Old/New Testament
Josiah Restores the Temple
34 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. 2 He did right in the eyes of Adonai, and walked in the ways of his father David. He did not turn 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 after the God of his father David. In the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, the Asherah poles, and the carved and molten images. 4 They tore down the altars of the Baal in his presence and chopped down the sun-images that were above them. Also the Asherah poles and the carved and molten images he smashed into pieces, ground into dust, and scattered upon the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars—so he purged Judah and Jerusalem. 6 In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, with their surrounding ruins, 7 he broke down the altars, the Asherah poles, crushed the carved images into powder, and chopped down all the sun-images throughout all the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, after purging the land and the House, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the House of Adonai his God. 9 They came to Hilkiah the kohen gadol and handed over the silver money that was brought into the House of God, which the Levites, the gatekeepers, had collected from Manasseh, Ephraim and all the remnant of Israel, as well as from all Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 Then they put it in the hands of the workmen who were in charge of the House of Adonai. The workmen who were working in the House of Adonai spent it on repairing and restoring the House. 11 They in turn gave it to the carpenters and the builders to buy quarried stone as well as timber—for joining and making beams—for the buildings that the kings of Judah had let fall into ruin. 12 The men did the work faithfully. Over them were appointed Jahath and Obadiah, Levites from the sons of Merari, along with Zechariah and Meshullam from the sons of Kohath, to supervise, while other Levites—all skilled musicians— 13 were over the burden-bearers and supervised all who worked from task to task. Some of the Levites were also scribes, overseers and gatekeepers.
Torah Scroll Found in the Temple
14 While they were bringing out the silver that had been brought into the House of Adonai, Hilkiah the kohen found a Torah scroll of Adonai given by Moses. 15 Hilkiah responded by telling Shaphan the scribe, “I have found a scroll of the Torah in the House of Adonai.” Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.
16 Then Shaphan brought the scroll to the king and moreover returned a report to the king, saying, “Your servants are doing everything that was committed to them. 17 They have melted down the silver that was found in the House of Adonai and handed it over to the overseers and into the hand of the workmen.” 18 Shaphan the scribe also said to the king, “Hilkiah the kohen has given me a scroll.” Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.
19 When the king heard the words of the Torah, he tore his clothes. 20 The king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, 21 “Go! Inquire of Adonai for me and for the remnant in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of Adonai that will be poured out upon us—because our fathers did not observe the word of Adonai to do according to all that is written in this scroll.”
Huldah the Prophetess
22 So Hilkiah, and those whom the king commanded, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokahath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe—now she was living in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter—and spoke to her about this.
23 She said to them, “Thus says Adonai, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 24 “Thus says Adonai, ‘Behold, I am bringing disaster on this place and on its inhabitants—all the curses that are written in the book that they have read before the king of Judah. 25 For they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods in order to provoke Me with all the works of their hands. Therefore, My wrath will be poured out upon this place and it will not be quenched.’” 26 But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of Adonai, thus you will say to him, “Thus says Adonai the God of Israel, ‘Regarding 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 the inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes, and wept before Me, I have heard you,’ says Adonai. 28 ‘Behold, I will gather you to your fathers and you will be buried in your grave in shalom. Your eyes will not see all the evil that I will bring upon this place and upon the inhabitants.’”
So they brought her word back to the king.
29 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 The king went up to the House of Adonai with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the kohanim, the Levites, and all the people from the oldest to the youngest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that was found in the House of Adonai.
31 Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before Adonai—to follow Adonai and to observe His mitzvot, His regulations and His decrees with all his heart and with all his soul and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book. 32 Moreover, he made all that were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin stand with him. The inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 Josiah removed all the abominations from the whole territory of Bnei-Yisrael and made all who were found in Israel to worship Adonai their God. All his days they did not turn away from following Adonai, the God of their fathers.
Josiah Keeps Pesach
35 Josiah celebrated Passover unto Adonai in Jerusalem. They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 He reinstated the kohanim to their duties and encouraged them in the service of the House of Adonai. 3 He said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were consecrated to Adonai, “Put the holy Ark in the House which Solomon the son of King David of Israel built. Since it is no longer a burden on your shoulders now, serve Adonai your God and His people Israel. 4 Prepare youselves by your ancestral houses in your divisions, according to the writing of King David of Israel and according to the writing of his son Solomon. 5 Stand in the holy place by the divisions of the ancestral houses, by sons of the people and by divisions of ancestral houses of the Levites. 6 Now sanctify yourselves, slaughter the Passover lamb and prepare it for your kinsmen, according to the word of Adonai by the hand of Moses.”
7 Josiah provided for all the people who were present, flocks of lambs and goats totaling 30,000, all for the Passover offerings, as well as 3,000 bulls—all from the king’s possessions.
8 His officials also gave a freewill offering to the people, the kohanim and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel—the administrators of the House of God—donated to the kohanim 2,600 Passover offerings, and 300 bulls. 9 Likewise, Conaniah along with Shemaiah and Nethaniel, his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel and Jozabad, leaders of the Levites, provided 5,000 Passover lambs for the Levites and 500 bulls.
10 So the avodah was prepared and the kohanim stood at their posts with the Levites in their divisions according to the king’s command. 11 They slaughtered the Passover lambs and while the kohanim sprinkled the blood handed to them, the Levites flayed them. 12 Then they removed the portions to be burnt to give them to the divisions of ancestral houses of the people to present to Adonai, as it is written in the book of Moses. They did the same with the bulls. 13 They roasted the Passover lambs with fire according to the ordinance, then boiled the sacred parts in pots, caldrons and pans, and brought them quickly to all the people. 14 Afterward, they made preparations for themselves and for the kohanim, because the kohanim, the sons of Aaron, were busy sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fat until nightfall. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the kohanim, the sons of Aaron.
15 The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were at their stations according to the commandment of David, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, the king’s seer. The gatekeepers were at every gate. They did not need to depart from their posts for their fellow Levites provided for them.
16 So on that day the entire service of Adonai was prepared to keep the Passover and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of Adonai according to the command of King Josiah. 17 The Bnei-Yisrael present celebrated the Passover at that time and observed the Feast of Matzot for seven days. 18 Passover had not been celebrated like that in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet, and none of the kings of Israel had ever celebrated such a Passover as Josiah did with the kohanim, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 This Passover was celebrated in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah.
Death of Josiah
20 After all this, when Josiah had set the House in order, King Neco of Egypt came up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates and Josiah went out to engage him. 21 But Neco sent messengers to him saying, “What is there between me and you, king of Judah? I am not coming against you today but against the house that wars with me and God has ordered me to hurry. Stop for your sake from meddling with God who is with me, so that He will not destroy you!”
22 Josiah, however, would not turn away from him but disguised himself in order to fight him. He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God and went to fight him in the plain of Megiddo. 23 Archers shot King Josiah and the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am seriously wounded.” 24 So his servants carried him out of the chariot and put him in the second chariot that he had. They brought him to Jerusalem where he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned over Josiah.
25 Now Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the singers, male and female, commemorated Josiah in their laments. And they made them an ordinance in Israel and behold, they are written in the lamentations. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his deeds of devotion as written in the Torah of Adonai, 27 and his acts, the first and the last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
Defiance Leads to Devastation
36 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in Jerusalem in his father’s place. 2 Joahaz[a] was 23 years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 3 The king of Egypt deposed him in Jerusalem and imposed a fine on the land of 100 talents of silver and a talent of gold. 4 The king of Egypt made Eliakim, his brother, king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
5 Jehoiakim was 25 years old when he became king, and he reigned 11 years in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of Adonai his God. 6 Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon marched against him and bound him with bronze chains to take him to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar also took some of the vessels of the House of Adonai to Babylon and put them in his temple in Babylon. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the detestable things he did, and all that was found against him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of Adonai. 10 At the turn of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and had him brought to Babylon along with the precious articles from the House of Adonai and made his brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.
11 Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became king and he reigned 11 years in Jerusalem. 12 He did evil in the sight of Adonai his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet who spoke from the mouth of Adonai. 13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him take an oath by God. He also stiffened his neck and hardened his heart so as not to turn to Adonai, the God of Israel. 14 Furthermore, all the leading kohanim and the people became very unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. They defiled the House of Adonai, which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.
15 Adonai, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through His messengers again and again, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. 16 But they mocked the messengers of God and despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets until the wrath of Adonai rose against His people, until there was no remedy. 17 Therefore He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the House of their Temple. He had no pity on young man or virgin, elderly or infirm—He gave them all into his hand. 18 All the vessels of the House of God, large and small, and the treasures of the House of Adonai, as well as the treasures of the king and his officers were all brought to Babylon. 19 They burned the House of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all the palaces with fire and destroyed everything of value. 20 He exiled to Babylon those who had escaped the sword and they became slaves to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia— 21 in fulfillment of the word of Adonai by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had paid back her Shabbat rests—for as long as it lay desolate—the Shabbat rest was kept till 70 years were complete.
Proclamation of Cyrus of Persia
22 Now in the first year of King Cyrus of Persia—fulfilling the word of Adonai by the mouth of Jeremiah—Adonai stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing, saying: 23 “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia ‘Adonai, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build Him a House in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever among you of all His people may go up and may Adonai his God be with him.’”
Bound and Sentenced
19 Then Pilate took Yeshua and had Him scourged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe. 3 They kept coming up to Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapping Him over and over.
4 Pilate came out again. He said to them, “Look, I’m bringing Him out to you, to let you know that I find no case against Him.” 5 So Yeshua came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. “Behold, the Man!” Pilate said to them.
6 When the ruling kohanim and officers saw Him, they yelled out, “Execute Him! Execute Him!”[a]
Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and execute Him! For I don’t find a case against Him.”
7 The Judean leaders answered him, “We have a law,[b] and according to the Torah He must die, because He claimed to be Ben-Elohim!”
8 When Pilate heard this word, he became even more fearful. 9 He went into the Praetorium again and said to Yeshua, “Where are You from?” But Yeshua gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to Him, “You aren’t speaking to me? Don’t You know that I have the authority to release You, and I have the authority to crucify You?”
11 Yeshua answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it hadn’t been given to you from above. For this reason, the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”
12 Pilate tried to let Him go after this; but the Judean leaders cried out, saying, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!”
13 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Yeshua out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Aramaic,[c] Gabbatha). 14 It was the Day of Preparation for Passover, about the sixth hour.[d] And Pilate said to the Judean leaders, “Behold, your king!”
15 They shouted back, “Take Him away! Take Him away! Execute Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Should I execute your king?”
The ruling kohanim answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”
16 Finally, Pilate handed Yeshua over to be crucified.
A Sacrificial Death
17 Then they took Yeshua. He went out, carrying His own crossbar, to the Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic[e] is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side and Yeshua in between.
19 Pilate also wrote a sign and put it on the execution stake. It was written, “YESHUA HA-NATZRATI, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 20 Many Judeans read this sign, because the place where Yeshua was executed was near the city; it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
21 The ruling kohanim of the Judeans were saying to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’”
22 “What I have written, I have written,” Pilate answered.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.