Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options
Close LSB

2 Chronicles 34
Legacy Standard Bible

Josiah Reigns over Judah

34 (A)Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 (B)And he did what was right in the sight of Yahweh and walked in the ways of his father David and did not turn aside to the right or to the left. 3 Now in the eighth year of his reign while he was still a youth, he began to (C)seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began (D)to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, the graven images, and the molten images. 4 And they tore down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and (E)the incense altars that were high above them he cut in pieces; also the Asherim, the graven images, and the molten images he broke in pieces and (F)ground to powder and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 Then (G)he burned the bones of the priests on their altars and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 (H)And in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, even as far as Naphtali, in their surrounding [a]ruins, 7 he also tore down the altars and (I)beat the Asherim and the graven images into powder, and cut in pieces all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Josiah Repairs the House of Yahweh

8 (J)Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah (K)an official of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of Yahweh his God. 9 And they came to (L)Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the [b]doorkeepers, had gathered from the hand of (M)Manasseh and Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 Then they gave it into the hand of [c]those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of Yahweh; and those who did the work, who were doing this in the house of Yahweh, [d]used it to restore and repair the house. 11 They in turn gave it to the craftsmen and to the builders to buy hewn stone and timber for clamps and to make beams for the houses (N)which the kings of Judah had let go to ruin. 12 (O)And the men did the work faithfully with foremen over them to direct: Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites of the sons of Merari, Zechariah and Meshullam of the sons of the Kohathites, and (P)the Levites, all who were skillful with musical instruments. 13 They were also over (Q)those who carried loads, and directed all those who did the work from service to service; and some of the Levites were scribes and officials and gatekeepers.

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law

14 When they were taking out the money which had been brought into the house of Yahweh, (R)Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of Yahweh given by the hand of Moses. 15 So Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of Yahweh.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. 16 Then Shaphan brought the book to the king and furthermore [e]responded to the king with a word, saying, “Everything that was given to the hand of your servants they are doing. 17 They have also poured out the money that was found in the house of Yahweh, and have given it into the hand of the supervisors and those who did the work.” 18 Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

19 Now it happened that when the king heard (S)the words of the law, (T)he tore his clothes. 20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, [f]Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, 21 “Go, inquire of Yahweh for me and those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book which has been found, for (U)great is the wrath of Yahweh which is poured out against us, because our fathers have not kept the word of Yahweh, to do according to all that is written in this book.”

Josiah Will Not See Yahweh’s Wrath

22 So Hilkiah and those whom the king [g]had told went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of [h]Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter); and they spoke to her regarding this. 23 And she said to them, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘Say to the man who sent you to Me, 24 thus says Yahweh, “Behold, (V)I am bringing evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all (W)the curses written in the book which they have read in the presence of the king of Judah. 25 (X)Because they have forsaken Me and have 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 against this place, and it shall not be quenched.”’ 26 But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, thus you shall say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “Regarding the words which you have heard, 27 (Y)because your heart was soft 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, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares Yahweh. 28 “Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace, so your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.”’” So they brought back word to the king.

29 (Z)Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 And the king went up to the house of Yahweh and (AA)all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests and the Levites and all the people, from the greatest to the least; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of Yahweh.

Josiah Cuts a Covenant with Yahweh

31 Then the king (AB)stood in his place and (AC)cut a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, to do the words of the covenant that were written in this book. 32 Moreover, he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand with him. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 And Josiah (AD)took away all the abominations from all the lands belonging to the sons of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel to serve Yahweh their God. Throughout his [i]lifetime they did not turn away from following Yahweh, the God of their fathers.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 34:6 Or waste places
  2. 2 Chronicles 34:9 Lit guardians of the threshold
  3. 2 Chronicles 34:10 Lit the one who did
  4. 2 Chronicles 34:10 Lit gave
  5. 2 Chronicles 34:16 Lit returned
  6. 2 Chronicles 34:20 In 2 Kin 22:12, Achbor, son of Micaiah
  7. 2 Chronicles 34:22 As in Gr
  8. 2 Chronicles 34:22 In 2 Kin 22:14 Tikvah, son of Harhas
  9. 2 Chronicles 34:33 Lit days
Close NLT

2 Chronicles 34
New Living Translation

Josiah Rules in Judah

34 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2 He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right.

3 During the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David. Then in the twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all the pagan shrines, the Asherah poles, and the carved idols and cast images. 4 He ordered that the altars of Baal be demolished and that the incense altars which stood above them be broken down. He also made sure that the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images were smashed and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He burned the bones of the pagan priests on their own altars, and so he purified Judah and Jerusalem.

6 He did the same thing in the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, even as far as Naphtali, and in the regions[a] all around them. 7 He destroyed the pagan altars and the Asherah poles, and he crushed the idols into dust. He cut down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Finally, he returned to Jerusalem.

8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, after he had purified the land and the Temple, Josiah appointed Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of Jerusalem, and Joah son of Joahaz, the royal historian, to repair the Temple of the Lord his God. 9 They gave Hilkiah the high priest the money that had been collected by the Levites who served as gatekeepers at the Temple of God. The gifts were brought by people from Manasseh, Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, as well as from all Judah, Benjamin, and the people of Jerusalem.

10 He entrusted the money to the men assigned to supervise the restoration of the Lord’s Temple. Then they paid the workers who did the repairs and renovation of the Temple. 11 They hired carpenters and builders, who purchased finished stone for the walls and timber for the rafters and beams. They restored what earlier kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.

12 The workers served faithfully under the leadership of Jahath and Obadiah, Levites of the Merarite clan, and Zechariah and Meshullam, Levites of the Kohathite clan. Other Levites, all of whom were skilled musicians, 13 were put in charge of the laborers of the various trades. Still others assisted as secretaries, officials, and gatekeepers.

Hilkiah Discovers God’s Law

14 While they were bringing out the money collected at the Lord’s Temple, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that was written by Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the Lord’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.

16 Shaphan took the scroll to the king and reported, “Your officials are doing everything they were assigned to do. 17 The money that was collected at the Temple of the Lord has been turned over to the supervisors and workmen.” 18 Shaphan also told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” So Shaphan read it to the king.

19 When the king heard what was written in the Law, he tore his clothes in despair. 20 Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah,[b] Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal adviser: 21 “Go to the Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for all the remnant of Israel and Judah. Inquire about the words written in the scroll that has been found. For the Lord’s great anger has been poured out on us because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the Lord. We have not been doing everything this scroll says we must do.”

22 So Hilkiah and the other men went to the New Quarter[c] of Jerusalem to consult with the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas,[d] the keeper of the Temple wardrobe.

23 She said to them, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken! Go back and tell the man who sent you, 24 ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this city[e] and its people. All the curses written in the scroll that was read to the king of Judah will come true. 25 For my people have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to pagan gods, and I am very angry with them for everything they have done. My anger will be poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.’

26 “But go to the king of Judah who sent you to seek the Lord and tell him: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the message you have just heard: 27 You were sorry and humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this city and its people. You humbled yourself and tore your clothing in despair and wept before me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the Lord. 28 So I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace. You yourself will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this city and its people.’”

So they took her message back to the king.

Josiah’s Religious Reforms

29 Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 And the king went up to the Temple of the Lord with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, along with the priests and the Levites—all the people from the greatest to the least. There the king read to them the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the Lord’s Temple. 31 The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the Lord’s presence. He pledged to obey the Lord by keeping all his commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. He promised to obey all the terms of the covenant that were written in the scroll. 32 And he required everyone in Jerusalem and the people of Benjamin to make a similar pledge. The people of Jerusalem did so, renewing their covenant with God, the God of their ancestors.

33 So Josiah removed all detestable idols from the entire land of Israel and required everyone to worship the Lord their God. And throughout the rest of his lifetime, they did not turn away from the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

Footnotes

  1. 34:6 As in Syriac version; Hebrew reads in their temples, or in their ruins. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  2. 34:20 As in parallel text at 2 Kgs 22:12; Hebrew reads Abdon son of Micah.
  3. 34:22a Or the Second Quarter, a newer section of Jerusalem. Hebrew reads the Mishneh.
  4. 34:22b As in parallel text at 2 Kgs 22:14; Hebrew reads son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah.
  5. 34:24 Hebrew this place; also in 34:27, 28.
Next
2 Chronicles 33
2 Chronicles 35
Next
dropdown
Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.