2 Kings 23 21

2 Kings 23:21 kjv

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.

2 Kings 23:21 nkjv

Then 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."

2 Kings 23:21 niv

The king gave this order to all the people: "Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant."

2 Kings 23:21 esv

And the king commanded all the people, "Keep the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant."

2 Kings 23:21 nlt

King Josiah then issued this order to all the people: "You must celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, as required in this Book of the Covenant."

2 Kings 23 verses

2 Kings 23 21 Meaning

King Josiah issued a direct and binding command to all the people of Judah to observe the Passover feast. This command was to be carried out strictly "to the Lord your God," emphasizing exclusive worship of YHWH and adherence to the precise instructions "as it is written in this Book of the Covenant," which was the recently rediscovered Law of God. The verse highlights Josiah's fervent commitment to covenant faithfulness and national spiritual reform based on divine revelation.

2 Kings 23 21 Context

This verse stands as a pivotal moment within King Josiah's profound spiritual reforms in Judah. Prior to Josiah's reign, the kingdoms of Judah and Israel had largely abandoned the worship of YHWH for centuries, engaging in widespread idolatry, pagan rituals, and syncretistic practices, most notably under Kings Manasseh and Amon.

The immediate context is the discovery of "the Book of the Law" (often identified with Deuteronomy or a significant portion thereof) in the temple during repairs (2 Kgs 22:8). Upon hearing its contents, Josiah tore his clothes in repentance, recognizing how far the nation had strayed from God's covenant. He immediately embarked on a zealous reform movement, purging idolatry, dismantling pagan altars and high places, and executing foreign priests throughout Judah and even into what was formerly Israel (2 Kgs 23:4-20).

The command to "Keep the Passover" (2 Kgs 23:21) marks a culminating act of this spiritual cleansing. It wasn't just another ritual; it was a profound act of national rededication to YHWH alone, a remembering of God's redemptive act in Egypt, and an adherence to the covenant as revealed in the rediscovered Law. This was a direct polemic against generations of religious syncretism and polytheism, asserting the singular authority of YHWH and the centrality of His written word over all human traditions or foreign deities. It re-established the Passover's true meaning as an exclusive act of worship to "the Lord your God," counteracting any attempts to integrate it with other seasonal fertility rites or foreign feast days.

2 Kings 23 21 Word analysis

• And the king commanded: יְצַו֙ (ye-tzaV) – This phrase emphasizes Josiah's sovereign authority as the God-ordained ruler, but more significantly, that his command is not personal whim but an enforcement of divine will discovered in the Law. This highlights righteous leadership aligning with God's mandates.
• all the people: אֶת־כָּל־הָעָם֙ (et-kol-ha-Am) – This signifies the comprehensive, national scope of the command. It wasn't just for the priests or certain segments but involved every member of the covenant community, demonstrating the unified spiritual renewal intended by Josiah.
• saying: לֵאמֹ֑ר (le-mor) – A common Hebrew particle indicating that the preceding subject is about to speak.
• "Keep the Passover: עֲשׂ֨וּ פֶ֜סַח (a-suh peh-sakh) – The imperative "Keep" (do, perform) indicates a direct and non-negotiable action. פֶּסַח (pesakh), "Passover," from the verb pasah, meaning "to pass over" or "to hover over for protection." It's a memorial of God's deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt (Ex 12) through His judgment upon Egypt, passing over the houses marked by the lamb's blood. Its observance reinforced Israel's identity as a people redeemed by God.
• to the Lord your God: לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם (la-YHWH E-lo-hei-khem) – This specific phrasing underscores the exclusive nature of the worship. לַיהוָ֖ה (la-YHWH) refers to YHWH, the covenant name of God, emphasizing His unique relationship with Israel. אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם (Eloheykhem), "your God," highlights the personal and communal relationship and responsibility towards this particular God, rejecting all other deities worshiped by surrounding nations or within Judah's past apostasy.
• as it is written: כַּכָּת֣וּב (ka-ka-tuv) – This adverbial phrase is crucial. It points to the written word as the sole, non-negotiable authority for religious practice. It explicitly rejects innovation, tradition, or syncretism that deviates from divine instruction, signaling a return to biblical orthopraxy.
• in this Book of the Covenant: בְּסֵ֣פֶר הַבְּרִית֩ הַזֶּ֗ה (be-seh-fer ha-be-rit ha-zeh) – This refers to the recently discovered Book of the Law. סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית (sepher habberith), "Book of the Covenant," emphasizes that the scroll contained the stipulations of the covenant between YHWH and Israel, delineating their obligations and promises. The demonstrative "this" underscores its physical presence and immediate impact.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "And the king commanded all the people": This highlights the scope of Josiah's authority and the communal nature of the commanded worship. His leadership united the nation under a divine imperative, showing true spiritual governance.
• "Keep the Passover to the Lord your God": This phrase defines both the act of worship and its exclusive object. It calls the people to a specific ritual remembrance that affirms YHWH's redemptive power and Israel's covenant relationship solely with Him. It's a rejection of all false worship that had permeated the land.
• "as it is written in this Book of the Covenant": This powerfully establishes the divine written word as the ultimate, non-negotiable source of authority for all religious practice and life. It demonstrates that the reformation was not based on human ideology but on God's revealed truth, marking a return to biblical faithfulness.

2 Kings 23 21 Bonus section

• This particular Passover (further detailed in 2 Kgs 23:22-23) is explicitly stated to be unparalleled in Israelite history since the time of the Judges, highlighting its comprehensive and obedient nature, marking it as a benchmark of faithfulness.
• Josiah's reform, including this Passover observance, stands as a practical example of the Deuteronomic ideal for a righteous king—one who lives by the book of the Law (Deut 17:18-20) and leads his people in covenant fidelity.
• The meticulous return to the scriptural instruction for the Passover prefigures the ultimate fulfillment of its symbolism in Jesus Christ, the perfect Passover Lamb (1 Cor 5:7), whose sacrifice established a New Covenant.
• The national emphasis of this command underscores the corporate responsibility of God's people to live according to His covenant, demonstrating that individual faithfulness contributes to and is strengthened by collective obedience.

2 Kings 23 21 Commentary

Josiah's directive to observe the Passover, articulated in 2 Kings 23:21, encapsulates the very essence of his religious reform: a profound return to the covenant. This was no ordinary Passover celebration, but one mandated with specific intentionality and rooted in absolute scriptural authority. By demanding strict adherence to "what is written," Josiah implicitly denounced generations of idolatrous deviations and casual worship. The act of commemorating the Passover served not only as a remembrance of God's salvific work in the Exodus but also as a powerful symbolic act of national recommitment to the God who redeemed them. It was a call for a heart transformation, where obedience stemmed from the foundational principles of the rediscovered Book of the Covenant, underscoring that genuine revival flows directly from a reverence for and compliance with God's revealed Word.