2 Chronicles 34
Expanded Bible
Josiah King of Judah(A)
34 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 He did what ·the Lord said was right [L was pleasing/proper in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. He lived as his ·ancestor [father] David had lived, and he did not ·stop doing what was right [L turn aside/deviate to the right or the left].
3 In his eighth year as king while he was still young, Josiah began to ·obey [seek] the God of his ·ancestor [father] David. In his twelfth year as king, Josiah began to ·remove [purge; rid] from Judah and Jerusalem the ·places for worshiping gods [L high places; 11:15], the Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3], and the ·wooden [carved] and ·metal [cast; molten] ·idols [images]. 4 The people tore down the altars for the Baal gods ·as Josiah directed [or in his presence]. Then Josiah cut down the incense altars that were above them. He broke up the Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3] and the wooden and ·metal [cast; molten] idols and ·beat [ground; crushed] them into powder. Then he sprinkled the powder on the ·graves [tombs] of the people who had ·offered [sacrificed] sacrifices to these gods. 5 He burned the bones of their priests on their own altars. So Josiah ·removed idol worship from [purged; purified] Judah and Jerusalem, 6 and from the towns in the areas of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon all the way to Naphtali, and in the ·ruins [or regions] near these towns. 7 Josiah broke down the altars and Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3] and ·beat [ground; crushed] the ·idols [carved images] into powder. He ·cut down [chopped up; smashed] all the incense altars in all of Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
8 In Josiah’s eighteenth year ·as king [of reigning], ·he made [he continued to make; or after he had made…] ·Judah [L the land] and the ·Temple [L house] pure. He sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city ·leader [official; governor], and Joah son of Joahaz the ·recorder [royal historian] to ·repair [restore] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, the God of Josiah. 9 These men went to Hilkiah the high priest and ·gave him [delivered] the money the Levite gatekeepers had gathered from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim, and all the ·Israelites who were left alive [L remnant of Israel], and also from all the people of Judah, Benjamin, and Jerusalem. This is the money they had brought into the ·Temple [L house] of God. 10 Then the Levites gave it to the ·supervisors [overseers; foremen] of the work on the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, and they paid the workers who ·rebuilt [restored] and repaired the ·Temple [L house]. 11 They gave money to carpenters and builders to buy ·cut [quarried; finished] stone and ·wood [timber]. The ·wood [timber] was used ·to rebuild [for rafters/joists/braces for] the buildings and to make beams for them, because the kings of Judah had let the buildings fall into ruin. 12 The men did their work ·well [faithfully]. Their ·supervisors [overseers; foremen] were Jahath and Obadiah, who were Levites from the ·family [clan] of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, who were from the ·family [clan] of Kohath. ·These [or Other] Levites were all skilled musicians. 13 They were also ·in charge [supervisors; overseers; foremen] of the ·workers who carried loads [burden bearers; laborers] and all the other workers. Some Levites worked as ·secretaries [scribes], ·officers [officials], and gatekeepers.
The Book of the Teachings Is Found
14 The Levites brought out the money that was in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. As they were doing this, Hilkiah the priest found the ·Book [scroll] of the Lord’s ·Teachings [instructions; laws] that had been given through Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the royal ·secretary [scribe] , “I’ve found the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [instructions; laws] in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord!” Then he gave it to Shaphan.
16 Shaphan took the ·book [scroll] to the king and reported to Josiah, “Your ·officers [officials] are doing everything you ·told [assigned; entrusted] them to do. 17 They have paid out the ·money [silver] that was in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and have ·given [delivered; entrusted] it to the ·supervisors [overseers] and the workers.” 18 Then Shaphan the royal ·secretary [scribe] told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a ·book [scroll].” And Shaphan read from the ·book [scroll] to the king.
19 When the king heard the words of the ·Teachings [instructions; laws], he tore his clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress]. 20 He gave orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the royal ·secretary [scribe], and Asaiah, the king’s servant. These were the orders: 21 “Go and ·ask [inquire of] the Lord about the words in the ·book [scroll] that was found. Ask for me and for the ·people who are left alive in [remnant of] Israel and Judah. The Lord is ·very angry with [L pouring out/igniting his wrath on] us, because our ·ancestors [fathers] did not ·obey [seek] the Lord’s word; they did not ·do [act in accordance with] everything this ·book [scroll] says to do.”
22 So Hilkiah and those the king sent with him went to talk to Huldah the prophetess. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, ·who took care of the king’s clothes [keeper of the wardrobe]. Huldah lived in Jerusalem, in the ·new area of the city [second quarter].
23 She said to them, “·This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says [T Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel]: Tell the man who sent you to me, 24 ‘This is what the Lord says: I will bring ·trouble to [disaster/L evil on] this place and ·to [on] the people living here. I will bring all the curses that are written in the ·book [scroll] that was read to the king of Judah [Deut. 27–28]. 25 The people of Judah have ·left [abandoned; forsaken] me and have burned incense to other gods. They have ·made me angry [L provoked/aroused me to anger] by all the evil things [C idols] they have made. So ·I will punish them in my anger [L my wrath will be poured out on this place], which will not be ·put out [quenched; extinguished].’ 26 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to ·ask [inquire of] the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the ·words [message] you heard: 27 When you heard my words against this place and its people, ·you became sorry for what you had done [your heart was tender/responsive/sensitive] and you humbled yourself before me. You tore your clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress], and you cried in my presence. This is why I have heard you, says the Lord. 28 So I will ·let you die and be buried [L gather you to your ancestors/fathers and to your grave/tomb] in peace. You won’t see all the ·trouble [disaster; L evil] I will bring to this place and the people living here.’”
So they took her ·message [response; answer] back to the king.
29 Then the king ·gathered [summoned] all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem together. 30 He went up to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, and all the people from Judah and from Jerusalem went with him. The priests, the Levites, and all the people—·from the most important to the least important [both great and small; or from the oldest to the youngest]—went with him. He read to them all the words in the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Agreement [covenant; treaty] that was found in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 31 The king stood by his pillar [C a place of authority] and made an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] ·in the presence of [before] the Lord to follow the Lord and ·obey [keep] his commands, rules, and laws with ·his whole being [all his heart] and to obey the words of the ·agreement [covenant; treaty] written in this ·book [scroll]. 32 Then Josiah ·made [required] all the people in Jerusalem and Benjamin ·promise to accept [stand with him regarding] the ·agreement [covenant; treaty]. So the people of Jerusalem ·obeyed [acted in accordance with] the ·agreement [covenant; treaty] of God, the God of their ·ancestors [fathers].
33 And Josiah threw out the [detestable; abominable] idols from all the land that belonged to the Israelites. He ·led [forced; caused] everyone in Israel to serve the Lord their God. While Josiah lived, the people ·obeyed [did not turn from] the Lord, the God of their ·ancestors [fathers].
2 Chronicles 34
English Standard Version
Josiah Reigns in Judah
34 (A)Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father; and 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 yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the (B)Asherim, and the carved and the metal images. 4 And they chopped down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and he cut down the (C)incense altars that stood above them. And he broke in pieces the (D)Asherim and the carved and the metal images, and he made dust of them and (E)scattered it over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 (F)He also burned the bones of the priests on their altars and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 And in the (G)cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, in their ruins[a] all around, 7 he broke down the altars and beat the (H)Asherim and the images (I)into powder and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
The Book of the Law Found
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 the (K)governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz, (L)the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God. 9 They came to (M)Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had collected from (N)Manasseh and Ephraim and from all the remnant of Israel and from all Judah and Benjamin and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 And they gave it to the workmen who were working in the house of the Lord. And the workmen who were working in the house of the Lord gave it for repairing and restoring the house. 11 They gave it to the carpenters and the builders to buy quarried stone, and timber for binders and (O)beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had let go to ruin. 12 And the men did the work faithfully. Over them were set Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to have oversight. (P)The Levites, all who were skillful with instruments of music, 13 were over (Q)the burden-bearers and directed all who did work in every kind of service, and some of the Levites were scribes and officials and gatekeepers.
14 While they were bringing out the money that had been brought into the house of the Lord, (R)Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord given through[b] Moses. 15 Then Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. 16 Shaphan brought the book to the king, and further reported to the king, “All that was committed to your servants they are doing. 17 They have emptied out the money that was found in the house of the Lord and have given it into the hand of the overseers and the workmen.” 18 Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it before the king.
19 And when the king heard the words of the Law, (S)he tore his clothes. 20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, 21 “Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found. For great is (T)the wrath of the Lord that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do according to all that is written in this book.”
Huldah Prophesies Disaster
22 So Hilkiah and those whom the king had sent[c] went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter) and spoke to her to that effect. 23 And she said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 24 Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book that was read before the king of Judah. 25 Because they have forsaken me and (U)have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, therefore (V)my wrath will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched. 26 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, 27 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. 28 Behold, 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 disaster that I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.’” And they brought back word to the king.
29 (W)Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 And the king went up to the house of the Lord, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the Levites, all the people both great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. 31 And the king (X)stood in his place (Y)and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after 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 Then he made all who were present in Jerusalem and in Benjamin join in it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 And Josiah took away (Z)all the abominations from all the territory that belonged to the people of Israel and made all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. All his days they did not turn away from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 34:6 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- 2 Chronicles 34:14 Hebrew by the hand of
- 2 Chronicles 34:22 Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew lacks had sent
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