Divrey Hayamim Bais 34-36

Orthodox Jewish Bible

34 Yoshiyahu was 8 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Yerushalayim 31 shanah.

² And he did that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem, and walked in the ways of Dovid Aviv, and veered off neither right nor left.

³ For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet na’ar (young), he began to seek after Elohei Dovid Aviv; and in the twelfth year he began to make tahor Yehudah and Yerushalayim from the high places, and the Asherim, and the pesilim, and the massekhot (molten images).

⁴ And they demolished the mizbechot of Ba’alim in his presence; and the incense stands erected above them he smashed; and the Asherim, and the pesilim, and the massekhot he demolished and made dust of them, and scattered upon the keverim (graves) of them that had sacrificed unto them.

⁵ And he burned the atzmot of the Kohanim upon their mizbechot, and made tahor Yehudah and Yerushalayim.

⁶ And so did he in the towns of Menasheh, and Ephrayim, and Shim’on, even as far as Naphtali, and in their ruins all around.

⁷ And when he had broken down the mizbechot and the Asherim, and had beaten the pesilim into powder, and cut down all the incense stands throughout all Eretz Yisroel, he returned to Yerushalayim.

⁸ Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had made tahor HaAretz, and HaBeis, he sent Shaphan ben Atzalyahu, and Ma’aseiyahu the Sar HaIr, and Yoach ben Yo’achaz the recorder, to repair the Beis Hashem Elohav.

⁹ And when they came to Chilkiyahu the Kohen HaGadol, they delivered the kesef that was brought into the Beis Elohim, which the Levi’im, the Shomrei HaSaf (the Doorkeepers), had collected from the people of Menasheh and Ephrayim, and from kol She’erit Yisroel, and kol Yehudah and Binyamin, and they returned to Yerushalayim.

¹⁰ And they entrusted it into the yad oseh hamelachah (hand of the master workmen) that had hamufkadim (oversight) of the Beis Hashem, and they paid it to the workmen that wrought in the Beis Hashem, to repair and restore HaBeis [HaMikdash];

¹¹ Even to the charashim (craftsmen, artisans) and builders gave they it, to buy quarried stones, and timber for rafters and beams, for the buildings which the Melachim of Yehudah had destroyed.

¹² And the men did the melachah (work) be’emunah (faithfully, with integrity); and the mufkadim (overseers) of them were Yachat and Ovadyahu, the Levi’im, of the Bnei Merari; and Zecharyah and Meshullam, of the Bnei Kehati, to give oversight; and other of the Levi’im, all that were meiven (expert) in musical instruments.

¹³ Also they were over the sabalim (bearers of burdens) and the overseers of all that wrought the work in every kind of avodah; and of the Levi’im there were soferim (scribes), shoterim (officers) and sho’arim (doorkeepers).

¹⁴ And when they brought out the kesef that was brought into the Beis Hashem, Chilkiyahu HaKohen found a Sefer Torat Hashem given through Moshe.

¹⁵ And Chilkiyahu answered and said to Shaphan the Sofer, I have found the Sefer HaTorah in the Beis Hashem. And Chilkiyahu delivered the Sefer to Shaphan.

¹⁶ And Shaphan carried the Sefer to HaMelech, and brought HaMelech word back again, saying, All that was committed into the yad of avadim, they are doing.

¹⁷ And they have emptied out the kesef that was found in the Beis Hashem, and have entrusted it into the yad hamufkadim and to the yad osei hamelachah.

¹⁸ Then Shaphan the Sofer told HaMelech, saying, Chilkiyahu HaKohen hath given me a Sefer. And Shaphan read it in the presence of HaMelech.

¹⁹ And it came to pass, when HaMelech had heard the divrei HaTorah, that he tore his garments.

²⁰ And HaMelech commanded Chilkiyahu, and Achikam ben Shaphan, and Avdon ben Michah, and Shaphan HaSofer, and Asayah eved HaMelech, saying,

²¹ Go, inquire of Hashem for me, and for them that are nishar (left, remaining, the remnant) in Yisroel and in Yehudah, concerning the divrei hasefer that is found; for gadolah chamat Hashem is poured out upon us, because Avoteinu have not been shomer over the Devar Hashem, to do after all that is written in HaSefer Hazeh.

²² And Chilkiyahu, and they that HaMelech had sent, went to Chuldah the neviah, the wife of Shallum ben Tokehat ben Chasrah, Shomer HaBegadim (Keeper of the Wardrobe) (now she dwelt in Yerushalayim in the Mishneh), and they spoke to her to this effect.

²³ And she answered them, Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel, Tell ye the ish that sent you to me,

²⁴ Thus saith Hashem, Hinei, I will bring ra’ah upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the alot (curses) that are written in the Sefer which they have read in the presence of Melech Yehudah,

²⁵ Because they have forsaken Me, and have burned ketoret unto elohim acherim, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore My wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.

²⁶ And as for Melech Yehudah, who sent you to inquire of Hashem, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel concerning the words which thou hast heard;

²⁷ Because thine lev was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before Elohim, when thou heardest His words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before Me, and didst tear thy garments, and weep in My Presence, I have even heard thee also, saith Hashem.

²⁸ Hinei, I will gather thee to Avoteicha, thou shalt be gathered to thy kever in shalom, neither shall thine eyes see all ra’ah I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of it. So they brought back HaMelech word.

²⁹ Then HaMelech sent and gathered together all the Ziknei Yehudah and Yerushalayim.

³⁰ And HaMelech went up to the Beis Hashem, and kol Ish Yehudah, and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, and the Kohanim, and the Levi’im, and kol haAm, gadol and katan; and he read in their ears kol divrei Sefer HaBrit that was found in the Beis Hashem.

³¹ And HaMelech stood at his place, and cut HaBrit in the presence of Hashem, to walk after Hashem, and to be shomer over His mitzvot, and His testimonies, and His chukkot, with all his lev, and with all his nefesh, to perform the divrei HaBrit which are written in Sefer HaZeh.

³² And he caused all that being found in Yerushalayim and Binyamin to make a pledge to it. And the inhabitants of Yerushalayim did according to the Brit Elohim, Elohei Avoteihem.

³³ And Yoshiyah removed kol hato’evot out of all the territories that pertained to the Bnei Yisroel, and made all that were present in Yisroel to do avodas [kodesh] service to Hashem Eloheihem. And all his days they veered not from following Hashem, Elohei Avoteihem.

35 Moreover Yoshiyahu kept Pesach unto Hashem in Yerushalayim, and they slaughtered the Pesach on the fourteenth day of the first month.

² And he set up the Kohanim in their mishmerot, and encouraged them to the Avodas Beis Hashem,

³ And said unto the Levi’im that taught kol Yisroel, which were hakedoshim unto Hashem, Put the Aron HaKodesh in the Beis which Sh’lomo Ben Dovid Melech Yisroel did build; it shall not be a massa (burden, something carried) upon your ketefayim (shoulders); serve now Hashem Eloheichem and His people Yisroel,

⁴ And prepare yourselves by Bais Avoteichem, after your machlekot, according to the writing of Dovid Melech Yisroel, and according to the mikhtav of Sh’lomo bno.

⁵ And stand in HaKodesh according to the pelugot Bais HaAvot (groupings of families) of your achim the Bnei HaAm, and after the chalukat Bais Av (family subdivisions) of the Levi’im.

⁶ So slaughter the Pesach, and set yourselves apart as kodesh, and prepare your achim, that they may do according to the Devar Hashem by the yad Moshe.

⁷ And Yoshiyahu gave to HaAm, of the tzon, kevasim and goats, all for the Pesachim, for all that were present, to the number of 30,000 plus 3,000 bakar; these were from the property of HaMelech.

⁸ And his sarim gave linedavah (voluntarily) unto HaAm, to the Kohanim, to the Levi’im. Chilkiyah, Zecharyahu, Yechiel, negidei Beis HaElohim, gave unto the Kohanim for the Pesachim 2,600 and 300 bakar.

⁹ Conanyah also, and Shemayahu and Netanel, his achim, and Chashavyahu and Ye’i’el and Yozavad, Sarei HaLevi’im, gave unto the Levi’im for Pesachim 5,000 and 500 bakar.

¹⁰ So the Avodah (Service) was prepared, and the Kohanim stood in their place, and the Levi’im in their machlekot, according to the mitzvat HaMelech.

¹¹ And they slaughtered the Pesach, and the Kohanim sprinkled the dahm from their hands, and the Levi’im skinned them.

¹² And they removed the olah, that they might give according to the pelugot l’Bais Avot l’Bnei HaAm, to offer unto Hashem, as it is written in the Sefer Moshe. And so did they with the bakar.

¹³ And they roasted the Pesach with eish according to the mishpat; but the other kadashim they boiled in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and distributed them in haste among kol Bnei HaAm.

¹⁴ And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the Kohanim; because the Kohanim the Bnei Aharon were busied in offering olah and the chalavim (fats) until lailah; therefore the Levi’im prepared for themselves, and for the Kohanim, the Bnei Aharon.

¹⁵ And the meshorarim (singers), the Bnei Asaph, were in their place, according to the mitzvat Dovid, and Asaph, and Heman, and Yedutun, Chozeh HaMelech; and the sho’arim (gatekeepers) were at every sha’ar; neither did they need to depart from their Avodah, for their achim the Levi’im prepared for them.

¹⁶ So all the Avodas Hashem was prepared that same day, to keep the Pesach, and to offer olot upon the Mizbe’ach Hashem, according to the mitzvat HaMelech Yoshiyahu.

¹⁷ And the Bnei Yisroel that were present kept the Pesach at that time, and the Chag HaMatzot seven days.

¹⁸ And there was no Pesach like it in Yisroel from the days of Shmuel HaNavi; neither did all the Melachim of Yisroel keep such a Pesach as Yoshiyahu kept, and the Kohanim, and the Levi’im, and kol Yehudah and Yisroel that were present, and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim.

¹⁹ In the eighteenth shanah of the reign of Yoshiyahu was this Pesach kept.

²⁰ After all this, when Yoshiyahu had set in order the Beis [HaMikdash], Necho Melech Mitzrayim went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Yoshiyahu went up against him.

²¹ But he sent malachim to him, saying, Mah li valach (What have I to do with thee), thou Melech Yehudah? I come not against thee this day, but against the Bais wherewith I have war [i.e., Babylon], for Elohim commanded me to make haste; forbear thee from meddling with Elohim, Who is with me, that He destroy thee not.

²² Nevertheless Yoshiyahu would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and paid heed not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of Elohim, and went to fight in the Valley of Megiddo.

²³ And the archers shot at Melech Yoshiyahu; and HaMelech said to his avadim, Take me away; for I am badly wounded.

²⁴ His avadim therefore took him out of that merkavah, and put him in the mishneh merkavah that he had; and they brought him to Yerushalayim, and he died, and was buried in the kivrot Avotav. And all Yehudah and Yerushalayim mourned for Yoshiyahu.

²⁵ And Yirmeyahu lamented for Yoshiyahu; and all the sharim (singing men) and the sharot (singing women) commemorate Yoshiyahu in their laments to this day, and made them as chok [set custom] in Yisroel; and, hinei, they are written in HaKinot (the Laments).

²⁶ Now the rest of the acts of Yoshiyahu, and his acts of chesed, according to what is written in the Torat Hashem,

²⁷ And his deeds, harishonim and ha’acharonim, hinei, they are written in the Sefer of the Melachim of Yisroel and Yehudah.

36 Then the Am Ha’Aretz took Yehoachaz ben Yoshiyahu, and made him melech in the place of Aviv in Yerushalayim.

² Yehoachaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Yerushalayim.

³ And Melech Mitzrayim deposed him at Yerushalayim, and laid on HaAretz a tribute of a hundred talents of kesef and a talent of zahav.

⁴ And Melech Mitzrayim made Elyakim his brother melech over Yehudah and Yerushalayim, and changed shmo to Y’hoyakim. And Necho took Yehoachaz his brother, and carried him off to Mitzrayim.

⁵ Y’hoyakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Yerushalayim; and he did that which was rah in the eyes of Hashem Elohav.

⁶ Against him came up Nevuchadnetzar Melech Bavel, and bound him in bronze shackles, to carry him off to Babylon.

⁷ Nevuchadnetzar also carried off the vessels of the Beis Hashem to Babylon, and put them in his heikhal (temple) at Babylon.

⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Y’hoyakim, and his to’avot which he did, and that which was found in him, hinei, they are written in the Sefer of the Melachim of Yisroel and Yehudah; and Y’hoyakhin bno became king in his place.

⁹ Y’hoyakhin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Yerushalayim; and he did that which was rah in the eyes of Hashem.

¹⁰ And when the year was expired, HaMelech Nevuchadnetzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the kelei chemdat Beis Hashem, and made Tzidkiyahu his brother Melech over Yehudah and Yerushalayim.

¹¹ Tzidkiyah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Yerushalayim.

¹² And he did that which was rah in the eyes of Hashem Elohav, and humbled not himself before Yirmeyahu HaNavi speaking from the mouth of Hashem.

¹³ And he also rebelled against Melech Nevuchadnetzar, who had made him take an oath by Elohim, but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his lev against making teshuva unto Hashem Elohei Yisroel.

¹⁴ Moreover all the Sarei HaKohanim, and HaAm became more unfaithful, following all the to’avot HaGoyim, and they made the Beis Hashem tameh which Hashem had consecrated and set apart as kodesh in Yerushalayim.

¹⁵ And Hashem Elohei Avoteihem sent to them by His malachim, time and again; because He took pity on His people and on His Ma’on (Dwelling Place);

¹⁶ But they mocked the malachim of Elohim, and despised His words, and derided His nevi’im, until the Chamat Hashem was aroused against His people, until there was no marpeh (remedy, healing).

¹⁷ Therefore He brought upon them Melech Kasdim, who slaughtered their bochurim with the cherev in their Beis Mikdash, and had no pity upon bochur or betulah, zaken or the aged man. He gave them all into his yad.

¹⁸ And all the kelei Beis HaElohim, hagedolim and haketanim, and the otzerot of the Beis Hashem, and the otzerot HaMelech, and of his sarim; all these he brought to Babylon.

¹⁹ And they burned the Beis HaElohim, and broke down the Chomat Yerushalayim, and burned all the palaces thereof with eish, and destroyed all its precious vessels.

²⁰ And them that had escaped from the cherev carried he off to Babylon where they were avadim to him and his banim until the kingdom of Paras (Persia) began to reign;

²¹ To fulfil the Devar Hashem by the mouth of Yirmeyahu, until HaAretz had made up for its Shabbatot, for as long as she lay desolate she was shomer Shabbos, to fulfil Shivim Shanah (seventy years, see Jeremiah 25:11).

²² Now in the first year of Koresh (Cyrus) Melech Paras (Persia), that the word of Hashem spoken by the mouth of Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) might be accomplished, Hashem stirred up the ruach of Koresh Melech Paras (Persia), that he made a proclamation throughout all his Malchut, and put it also in writing, saying,

²³ Thus saith Koresh Melech Paras (Persia), Kol Mamlechot HaAretz (all the kingdoms of the earth) hath Hashem Elohei HaShomayim given me; and He hath charged me to build Him a Beis in Yerushalayim, which is in Yehudah. Who is there among you of all His people? Hashem Elohav be with him and let him go up! [T.N. The glory cloud that appears at the dedication of both the wilderness Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash of Shlomo HaMelech is a prophetic type and foreshadow of the Moshiach and the coming sod hitgashmut (see 2Chr 5:7-14; Ex 40:34-35; Yn 1:1, 14)