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Conaniah also, and Shemaiah, and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jehiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave to the Levites for passover-offerings five thousand [small cattle], and five hundred oxen.

And afterwards they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron [were busied] in offering burnt-offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.

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 [waited] at every gate; they might not depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.

But he sent embassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? [I come] not against thee this day, but against the house with which I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from [meddling with] God, who [is] with me, that he may not destroy thee.

And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am severely wounded.

His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in [one of] the sepulchers of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women have spoken of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and behold, they [are] written in the lamentations.

Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave [them] all into his hand.

To fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: [for] as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

And whoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the free-will-offering for the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem.

And [some] of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which [is] at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in its place:

And they set the altar upon its bases; for fear [was] upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt-offerings on it to the LORD, [even] burnt-offerings morning and evening.

And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks to the LORD; because [he is] good, for his mercy [endureth] for ever towards Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, old men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:

So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of the joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said to them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye [do]; and we do sacrifice to him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, who brought us up hither.

Now because we have maintenance from [the king's] palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and certified the king;

That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so wilt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city [is] a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.

Moreover, I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, [even] of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given to these men, that they be not hindered.

And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt-offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests who [are] at Jerusalem, let it be given to them day by day without fail: