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2 Chronicles 34
New English Translation

Josiah Institutes Religious Reforms

34 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 He did what the Lord approved[a] and followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps;[b] he did not deviate to the right or the left.

3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his ancestor[c] David. In his twelfth year he began ridding[d] Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, Asherah poles, idols, and images. 4 He ordered the altars of the Baals to be torn down,[e] and broke the incense altars that were above them. He smashed the Asherah poles, idols, and images, crushed them, and sprinkled the dust over the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He burned the bones of the pagan priests[f] on their altars; he purified Judah and Jerusalem. 6 In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins[g] around them, 7 he tore down the altars and Asherah poles, demolished the idols, and smashed all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, he continued his policy of purifying the land and the temple.[h] He sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city official, and Joah son of Joahaz the secretary to repair the temple of the Lord his God. 9 They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the silver that had been brought to God’s temple. The Levites who guarded the door had collected it from the people of[i] Manasseh and Ephraim and from all who were left in Israel, as well as from all the people of[j] Judah and Benjamin and the residents of[k] Jerusalem. 10 They handed it over to the construction foremen[l] assigned to the Lord’s temple. They in turn paid the temple workers to restore and repair it.[m] 11 They gave money to the craftsmen and builders to buy chiseled stone and wood for the braces and rafters of the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into disrepair.[n] 12 The men worked faithfully. Their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah (Levites descended from Merari), as well as Zechariah and Meshullam (descendants of Kohath). The Levites, all of whom were skilled musicians, 13 supervised the laborers and all the foremen on their various jobs.[o] Some of the Levites were scribes, officials, and guards.

14 When they took out the silver that had been brought to the Lord’s temple, Hilkiah the priest found the law scroll the Lord had given to Moses. 15 Hilkiah informed Shaphan the scribe, “I found the law scroll in the Lord’s temple.” Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan. 16 Shaphan brought the scroll to the king and reported,[p] “Your servants are doing everything assigned to them. 17 They melted down the silver in the Lord’s temple[q] and handed it over to the supervisors and the construction foremen.” 18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” Shaphan read it out loud before the king. 19 When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. 20 The king ordered Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah,[r] Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, 21 “Go, ask the Lord[s] for me and for those who remain in Israel and Judah about the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the Lord’s great fury has been ignited[t] against us, because our ancestors did not obey the word of the Lord by living[u] according to all that is written in this scroll.”

22 So Hilkiah and the others sent by the king[v] went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah,[w] the supervisor of the wardrobe.[x] (She lived in Jerusalem in the Mishneh[y] district.) They stated their business,[z] 23 and she said to them: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Say this to the man who sent you to me: 24 “This is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on this place and its residents, all the curses that are recorded in the scroll which they read before the king of Judah. 25 This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrifices[aa] to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made.[ab] My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!’” 26 Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from the Lord: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says concerning the words you have heard: 27 ‘You displayed a sensitive spirit[ac] and humbled yourself before God when you heard his words concerning this place and its residents. You humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,’ says the Lord. 28 ‘Therefore I will allow you to die and be buried in peace.[ad] You will not have to witness all the disaster I will bring on this place and its residents.’”’” Then they reported back to the king.

29 The king summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem.[ae] 30 The king went up to the Lord’s temple, accompanied by all the people of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, the priests, and the Levites. All the people were there, from the oldest to the youngest. He read aloud all the words of the scroll of the covenant that had been discovered in the Lord’s temple. 31 The king stood by his pillar[af] and renewed[ag] the covenant before the Lord, agreeing to follow[ah] the Lord and to obey his commandments, laws, and rules with all his heart and being,[ai] by carrying out the terms[aj] of this covenant recorded on this scroll. 32 He made all who were in Jerusalem and Benjamin agree to it.[ak] The residents of Jerusalem acted in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. 33 Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the areas belonging to the Israelites and encouraged[al] all who were in Israel to worship the Lord their God. Throughout the rest of his reign[am] they did not turn aside from following the Lord God of their ancestors.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 34:2 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the Lord.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 34:2 tn Heb “and walked in the ways of David his father.”
  3. 2 Chronicles 34:3 tn Heb “father.”
  4. 2 Chronicles 34:3 tn Heb “purifying.”
  5. 2 Chronicles 34:4 tn Heb “and they tore down before him the altars of the Baals.”
  6. 2 Chronicles 34:5 tn Heb “the priests”; the qualifying adjective “pagan” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  7. 2 Chronicles 34:6 tn “In their ruins” is the marginal reading (Qere) of the Hebrew text.
  8. 2 Chronicles 34:8 tn Heb “to purify the land and the house.”
  9. 2 Chronicles 34:9 tn Heb “from Manasseh and Ephraim.” The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the names “Manasseh and Ephraim” here by metonymy for the people of Manasseh and Ephraim.
  10. 2 Chronicles 34:9 tn Heb “all Judah and Benjamin.” The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the names “Judah and Benjamin” here by metonymy for the people of Judah and Benjamin.
  11. 2 Chronicles 34:9 tc The Hebrew consonantal text (Kethib) assumes the reading, “and the residents of.” The marginal reading (Qere) is “and they returned.”
  12. 2 Chronicles 34:10 tn Heb “doer[s] of the work.”
  13. 2 Chronicles 34:10 tn Heb “and they gave it to the doers of the work who were working in the house of the Lord to restore and to repair the house.”
  14. 2 Chronicles 34:11 tn Heb “of the houses that the kings of Judah had destroyed.”
  15. 2 Chronicles 34:13 tn Heb “[were] over the laborers and were directing every doer of work for work assignment and work assignment.”
  16. 2 Chronicles 34:16 tn Heb “returned still the king a word, saying.”
  17. 2 Chronicles 34:17 tn Heb “that was found in the house of the Lord.”
  18. 2 Chronicles 34:20 tn The parallel account in 2 Kgs 22:12 has the variant spelling “Achbor son of Micaiah.”
  19. 2 Chronicles 34:21 sn The implication is to seek a prophetic oracle.
  20. 2 Chronicles 34:21 tc The MT reads נִתְּכָה (nittekah, “has gushed forth”) but the LXX implies נִצְתָה (nitsetah, “has been ignited”).
  21. 2 Chronicles 34:21 tn Heb “doing.”
  22. 2 Chronicles 34:22 tn Heb “and those who [were sent by] the king.”
  23. 2 Chronicles 34:22 tn The parallel account in 2 Kgs 22:14 has the variant spelling “son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas.”
  24. 2 Chronicles 34:22 tn Heb “the keeper of the clothes.”
  25. 2 Chronicles 34:22 tn Or “second.” For a discussion of the possible location of this district, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 283.
  26. 2 Chronicles 34:22 tn Heb “and they spoke to her like this.”
  27. 2 Chronicles 34:25 tn Or “burned incense.”
  28. 2 Chronicles 34:25 tn Heb “angering me with all the work of their hands.” The present translation assumes this refers to idols they have manufactured (note the preceding reference to “other gods”). However, it is possible that this is a general reference to their sinful practices, in which case one might translate, “angering me by all the things they do.”
  29. 2 Chronicles 34:27 tn Heb “Because your heart was tender.”
  30. 2 Chronicles 34:28 tn Heb “Therefore, behold, I am gathering you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your tomb in peace.”
  31. 2 Chronicles 34:29 tn Heb “and the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.”
  32. 2 Chronicles 34:31 tc This assumes an emendation to עַמּוּדוֹ (ʿammudo), see 23:13. The MT reads “at his place.”
  33. 2 Chronicles 34:31 tn Heb “cut,” that is, “made” or “agreed to.”
  34. 2 Chronicles 34:31 tn Heb “walk after.”
  35. 2 Chronicles 34:31 tn Or “soul.”
  36. 2 Chronicles 34:31 tn Heb “words.”
  37. 2 Chronicles 34:32 tn Heb “and he caused to stand everyone who was found in Jerusalem and Benjamin.”
  38. 2 Chronicles 34:33 tn Or “caused, forced.”
  39. 2 Chronicles 34:33 tn Heb “All his days.”
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2 Chronicles 34
Contemporary English Version

King Josiah of Judah

(2 Kings 22.1,2)

34 (A) Josiah was 8 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled 31 years from Jerusalem. 2 He followed the example of his ancestor David and always obeyed the Lord.

Josiah Stops the Worship of Foreign Gods

(2 Kings 23.4-20)

3 When Josiah was only 16 years old he began worshiping God, just as his ancestor David had done. Then, 4 years later, he decided to destroy the local shrines[a] in Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the sacred poles[b] for worshiping the goddess Asherah and the idols of foreign gods. 4 (B) He watched as the altars for the worship of the god Baal were torn down, and as the nearby incense altars were smashed. The Asherah poles, the idols, and the stone images were also smashed, and the pieces were scattered over the graves of their worshipers. 5 (C) Josiah then had the bones of the pagan priests burned on the altars.[c]

And so Josiah got rid of the worship of foreign gods in Judah and Jerusalem. 6 He did the same things in the towns and ruined villages[d] in the territories of West Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as the border of Naphtali. 7 Everywhere in the northern kingdom of Israel, Josiah tore down pagan altars and Asherah poles; he crushed idols to dust and smashed incense altars.

Then Josiah went back to Jerusalem.

Hilkiah Finds The Book of God's Law

(2 Kings 22.3-20)

8 In the eighteenth year of Josiah's rule in Judah, after he had removed all the sinful things from the land and from the Lord's temple, he sent three of his officials to repair the temple. They were Shaphan son of Azaliah, Governor Maaseiah of Jerusalem, and Joah son of Joahaz, who kept the government records.

9 These three men went to Hilkiah the high priest. They gave him the money that the Levite guards had collected from the people of West Manasseh, Ephraim, and the rest of Israel, as well as those living in Judah, Benjamin, and Jerusalem. 10 Then the money was turned over to the men who supervised the repairs to the temple. They used some of it to pay the workers, 11 and they gave the rest of it to the carpenters and builders, who used it to buy the stone and wood they needed to repair the other buildings that Judah's kings had not taken care of.

12 The workers were honest, and their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah from the Levite clan of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam from the Levite clan of Kohath. Other Levites, who were all skilled musicians, 13 were in charge of carrying supplies and supervising the workers. Other Levites were appointed to stand guard around the temple.

14 While the money was being given to these supervisors, Hilkiah found the book that contained the laws that the Lord had given to Moses. 15 Hilkiah handed the book to Shaphan the official and said, “Look what I found here in the temple—The Book of God's Law.”

16 Shaphan took the book to Josiah and reported, “Your officials are doing everything you wanted. 17 They have collected the money from the temple and have given it to the men supervising the repairs. 18 But there's something else, Your Majesty. The priest Hilkiah gave me this book.” Then Shaphan read it aloud.

19 When Josiah heard what was in The Book of God's Law, he tore his clothes in sorrow. 20 At once he called together Hilkiah, Shaphan, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah,[e] and his own servant Asaiah. He said, 21 “The Lord must be furious with me and everyone else in Israel and Judah, because our ancestors did not obey the laws written in this book. Go find out what the Lord wants us to do.”

22 Hilkiah and the four other men left at once and went to talk with Huldah the prophet. Her husband was Shallum,[f] who was in charge of the king's clothes. Huldah lived in the northern part of Jerusalem, and when they met in her home, 23 she said:

You were sent here by King Josiah, and this is what the Lord God of Israel says to him: 24 “Josiah, I am the Lord! And I intend to punish this country and everyone in it, just as this book says. 25 The people of Judah and Israel have rejected me. They have offered sacrifices to foreign gods and have worshiped their own idols. I can't stand it any longer. I am furious.

26-27 “Josiah, listen to what I am going to do. I noticed how sad you were when you heard that this country and its people would be completely wiped out. You even tore your clothes in sorrow, and I heard you cry. 28 So before I destroy this place, I will let you die in peace.”

The men left and reported to Josiah what Huldah had said.

Josiah Reads The Book of God's Law

(2 Kings 23.1-3)

29 King Josiah called together the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 Then he went to the Lord's temple, together with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, the priests, and the Levites.

Finally, when everybody was there, he read aloud The Book of God's Law[g] that had been found in the temple.

31 After Josiah had finished reading, he stood in the place reserved for the king. He promised in the Lord's name to faithfully obey the Lord and to follow his laws and teachings that were written in the book. 32 Then he asked the people of Jerusalem and Benjamin to make that same promise and to obey the God their ancestors had worshiped.

33 Josiah destroyed all the idols in the territories of Israel, and he commanded everyone in Israel to worship only the Lord God. The people did not turn away from the Lord God of their ancestors for the rest of Josiah's rule as king.

Footnotes

  1. 34.3 local shrines: See the note at 11.15.
  2. 34.3 sacred poles: See the note at 14.3.
  3. 34.5 the bones of the pagan priests burned on the altars: This made the altars unclean, so that they could not be used in worshiping any god.
  4. 34.6 ruined villages: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  5. 34.20 Abdon son of Micah: Also called “Achbor son of Micaiah” (see 2 Kings 22.12).
  6. 34.22 Shallum: Hebrew “Shallum son of Tokhath son of Hasrah.”
  7. 34.30 The Book of God's Law: The Hebrew text has “The Book of God's Agreement,” which is the same as “The Book of God's Law” in verses 15 and 19. In traditional translations this is called “The Book of the Covenant.”
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2 Chronicles 34
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Chapter 34

Josiah’s Reforms. 1 (A)Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 He did what was right in the Lord’s sight, walking in the way of David his father, not turning right or left. 3 (B)In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a youth, he began to seek after the God of David his father. Then in his twelfth year[a] he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the asherahs, and the carved and molten images. 4 In his presence, the altars of the Baals were torn down; the incense stands erected above them he broke down; the asherahs and the carved and molten images he smashed and beat into dust, which he scattered over the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them; 5 and the bones of the priests he burned upon their altars. Thus he purified Judah and Jerusalem. 6 He did likewise in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and in the ruined villages of the surrounding country as far as Naphtali; 7 he tore down the altars and asherahs, and the carved images he beat into dust, and broke down the incense stands throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

The Temple Restored. 8 (C)In the eighteenth year of his reign, in order to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan, son of Azaliah, Maaseiah, the ruler of the city, and Joah, son of Joahaz, the chancellor, to restore the house of the Lord, his God. 9 They came to Hilkiah the high priest and turned over the money brought to the house of God which the Levites, the guardians of the threshold, had collected from Manasseh, Ephraim, and all the remnant of Israel, as well as from all of Judah, Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.(D) 10 They turned it over to the master workers in the house of the Lord, and these in turn used it to pay the workers in the Lord’s house who were restoring and repairing it. 11 They also gave it to the carpenters and the masons to buy hewn stone and timber for the tie beams and rafters of the buildings which the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin. 12 The men worked faithfully at their task; their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites of the line of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the Kohathites, who directed them. All those Levites who were skillful with musical instruments 13 were in charge of the men who carried the burdens, and they directed all the workers in every kind of labor. Some of the other Levites were scribes, officials, and gatekeepers.

The Finding of the Law. 14 (E)When they brought out the money that had been deposited in the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the Lord given through Moses. 15 He reported this to Shaphan the scribe, saying, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, 16 who brought it to the king at the same time that he made his report to him. He said, “Your servants are doing everything that has been entrusted to them; 17 they have smelted down the silver deposited in the Lord’s house and have turned it over to the overseers and the workers.” 18 Then Shaphan the scribe also informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book,” and then Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his garments. 20 The king then issued this command to Hilkiah, to Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to Abdon, son of Michah, to Shaphan the scribe, and to Asaiah, the king’s servant: 21 “Go, consult the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and Judah, about the words of the book that has been found, for the anger of the Lord burns furiously against us, because our ancestors did not keep the word of the Lord and have not done all that is written in this book.” 22 Then Hilkiah and others from the king went to Huldah the prophet, wife of Shallum, son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; she lived in Jerusalem, in the Second Quarter. They spoke to her as they had been instructed, 23 and she said to them: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Say to the man who sent you to me, 24 Thus says the Lord: I am about to bring evil upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses written in the book that was read before the king of Judah. 25 Because they have abandoned me and have burned incense to other gods, provoking me by all the works of their hands, my anger burns against this place and it cannot be extinguished.

26 “But to the king of Judah who sent you to consult the Lord, give this response: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: As for the words you have heard, 27 because you were heartsick and have humbled yourself before God when you heard his words concerning this place and its inhabitants; because you humbled yourself before me, tore your garments, and wept before me, I in turn have heard—oracle of the Lord. 28 I will gather you to your ancestors and you shall go to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the evil I am about to bring upon this place and upon its inhabitants.”

This they reported to the king.

Covenant Renewal. 29 (F)The king then had all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem summoned before him. 30 The king went up to the house of the Lord with all the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: priests, Levites, and all the people, great and small. He read aloud to them all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. 31 The king stood by the column[b] and made a covenant in the presence of the Lord to follow the Lord and to observe his commandments, statutes, and decrees with his whole heart and soul, carrying out the words of the covenant written in this book. 32 He thereby committed all who were in Jerusalem and Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem acted according to the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. 33 Josiah removed every abomination from all the territories belonging to the Israelites, and he obliged all who were in Israel to serve the Lord, their God. During his lifetime they did not turn away from following the Lord, the God of their ancestors.(G)

Footnotes

  1. 34:3 In his twelfth year: ca. 628 B.C., i.e., around the time of the Assyrian emperor Asshurbanipal’s death, which enabled Judah to free itself from Assyrian domination. On the basis of 2 Kgs 22:1–23:25 alone, one might suppose that Josiah’s reform began only after and as a result of the discovery of the book of the law in the Temple, in the eighteenth year of his reign (622 B.C.). But the Chronicler is no doubt right in placing the beginning of the reform at an earlier period. The repair of the Temple itself, which led to the finding of the book of the law, was likely part of a cultic reform initiated by Josiah.
  2. 34:31 The column: see note on 23:13.
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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

  1. 2 Chronicles 34:20 Also called Akbor son of Micaiah
  2. 2 Chronicles 34:22 One Hebrew manuscript, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts do not have had sent with him.
  3. 2 Chronicles 34:22 Also called Tikvah
  4. 2 Chronicles 34:22 Also called Harhas
  5. 2 Chronicles 34:25 Or by everything they have done
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