ody might have one idol or other in
private; nay, indeed, he took away the chariots [of the sun] that were
set up in his royal palace, [7] which his predecessors had framed, and
what thing soever there was besides which they worshipped as a god.
And when he had thus purged all the country, he called the people to
Jerusalem, and there celebrated the feast of unleavened bread, and that
called the passover. He also gave the people for paschal sacrifices,
young kids of the goats, and lambs, thirty thousand, and three thousand
oxen for burnt-offerings. The principal of the priests also gave to the
priests against the passover two thousand and six hundred lambs; the
principal of the Levites also gave to the Levites five thousand
lambs, and five hundred oxen, by which means there was great plenty of
sacrifices; and they offered those sacrifices according to the laws of
Moses, while every priest explained the matter, and ministered to the
multitude. And indeed there had been no other festival thus celebrated
by the Hebrews from the times of Samuel the prophet; and the plenty of
sacrifices now was the occasion that all things were performed according
to the laws, and according to the custom of their forefathers. So when
Josiah had after this lived in peace, nay, in riches and reputation
also, among all men, he ended his life in the manner following.

CHAPTER 5. How Josiah Fought With Neco [King Of Egypt.] And Was Wounded
And Died In A Little Time Afterward; As Also How Neco Carried Jehoahaz,
Who Had Been Made King Into Egypt And Delivered The Kingdom To
Jehoiakim; And [Lastly] Concerning Jeremiah And Ezekiel.

1. Now Neco, king of Egypt, raised an army, and marched to the river
Euphrates, in order to fight with the Medes and Babylonians, who had
overthrown the dominion of the Assyrians, [8] for he had a desire to
reign over Asia. Now when he was come to the city Mendes, which belonged
to the kingdom of Josiah, he brought an army to hinder him from passing
through his own country, in his expedition against the Medes. Now
Neco sent a herald to Josiah, and told him that he did not make this
expedition against him, but was making haste to Euphrates; and
desired that he would not provoke him to fight against him, because he
obstructed his march to the place whither he had resolved to go. But
Josiah did not admit of this advice of Neco, but put himself into a
posture to hinder him from his intended march. I suppose it was fate