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2 Chronicles 34
New International Version
2 Chronicles 34
New International Version
Josiah’s Reforms(A)(B)(C)
34 Josiah(D) was eight years old when he became king,(E) and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David,(F) not turning aside to the right or to the left.
3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God(G) of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols. 4 Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles(H) and the idols. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.(I) 5 He burned(J) the bones of the priests on their altars, and so he purged Judah and Jerusalem. 6 In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, 7 he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder(K) and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
8 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.
9 They went to Hilkiah(L) the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the gatekeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 Then they entrusted it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the Lord’s temple. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple. 11 They also gave money(M) to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.(N)
12 The workers labored faithfully.(O) Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites—all who were skilled in playing musical instruments—(P) 13 had charge of the laborers(Q) and supervised all the workers from job to job. Some of the Levites were secretaries, scribes and gatekeepers.
The Book of the Law Found(R)(S)
14 While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law(T) in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan.
16 Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. 17 They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.” 18 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.
19 When the king heard the words of the Law,(U) he tore(V) his robes. 20 He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan(W), Abdon son of Micah,[a] Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: 21 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out(X) on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”
22 Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him[b] went to speak to the prophet(Y) Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath,[c] the son of Hasrah,[d] keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.
23 She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, 24 ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster(Z) on this place and its people(AA)—all the curses(AB) written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah. 25 Because they have forsaken me(AC) and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all that their hands have made,[e] my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’ 26 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: 27 Because your heart was responsive(AD) and you humbled(AE) yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. 28 Now I will gather you to your ancestors,(AF) and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.’”(AG)
So they took her answer back to the king.
29 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 He went up to the temple of the Lord(AH) with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. 31 The king stood by his pillar(AI) and renewed the covenant(AJ) in the presence of the Lord—to follow(AK) the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.
32 Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.
33 Josiah removed all the detestable(AL) idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 34:20 Also called Akbor son of Micaiah
- 2 Chronicles 34:22 One Hebrew manuscript, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts do not have had sent with him.
- 2 Chronicles 34:22 Also called Tikvah
- 2 Chronicles 34:22 Also called Harhas
- 2 Chronicles 34:25 Or by everything they have done
2 Chronicles 34
New King James Version
2 Chronicles 34
New King James Version
Josiah Reigns in Judah(A)
34 Josiah (B)was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still (C)young, he began to (D)seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began (E)to purge Judah and Jerusalem (F)of the [a]high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images. 4 (G)They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars which were above them he cut down; and the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images he broke in pieces, and made dust of them (H)and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He also (I)burned the bones of the priests on their (J)altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 And so he did in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali and all around, with [b]axes. 7 When he had broken down the altars and the wooden images, had (K)beaten the carved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law(L)
8 (M)In the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the [c]temple, he sent (N)Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the (O)governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God. 9 When they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered (P)the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites who kept the doors had gathered from the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all the (Q)remnant of Israel, from all Judah and Benjamin, and which they had brought back to Jerusalem. 10 Then they put it in the hand of the foremen who had the oversight of the house of the Lord; and they gave it to the workmen who worked in the house of the Lord, to repair and restore the house. 11 They gave it to the craftsmen and builders to buy hewn stone and timber for beams, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed. 12 And the men did the work faithfully. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to supervise. Others of the Levites, all of whom were skillful with instruments of music, 13 were (R)over the burden bearers and were overseers of all who did work in any kind of service. (S)And some of the Levites were scribes, officers, and gatekeepers.
14 Now when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest (T)found the Book of the Law of the Lord given by Moses. 15 Then Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the (U)book to Shaphan. 16 So Shaphan carried the book to the king, bringing the king word, saying, “All that was committed to your servants they are doing. 17 And they have [d]gathered the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers and the workmen.” 18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.
19 Thus it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes. 20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, (V)Ahikam the son of Shaphan, [e]Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, 21 “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for those who are left in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not (W)kept the word of the Lord, to do according to all that is written in this book.”
22 So Hilkiah and those the king had appointed went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of [f]Tokhath, the son of [g]Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke to her to that effect.
23 Then she answered them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me, 24 “Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will (X)bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the (Y)book which they have read before the king of Judah, 25 because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place, and not be quenched.’ ” ’ 26 But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, in this manner you shall speak to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Concerning the words which you have heard— 27 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the (Z)Lord. 28 “Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.” ’ ” So they brought back word to the king.
Josiah Restores True Worship(AA)
29 (AB)Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 The king went up to the house of the Lord, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—the priests and the Levites, and all the people, great and small. And he (AC)read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the Lord. 31 Then the king (AD)stood in (AE)his place and made a (AF)covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. 32 And he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin take a stand. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 Thus Josiah removed all the (AG)abominations from all the country that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel [h]diligently serve the Lord their God. (AH)All his days they did not depart from following the Lord God of their fathers.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 34:3 Places for pagan worship
- 2 Chronicles 34:6 Lit. swords
- 2 Chronicles 34:8 Lit. house
- 2 Chronicles 34:17 Lit. poured out
- 2 Chronicles 34:20 Achbor the son of Michaiah, 2 Kin. 22:12
- 2 Chronicles 34:22 Tikvah, 2 Kin. 22:14
- 2 Chronicles 34:22 Harhas, 2 Kin. 22:14
- 2 Chronicles 34:33 Lit. serve to serve
2 Chroniques 34
Louis Segond
2 Chroniques 34
Louis Segond
34 Josias avait huit ans lorsqu'il devint roi, et il régna trente et un ans à Jérusalem.
2 Il fit ce qui est droit aux yeux de l'Éternel, et il marcha dans les voies de David, son père; il ne s'en détourna ni à droite ni à gauche.
3 La huitième année de son règne, comme il était encore jeune, il commença à rechercher le Dieu de David, son père; et la douzième année, il commença à purifier Juda et Jérusalem des hauts lieux, des idoles, des images taillées et des images en fonte.
4 On renversa devant lui les autels des Baals, et il abattit les statues consacrées au soleil qui étaient dessus; il brisa les idoles, les images taillées et les images en fonte, et les réduisit en poussière, et il répandit la poussière sur les sépulcres de ceux qui leur avaient sacrifié;
5 et il brûla les ossements des prêtres sur leurs autels. C'est ainsi qu'il purifia Juda et Jérusalem.
6 Dans les villes de Manassé, d'Éphraïm, de Siméon, et même de Nephthali, partout au milieu de leurs ruines,
7 il renversa les autels, il mit en pièces les idoles et les images taillées et les réduisit en poussière, et il abattit toutes les statues consacrées au soleil dans tout le pays d'Israël. Puis il retourna à Jérusalem.
8 La dix-huitième année de son règne, après qu'il eut purifié le pays et la maison, il envoya Schaphan, fils d'Atsalia, Maaséja, chef de la ville, et Joach, fils de Joachaz, l'archiviste, pour réparer la maison de l'Éternel, son Dieu.
9 Ils se rendirent auprès du souverain sacrificateur Hilkija, et on livra l'argent qui avait été apporté dans la maison de Dieu, et que les Lévites gardiens du seuil avaient recueilli de Manassé et d'Éphraïm et de tout le reste d'Israël, et de tout Juda et Benjamin et des habitants de Jérusalem.
10 On le remit entre les mains de ceux qui étaient chargés de faire exécuter l'ouvrage dans la maison de l'Éternel. Et ils l'employèrent pour ceux qui travaillaient aux réparations de la maison de l'Éternel,
11 pour les charpentiers et les maçons, pour les achats de pierres de taille et de bois destiné aux poutres et à la charpente des bâtiments qu'avaient détruits les rois de Juda.
12 Ces hommes agirent avec probité dans leur travail. Ils étaient placés sous l'inspection de Jachath et Abdias, Lévites d'entre les fils de Merari, et de Zacharie et Meschullam, d'entre les fils des Kehathites; tous ceux des Lévites qui étaient habiles musiciens surveillaient les manoeuvres
13 et dirigeaient tous les ouvriers occupés aux divers travaux; il y avait encore d'autres Lévites secrétaires, commissaires et portiers.
14 Au moment où l'on sortit l'argent qui avait été apporté dans la maison de l'Éternel, le sacrificateur Hilkija trouva le livre de la loi de l'Éternel donnée par Moïse.
15 Alors Hilkija prit la parole et dit à Schaphan, le secrétaire: J'ai trouvé le livre de la loi dans la maison de l'Éternel. Et Hilkija donna le livre à Schaphan.
16 Schaphan apporta le livre au roi, et lui rendit aussi compte, en disant: Tes serviteurs ont fait tout ce qui leur a été commandé;
17 ils ont amassé l'argent qui se trouvait dans la maison de l'Éternel, et l'ont remis entre les mains des inspecteurs et des ouvriers.
18 Schaphan, le secrétaire, dit encore au roi: Le sacrificateur Hilkija m'a donné un livre. Et Schaphan le lut devant le roi.
19 Lorsque le roi entendit les paroles de la loi, il déchira ses vêtements.
20 Et le roi donna cet ordre à Hilkija, à Achikam, fils de Schaphan, à Abdon, fils de Michée, à Schaphan, le secrétaire, et à Asaja, serviteur du roi:
21 Allez, consultez l'Éternel pour moi et pour ce qui reste en Israël et en Juda, au sujet des paroles de ce livre qu'on a trouvé; car grande est la colère de l'Éternel qui s'est répandue sur nous, parce que nos pères n'ont point observé la parole de l'Éternel et n'ont point mis en pratique tout ce qui est écrit dans ce livre.
22 Hilkija et ceux qu'avait désignés le roi allèrent auprès de la prophétesse Hulda, femme de Schallum, fils de Thokehath, fils de Hasra, gardien des vêtements. Elle habitait à Jérusalem, dans l'autre quartier de la ville. Après qu'ils eurent exprimé ce qu'ils avaient à lui dire,
23 elle leur répondit: Ainsi parle l'Éternel, le Dieu d'Israël: Dites à l'homme qui vous a envoyés vers moi:
24 Ainsi parle l'Éternel: Voici, je vais faire venir des malheurs sur ce lieu et sur ses habitants, toutes les malédictions écrites dans le livre qu'on a lu devant le roi de Juda.
25 Parce qu'ils m'ont abandonné et qu'ils ont offert des parfums à d'autres dieux, afin de m'irriter par tous les ouvrages de leurs mains, ma colère s'est répandue sur ce lieu, et elle ne s'éteindra point.
26 Mais vous direz au roi de Juda qui vous a envoyés pour consulter l'Éternel: Ainsi parle l'Éternel, le Dieu d'Israël, au sujet des paroles que tu as entendues:
27 Parce que ton coeur a été touché, parce que tu t'es humilié devant Dieu en entendant ses paroles contre ce lieu et contre ses habitants, parce que tu t'es humilié devant moi, parce que tu as déchiré tes vêtements et que tu as pleuré devant moi, moi aussi, j'ai entendu, dit l'Éternel.
28 Voici, je te recueillerai auprès de tes pères, tu seras recueilli en paix dans ton sépulcre, et tes yeux ne verront pas tous les malheurs que je ferai venir sur ce lieu et sur ses habitants. Ils rapportèrent au roi cette réponse.
29 Le roi fit assembler tous les anciens de Juda et de Jérusalem.
30 Puis il monta à la maison de l'Éternel avec tous les hommes de Juda et les habitants de Jérusalem, les sacrificateurs et les Lévites, et tout le peuple, depuis le plus grand jusqu'au plus petit. Il lut devant eux toutes les paroles du livre de l'alliance, qu'on avait trouvé dans la maison de l'Éternel.
31 Le roi se tenait sur son estrade, et il traita alliance devant l'Éternel, s'engageant à suivre l'Éternel, et à observer ses ordonnances, ses préceptes et ses lois, de tout son coeur et de toute son âme, afin de mettre en pratique les paroles de l'alliance écrites dans ce livre.
32 Et il fit entrer dans l'alliance tous ceux qui se trouvaient à Jérusalem et en Benjamin; et les habitants de Jérusalem agirent selon l'alliance de Dieu, du Dieu de leurs pères.
33 Josias fit disparaître toutes les abominations de tous les pays appartenant aux enfants d'Israël, et il obligea tous ceux qui se trouvaient en Israël à servir l'Éternel, leur Dieu. Pendant toute sa vie, ils ne se détournèrent point de l'Éternel, le Dieu de leurs pères.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Louis Segond (LSG)