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2 Chronicles 34-35
Christian Standard Bible

Judah’s King Josiah

34 Josiah was eight years old(A) when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 He did what was right in the Lord’s sight and walked in the ways of his ancestor David;(B) he did not turn aside to the right or the left.

Josiah’s Reform

3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a youth, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David,(C) and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved images,(D) and the cast images. 4 Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he chopped down the shrines[a] that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered(E) them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.(F) 5 He burned the bones of the priests on their altars.(G) So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 He did the same in the cities(H) of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali and on their surrounding mountain shrines.[b] 7 He tore down the altars, and he smashed the Asherah poles and the carved images to powder. He chopped down all the shrines throughout the land of Israel and returned to Jerusalem.(I)

Josiah’s Repair of the Temple

8 In the eighteenth year of his reign,(J) in order to cleanse the land and the temple, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, along with Maaseiah the governor(K) of the city and the court historian Joah son of Joahaz, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.

9 So they went to the high priest Hilkiah(L) and gave him the silver brought into God’s temple. The Levites and the doorkeepers had collected it from Manasseh, Ephraim,(M) and from the entire remnant of Israel, and from all Judah, Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They gave it to those doing the work—those who oversaw the Lord’s temple. They gave it to the workmen who were working in the Lord’s temple, to repair and restore the temple; 11 they gave it to the carpenters and builders and also used it to buy quarried stone and timbers—for joining and making beams—for the buildings that Judah’s kings had destroyed.

12 The men were doing the work with integrity. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites from the Merarites, and Zechariah and Meshullam from the Kohathites as supervisors. The Levites were all skilled with musical instruments.(N) 13 They were also over the porters and were supervising all those doing the work task by task. Some of the Levites were secretaries, officers, and gatekeepers.

The Recovery of the Book of the Law

14 When they brought out the silver that had been deposited in the Lord’s temple, the priest Hilkiah found the book of the law of the Lord written by the hand of Moses.(O) 15 Consequently,(P) Hilkiah told the court secretary Shaphan, “I have found the book of the law in the Lord’s temple,” and he gave the book to Shaphan.

16 Shaphan took the book to the king, and also reported, “Your servants are doing all that was placed in their hands. 17 They have emptied out the silver that was found in the Lord’s temple and have given it to the overseers and to those doing the work.” 18 Then the court secretary Shaphan told the king, “The priest Hilkiah gave me a book,” and Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.(Q)

19 When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.(R) 20 Then he commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, the court secretary Shaphan, and the king’s servant Asaiah, 21 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that was found. For great is the Lord’s wrath that is poured out on us(S) because our ancestors have not kept the word of the Lord in order to do everything written in this book.”

Huldah’s Prophecy of Judgment

22 So Hilkiah and those the king had designated[c] went to the prophetess Huldah, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District. They spoke with her about this.

23 She said to them, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: Say 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 on its inhabitants,(T) fulfilling[d] all the curses written in the book that they read in the presence of the king of Judah,(U) 25 because they have abandoned me(V) and burned incense to other gods so as to anger me with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.’ 26 Say this to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the Lord: ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says: As for the words that you heard, 27 because(W) your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before me, and you tore your clothes and wept before me, I myself have heard’—this is the Lord’s declaration. 28 ‘I will indeed gather you to your ancestors, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place and on its inhabitants.’”(X)

Then they reported to the king.

Affirmation of the Covenant by Josiah and the People

29 So the king sent messengers and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 The king went up to the Lord’s temple with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the Levites—all the people from the oldest to the youngest. He read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the Lord’s temple.(Y) 31 Then the king stood at his post(Z) and made a covenant in the Lord’s presence(AA) to follow the Lord and to keep his commands, his decrees, and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul(AB) in order to carry out the words of the covenant written in this book.(AC)

32 He had all those present in Jerusalem and Benjamin agree[e] to it. So all the inhabitants of Jerusalem carried out the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

33 So Josiah removed everything that was detestable from all the lands belonging to the Israelites,(AD) and he required all who were present in Israel to serve the Lord their God. Throughout his reign they did not turn aside from following the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

Josiah’s Passover Observance

35 Josiah observed the Lord’s Passover(AE) and slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month.(AF) 2 He appointed the priests to their responsibilities and encouraged them to serve in the Lord’s temple.(AG) 3 He said to the Levites who taught all Israel(AH) the holy things of the Lord, “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. Since you do not have to carry it on your shoulders,(AI) now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel.

4 “Organize your ancestral families[f] by your divisions(AJ) according to the written instruction of King David of Israel and that of his son Solomon.(AK) 5 Serve in the holy place by the groupings of the ancestral families[g] for your brothers, the lay people,[h] and according to the division of the Levites by family.(AL) 6 Slaughter the Passover lambs,(AM) consecrate yourselves,(AN) and make preparations for your brothers to carry out the word of the Lord through Moses.”

7 Then Josiah donated thirty thousand sheep, lambs, and young goats, plus three thousand cattle from his own possessions, for the Passover sacrifices for all the lay people who were present.

8 His officials also donated willingly for the people, the priests, and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, chief officials of God’s temple, gave twenty-six hundred Passover sacrifices and three hundred cattle for the priests. 9 Conaniah(AO) and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, officers of the Levites, donated five thousand Passover sacrifices for the Levites, plus five hundred cattle.

10 So the service was established; the priests stood at their posts and the Levites in their divisions according to the king’s command.(AP) 11 Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs, and while the Levites were skinning the animals,(AQ) the priests splattered the blood[i] they had been given.[j] 12 They removed the burnt offerings so that they might be given to the groupings of the ancestral families[k] of the lay people to offer to the Lord, according to what is written in the book of Moses; they did the same with the cattle. 13 They roasted the Passover lambs with fire according to regulation.(AR) They boiled the holy sacrifices in pots, kettles, and bowls; and they quickly brought them to the lay people. 14 Afterward, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, since the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were busy offering up burnt offerings and fat until night. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

15 The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer.(AS) Also, the gatekeepers were at each temple gate.(AT) None of them left their tasks because their Levite brothers had made preparations for them.

16 So all the service of the Lord was established that day for observing the Passover and for offering burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord, according to the command of King Josiah. 17 The Israelites who were present in Judah also observed the Passover at that time and the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days.(AU) 18 No Passover had been observed(AV) like it in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel. None of the kings of Israel ever observed a Passover like the one that Josiah observed with the priests, the Levites, all Judah, the Israelites who were present in Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was observed.

Josiah’s Last Deeds and Death

20 After all this(AW) that Josiah had prepared for the temple, King Neco of Egypt(AX) marched up to fight at Carchemish(AY) by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to confront him. 21 But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What is the issue between you and me, king of Judah?(AZ) I have not come against you today[l] but I am fighting another dynasty.[m] God told me to hurry. Stop opposing God who is with me; don’t make him destroy you!”

22 But Josiah did not turn away from him; instead, in order to fight with him he disguised himself.[n](BA) He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to the Valley of Megiddo(BB) to fight. 23 The archers shot King Josiah, and he said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am severely wounded!” (BC) 24 So his servants took him out of the war chariot, carried him in his second chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem. Then he died, and they buried him in the tomb of his ancestors. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned(BD) for Josiah. 25 Jeremiah chanted a dirge(BE) over Josiah, and all the male and female singers still speak of Josiah in their dirges today. They established them as a statute for Israel, and indeed they are written in the Dirges.

26 The rest of the events(BF) of Josiah’s reign, along with his deeds of faithful love according to what is written in the law of the Lord, 27 and his words, from beginning to end, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

Footnotes

  1. 34:4 Lit incense altars, also in v. 7
  2. 34:6 One Hb tradition reads Naphtali with their swords; alt Hb tradition, Syr, Vg read Naphtali, the ruins all around; Hb obscure
  3. 34:22 LXX; MT omits designated
  4. 34:24 fulfilling supplied for clarity
  5. 34:32 Lit take a stand.
  6. 35:4 Lit the house of your fathers
  7. 35:5 Lit the house of the fathers
  8. 35:5 Lit the sons of the people, also in vv. 7,12,13
  9. 35:11 LXX, Vg, Tg; MT omits blood
  10. 35:11 Lit splattered from their hand
  11. 35:12 Lit house of fathers
  12. 35:21 LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg; MT reads Not against you, you today
  13. 35:21 Lit house
  14. 35:22 LXX reads he was determined
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2 Chronicles 34-35
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.

Josiah Celebrates the Passover(AM)

35 Josiah celebrated the Passover(AN) to the Lord in Jerusalem, and the Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 He appointed the priests to their duties and encouraged them in the service of the Lord’s temple. 3 He said to the Levites, who instructed(AO) all Israel and who had been consecrated to the Lord: “Put the sacred ark in the temple that Solomon son of David king of Israel built. It is not to be carried about on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel. 4 Prepare yourselves by families in your divisions,(AP) according to the instructions written by David king of Israel and by his son Solomon.

5 “Stand in the holy place with a group of Levites for each subdivision of the families of your fellow Israelites, the lay people. 6 Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves(AQ) and prepare the lambs for your fellow Israelites, doing what the Lord commanded through Moses.”

7 Josiah provided for all the lay people who were there a total of thirty thousand lambs and goats for the Passover offerings,(AR) and also three thousand cattle—all from the king’s own possessions.(AS)

8 His officials also contributed(AT) voluntarily to the people and the priests and Levites. Hilkiah,(AU) Zechariah and Jehiel, the officials in charge of God’s temple, gave the priests twenty-six hundred Passover offerings and three hundred cattle. 9 Also Konaniah(AV) along with Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel and Jozabad,(AW) the leaders of the Levites, provided five thousand Passover offerings and five hundred head of cattle for the Levites.

10 The service was arranged and the priests stood in their places with the Levites in their divisions(AX) as the king had ordered.(AY) 11 The Passover lambs were slaughtered,(AZ) and the priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them, while the Levites skinned the animals. 12 They set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the subdivisions of the families of the people to offer to the Lord, as it is written in the Book of Moses. They did the same with the cattle. 13 They roasted the Passover animals over the fire as prescribed,(BA) and boiled the holy offerings in pots, caldrons and pans and served them quickly to all the people. 14 After this, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fat portions(BB) until nightfall. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the Aaronic priests.

15 The musicians,(BC) the descendants of Asaph, were in the places prescribed by David, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun the king’s seer. The gatekeepers at each gate did not need to leave their posts, because their fellow Levites made the preparations for them.

16 So at that time the entire service of the Lord was carried out for the celebration of the Passover and the offering of burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord, as King Josiah had ordered. 17 The Israelites who were present celebrated the Passover at that time and observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. 18 The Passover had not been observed like this in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel; and none of the kings of Israel had ever celebrated such a Passover as did Josiah, with the priests, the Levites and all Judah and Israel who were there with the people of Jerusalem. 19 This Passover was celebrated in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign.

The Death of Josiah(BD)

20 After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Necho king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish(BE) on the Euphrates,(BF) and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. 21 But Necho sent messengers to him, saying, “What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told(BG) me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.”

22 Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised(BH) himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.

23 Archers(BI) shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, “Take me away; I am badly wounded.” 24 So they took him out of his chariot, put him in his other chariot and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.

25 Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers commemorate Josiah in the laments.(BJ) These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments.(BK)

26 The other events of Josiah’s reign and his acts of devotion in accordance with what is written in the Law of the Lord— 27 all the events, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

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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2 Chronicles 33
2 Chronicles 36
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Psalm 1:1-3
Christian Standard Bible

Psalm 1

The Two Ways

1 How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked
or stand in the pathway with sinners
or sit in the company of mockers!(A)
2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.(B)
3 He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams[a]
that bears its fruit in its season,(C)
and its leaf does not wither.(D)
Whatever he does prospers.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 1:3 Or beside irrigation channels
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Psalm 1:1-3
New International Version

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one(A)
    who does not walk(B) in step with the wicked(C)
or stand in the way(D) that sinners take(E)
    or sit(F) in the company of mockers,(G)
2 but whose delight(H) is in the law of the Lord,(I)
    and who meditates(J) on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree(K) planted by streams(L) of water,(M)
    which yields its fruit(N) in season
and whose leaf(O) does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.(P)

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Job 42
Psalm 2
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