ere overthrown; the Temple was purified, and the abominations
which had disgraced it were removed. His reforms extended even to the
scattered population of Samaria whom the Assyrians had spared, and all
the buildings connected with the worship of Baal and Astaroth at Bethel
were destroyed. Their very stones were broken in pieces, under the eyes
of Josiah himself. The skeletons of the pagan priests were dragged from
their burial places and burned.

An elaborate celebration of the feast of the Passover followed soon
after the discovery of the copy of the Law, whether confined to
Deuteronomy or including other additional writings ascribed to Moses, we
know not. This great Passover was the leading internal event of the
reign of Josiah. Having "taken away all the abominations out of all the
countries that belonged to the children of Israel," even as the earlier
keepers of the Law cleansed their premises, especially of all remains of
leaven,--the symbol of corruption,--the king commanded a celebration of
the feast of deliverance. Priests and Levites were sent throughout the
country to instruct the people in the preparations demanded for the
Passover. The sacred ark, hidden during the reigns of Manasseh and Amon,
was restored to its old place in the Temple, where it remained until the
Temple was destroyed. On the approach of the festival, which was to be
held with unusual solemnities, great multitudes from all parts of
Palestine assembled at Jerusalem, and three thousand bullocks and thirty
thousand lambs were provided by the king for the seven days' feast which
followed the Passover. The princes also added eight hundred oxen and
seven thousand six hundred small cattle as a gift to priests and people.
After the priests in their white robes, with bare feet and uncovered
heads, and the Levites at their side according to the king's
commandment, had "killed the passover" and "sprinkled the blood from
their hands," each Levite having first washed himself in the Temple
laver, the part of the animal required for the burnt-offering was laid
on the altar flames, and the remainder was cooked by the Levites for the
people, either baked, roasted, or boiled. And this continued for seven
days; during all the while the services of the Temple choir were
conducted by the singers, chanting the psalms of David and of Asaph.
Such a Passover had not been held since the days of Samuel. No king, not
even David or Solomon, had celebrated the festival