How does this verse connect to Exodus 12 and the original Passover instructions? A Snapshot from Josiah’s Day “ So the Israelites who were present in Jerusalem kept the Passover at that time and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.” (2 Chronicles 35:17) Tracing the Line Back to Exodus 12 • Exodus 12 establishes Passover as a perpetual memorial (vv. 14, 24). • Josiah’s reform in 2 Chronicles 35 revives that very ordinance—proof that the statute remained binding long after the exodus. • Both texts center on the same core: one lamb per household, blood for protection, unleavened bread for seven days. Key Parallels You Can Spot Immediately 1. Date and Timing – Exodus 12:6: “the fourteenth day of the month.” – 2 Chronicles 35:1 echoes this exact calendar marker. 2. Central Assembly – Exodus 12:6 speaks of “the whole assembly.” – 2 Chronicles 35:17 notes “the Israelites who were present in Jerusalem”—a national gathering. 3. Seven-Day Feast of Unleavened Bread – Exodus 12:17-20 demands a yeast-free week. – 2 Chronicles 35:17 explicitly says the people kept “the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.” 4. Strict Adherence to Divine Order – Exodus 12:24: “You must keep this command as a statute for you and your descendants forever.” – Josiah’s Passover is described as unparalleled in obedience (35:18-19), underscoring that the king was intent on following Moses’ blueprint to the letter. Details Josiah Carefully Restored • Priests and Levites were stationed “according to their divisions” (35:2-5), reflecting Exodus 12:21 where Moses calls for family heads to select the lambs. • Offerings were provided so everyone—even the poor—could participate (35:7-9), mirroring Exodus 12:48-49, where foreigners and natives alike are welcomed if they meet God’s terms. • The Passover lambs were “roasted with fire” (35:13), just as Exodus 12:8-9 commands, and none of the meat was left over till morning (35:13; cf. Exodus 12:10). Why Those Seven Leaven-Free Days Still Matter • Exodus 12:17 ties the absence of yeast to Israel’s hasty deliverance; Josiah’s generation reenacts that memory, linking their present worship to past redemption. • Paul echoes the symbolism for believers, urging a “new batch—without yeast” (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). The continuity runs from Egypt to Jerusalem to the New Covenant community. Supporting Passages that Reinforce the Connection • Deuteronomy 16:1-8 – reiterates Passover and Unleavened Bread, later centralized at “the place the LORD will choose,” fulfilled in Josiah’s Jerusalem observance. • Leviticus 23:4-8 – lists Passover and the seven days as fixed feasts of the LORD, underscoring their permanence. • 2 Kings 23:21-23 (parallel account) – confirms the same reforms, showing how widespread the revival was. The Big Picture Josiah’s Passover in 2 Chronicles 35:17 is not a novel celebration; it is a deliberate return to Exodus 12’s original script. By matching date, menu, length, and purpose, the king’s reforms testify that God’s redemption story never grows old—and each faithful generation is invited to step into the same rhythm of deliverance first sung in Egypt. |
    |