse gematria: 2304 = 48². The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "take·me·away" (הַעֲבִיר֔וּנִי, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·they·shot" (וַיֹּרוּ֙), "the·archers" (הַיֹּרִ֔ים), "take·me·away" (הַעֲבִיר֔וּנִי). The root ירה appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·king" (root מלך, 344x in II Chronicles); "and·he·said" (root אמר, 184x in II Chronicles); "for" (root כי, 131x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Josiah', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּרוּ֙ [and·they·shot] (222) + הַיֹּרִ֔ים [the·archers] (265) + לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ [to·the·king] (120) + יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ [Josiah] (332) + וַיֹּ֨אמֶר [and·he·said] (257) + הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ [the·king] (95) + לַעֲבָדָיו֙ [to·his·servants] (122) + הַעֲבִיר֔וּנִי [take·me·away] (353) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + הׇחֳלֵ֖יתִי [I·am·wounded] (463) + מְאֹֽד [sore] (45) = 2304.
Metzudat David
And the archers shot – Those who shoot with the bow shot arrows at him. Have me away – Take me out of this chariot, for I have become very ill and it is hard for me to ride in it.
Metzudat Zion
shot - [meaning] and they cast [arrows]. the archers - [meaning] the bowmen.
So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he died, and was buried in the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
verse value 6496
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 108 letters. Notable word values: "and·all·Judah" (וְכׇל־יְהוּדָה֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "in" (עַ֣ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·took·him" (וַיַּעֲבִירֻ֨הוּ, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·they·took·him" (וַיַּעֲבִירֻ֨הוּ), "from·the·chariot" (מִן־הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֗ה), "and·they·mounted·him" (וַֽיַּרְכִּיבֻ֘הוּ֮). The root רכב appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·to·him" (root אשר, 203x in II Chronicles); "Jerusalem" (root ירושלם, 127x in II Chronicles); "his·fathers" (root אב, 114x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·fathers', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 4 words.
Rashi
into his second chariot for it was customary for the king to ride on two chariots; he rode mainly on the first, but if necessary, he would ride on the second. The first one went before them, and when he was stricken, they put him into the second chariot.
Metzudat David
the second chariot – The second one, which traveled alongside his own chariot, [and was] more comfortable to ride in.
Malbim
and they spoke [of him] — The lament that Jeremiah composed over Josiah was recited then by all the male and female singers, and to this day this lament remains among the laments in the Scroll of Lamentations: the lament 'How is the gold become dim' (Lamentations 4:1) was said about this, and Israel laments it together with the other laments over the destruction [of the Temple].
And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah; and all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations, to this day; and they made them an ordinance in Israel; and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.
verse value 6441
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 96 letters. The shortest word is "to·ordinance" (לְחֹ֖ק, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·their·lamentations" (בְּקִינ֨וֹתֵיהֶ֤ם, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 432: for·Josiah, of·Josiah. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Chronicles. Unique to this verse in II Chronicles (hapax): "and·he·lamented" (וַיְקוֹנֵ֣ן), "and·the·singing·women" (וְ֠הַשָּׁר֠וֹת), "in·their·lamentations" (בְּקִינ֨וֹתֵיהֶ֤ם). The root יאשיהו appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·spoke" (root אמר, 184x in II Chronicles); "in·Israel" (root ישראל, 140x in II Chronicles); "and·they·gave·them" (root נתן, 116x in II Chronicles). First appearance of the root ירמיהו ("Jeremiah") in II Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 3 words.
Rashi
And all the male...singers - הַשָּׁרִים, an expression of song, choristers, for both song and lamentation are recited with the same voice. Concerning him, Amos prophesied (8:9): “and I will cause the sun to set at midday, and I will darken the land on a sunny day.” This is the day of Josiah, who died at the age of thirty-nine, in the middle of his days, for it is written (Ps. 90:10): “The days of our years because of them are seventy years,” and it is written (Amos 8:10): “And I will turn your festivals into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation, etc. and I will make it like the mourning for an only son, and its end like a bitter day.” This is what [the Chronicler] says: “And all the male and female singers said in their lamentations,” “and all of Judah and Jerusalem were mourning” for him. and they made them a statute When any grief or weeping befalls them, for which they lament and weep, they mention this grief with it. An example is the Ninth of Av, in which we recite lamentations for those slain in the persecutions that occurred in our times. They will similarly bewail the day of Josiah’s death. An example is (Jud. 11:39f.): “and it became a statute in Israel, etc. to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite, four days in a year.” and behold, they are written in the lamentations in the Book of Lamentations.
Ralbag
'and, behold, they are written in the lamentations' - It appears that there was a book in which all these lamentations were recorded; or perhaps this alludes to the Book of Lamentations that Jeremiah composed, which is the Scroll of Eichah. There Jeremiah lamented over Josiah, saying, "The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Hashem, was caught in their pits" (Lamentations 4:20) - for he died because of the sin of the generation, as we explained in the book of Kings.
Metzudat David
the singing men and singing women – The male and female singers; and just as one who sings on a joyous occasion is called a "singer," so too one who chants a lament and a dirge is called a "singer," for they share one underlying feature: the raising of the voice and the shaping of the melody. in their lamentations – That is, whenever they chanted some lament, they would at that time also mention the death of Josiah, to lament over him as well. and they made them an ordinance – They established a statute in Israel, to mention the death of Josiah in their lamentations. and, behold, they are written – [Namely,] the laments for Josiah. in the lamentations – In the book of Lamentations.
Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his good deeds, according to that which is written in the Law of Hashem,
verse value 2740
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 34 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "and·rest·of" (וְיֶ֛תֶר, 4 letters) and the longest is "Josiah" (יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ, 6 letters). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 384x in II Chronicles); "acts·of" (root דבר, 108x in II Chronicles); "as·the·written" (root כתב, 29x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·his·good·deeds', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְיֶ֛תֶר [and·rest·of] (616) + דִּבְרֵ֥י [acts·of] (216) + יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ [Josiah] (332) + וַחֲסָדָ֑יו [and·his·good·deeds] (94) + כַּכָּת֖וּב [as·the·written] (448) + בְּתוֹרַ֥ת [in·law·of] (1008) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 2740.
Rashi
and his kind deeds And in II Kings (23:25) it is written: “Now, before him there was no king like him.” This is what is stated here: “Behold they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.”
Metzudat David
and his good deeds – The good deeds that he performed, as written in the Torah.
and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
verse value 2844
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 50 letters. Notable word values: "and·Judah" (וִיהוּדָֽה) = 36, double chai. Verse gematria: 2844 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "behold·they" (הִנָּ֣ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "kings·of·Israel" (מַלְכֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל, 9 letters). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "kings·of·Israel" (root מלך, 344x in II Chronicles); "and·Judah" (root יהודה, 129x in II Chronicles); "and·his·acts" (root דבר, 108x in II Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·the·last', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: וּדְבָרָ֕יו [and·his·acts] (228) + הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים [the·first] (606) + וְהָאַחֲרֹנִ֑ים [and·the·last] (320) + הִנָּ֣ם [behold·they] (95) + כְּתוּבִ֔ים [written] (478) + עַל־סֵ֥פֶר [in·book·of] (440) + מַלְכֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל [kings·of·Israel] (641) + וִיהוּדָֽה [and·Judah] (36) = 2844.
Rashi
Metzudat David