2 Chronicles 35:17 kjv
And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.
2 Chronicles 35:17 nkjv
And the children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.
2 Chronicles 35:17 niv
The Israelites who were present celebrated the Passover at that time and observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days.
2 Chronicles 35:17 esv
And the people of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days.
2 Chronicles 35:17 nlt
All the Israelites present in Jerusalem celebrated Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days.
2 Chronicles 35 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 12:3-14 | "...the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it..." | Institution of Passover |
| Lev 23:5-6 | "In the fourteenth day of the first month is the LORD's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread..." | Commanded observance of Passover and Unleavened Bread |
| Deut 16:1-8 | "Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the LORD your God..." | Laws for Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread |
| 2 Chr 30:1, 26 | "Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah...to come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel...so there was great joy in Jerusalem..." | Hezekiah's great Passover (previous great revival) |
| Ezr 6:19-22 | "The people of the exile kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month...they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with joy..." | Passover observance after the exile |
| 2 Ki 23:21-23 | "The king commanded all the people, saying, 'Keep the Passover to the LORD your God as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.' For no such Passover had been kept since the days of the judges..." | Josiah's Passover (parallels 2 Chr 35) |
| Num 28:16-17 | "On the fourteenth day of the first month is the LORD’s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of this month is a feast: for seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten." | Specific dates for the feasts |
| 1 Cor 5:7-8 | "Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump... For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." | Christ as the new Passover Lamb and meaning of Unleavened Bread |
| Jn 1:29 | "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" | Jesus as ultimate sacrifice (Passover Lamb) |
| 1 Cor 11:23-26 | "For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread...and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'..." | The New Covenant communion, fulfillment of Passover |
| Col 2:16-17 | "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ." | Old Testament feasts are shadows of Christ |
| Heb 10:1 | "For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near." | Old Covenant rituals are preparatory |
| Josh 5:10-12 | "While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover..." | Early Passover observance in the land |
| Neh 8:14-17 | "They found it written in the Law... that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month... since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so." | Rediscovery and re-observance of a neglected feast |
| 2 Chr 29:36 | "So Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had brought about for the people, for it was done suddenly." | Joy in spiritual renewal |
| Isa 66:23 | "From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the LORD." | Future corporate worship |
| Jer 31:33 | "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts." | Internalization of God's law in the New Covenant |
| Ps 81:3-4 | "Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. For it is a statute for Israel, a just command of the God of Jacob." | Commands to observe feasts as divine statutes |
| Rom 6:3-4 | "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." | Cleansing from sin and new life (spiritual unleavened bread) |
| Lk 22:7-8 | "Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, 'Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.'" | The Last Supper occurring during Passover |
2 Chronicles 35 verses
2 Chronicles 35 17 Meaning
2 Chronicles 35:17 describes a significant historical event in the life of the nation of Israel: "So the children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days." This verse highlights the faithful observance by the gathered community of two central festivals commanded by God, underscoring a period of profound spiritual revival under King Josiah, demonstrating their obedience to the divine law.
2 Chronicles 35 17 Context
2 Chronicles 35 details the unparalleled Passover kept during the reign of King Josiah of Judah. This specific verse emphasizes the culmination of Josiah's extensive religious reforms, which began early in his reign. After cleansing Judah and Jerusalem of idolatry and repairing the Temple, the book of the Law was rediscovered, prompting Josiah to commit deeply to obeying all its commands. His response was one of profound humility and dedication, leading to a national covenant renewal. The Passover described here was the direct result of this rediscovery and the king's fervent desire to restore proper worship according to the Law, making it the most meticulous and comprehensive observance of the festival since the period of the judges or even the days of Solomon. The scope was not just Judah, but an effort to involve all available Israelites, even those from the former northern kingdom, highlighting a desire for unified, national spiritual recovery and obedience.
2 Chronicles 35 17 Word analysis
- So (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ -
vayya'asu): Translates literally as "and they did" or "and they made/performed." It emphasizes the execution and accomplishment of the task, highlighting the obedience of the people. This indicates that the commands given (as detailed in the preceding verses, especially by Josiah) were put into action. It marks the result of the preparation. - the children of Israel (בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל -
b'nei Yisrael): Literally "sons of Israel." This phrase refers to the collective identity of God's covenant people. In the post-split kingdom era, this phrase often means the inhabitants of Judah (the Southern Kingdom), but in 2 Chronicles, particularly under Hezekiah and Josiah, it can carry an expansive meaning, striving for the reunion of the entire nation, including remnants from the northern tribes (as explicitly stated in 2 Chr 30:1 for Hezekiah’s Passover). This suggests a broad, if not universally inclusive, participation in Josiah's Passover, aiming for national spiritual unity. - who were present (הַנִּמְצָאִים -
hanimtz'a'im): Meaning "those who were found" or "those who presented themselves." This points to a conscious choice by individuals to be there, possibly overcoming obstacles. It suggests a substantial gathering, encompassing those who physically attended the ceremony in Jerusalem. It might also implicitly acknowledge that not every single Israelite could attend, yet those who were there participated fully. This detail adds realism to the account, denoting a willing, engaged community. - kept (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ -
vayya'asu): This is the same root verb ('asah) as "So" (vayya'asu) but used in context to mean "observed" or "celebrated" the festival. It conveys the active performance of the prescribed rites and ceremonies for the Passover. - the Passover (הַפָּסַח -
haPasakh): The name of the annual spring festival commemorating the Israelite's deliverance from Egyptian bondage through the sacrifice of a lamb. The HebrewPesakhcomes from a root meaning "to pass over" or "to spare." It involves the slaying of a lamb, sprinkling of its blood, and a sacred meal. It is foundational to Israel's identity and worship, symbolizing atonement and deliverance. - at that time (בָּעֵת הַהִיא -
ba'et hahi): A chronological marker emphasizing the specific and singular nature of this event during Josiah's reign. It underscores that this observance was precisely according to the prescribed season and represented a timely restoration of worship. - and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (וְאֶת־חַג הַמַּצּוֹת -
v'et-Chag haMatzot): This festival immediately followed Passover and lasted seven days.Matzotrefers to "unleavened bread," bread made without yeast. The absence of leaven (symbolizing corruption or sin, e.g., 1 Cor 5:7-8) signifies haste (as the Israelites left Egypt quickly without time for bread to rise) and spiritual purity, removal of the old to embrace the new. Observing both consecutively was commanded (Exod 12:15, Lev 23:6), signifying a complete and proper adherence to the annual holy days. - for seven days (שִׁבְעַת יָמִים -
shiv'at yamim): Specifies the prescribed duration for the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:6). This detail highlights the meticulousness and full compliance of the celebration with the divine commandments, unlike potential truncated observances in earlier times. It demonstrates a commitment to doing things exactly as the rediscovered Law commanded.
Words-group analysis:
- "So the children of Israel who were present kept the Passover... and the Feast of Unleavened Bread": This phrase highlights not only the large-scale participation of the Israelites (or those from Judah and northern remnants) but also their active observance and performance of God's commandments. It signifies corporate obedience stemming from spiritual renewal under Josiah's leadership, contrasting with periods of idolatry or negligence. The inclusion of "who were present" subtly points to personal responsibility and dedication in responding to the call for national repentance.
2 Chronicles 35 17 Bonus section
The thoroughness of Josiah's Passover in 2 Chr 35, where the sacrifices, music, and service were orchestrated according to David and Solomon’s ordinances, made it unparalleled since the days of Samuel (2 Chr 35:18) and far exceeding even Hezekiah's notable Passover. This emphasizes not just an adherence to the Law, but a full restoration of the entire cultic system in line with its ideal, divine prescription. It reflects a national recommitment to purity in worship and covenant fidelity. Despite the brilliance of this spiritual high point, it ultimately preceded Josiah's tragic death and the subsequent Babylonian exile, illustrating that a single moment of revival, no matter how profound, does not guarantee sustained obedience without continuous commitment from the people's hearts over generations.
2 Chronicles 35 17 Commentary
2 Chronicles 35:17 stands as a capstone verse, succinctly stating the successful execution of Josiah’s magnificent Passover celebration. This was not merely a ceremonial event but a profound spiritual revival that brought the entire present congregation of Israel into direct obedience to the rediscovered Law of God. The pairing of the Passover, commemorating deliverance and substitutionary atonement, with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, symbolizing purity and breaking from sin, encapsulates the core message of the event: a renewed covenant relationship through both divine grace and human dedication. The specificity of "for seven days" underlines the completeness and faithfulness of their observance, distinct from previous partial or neglected celebrations. This verse represents a pinnacle of obedience and joy in Judah’s history, echoing the earnest desire for national restoration under Josiah. It serves as a historical precedent for the profound impact of genuine repentance and adherence to God’s word, showing what is possible when a people, led by a righteous king, wholeheartedly seeks to honor Him.