2 Chronicles 34 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Josiah Reigns over Judah

1 Josiah ^H2977 was eight ^H8083 years ^H8141 old ^H1121 when he became ^H4427 king ^H4427, and he reigned ^H4427 thirty-one ^H7970 H259 years ^H8141 in Jerusalem ^H3389.

2 And he did ^H6213 what ^H3477 was ^H3477 right ^H3477 in the sight ^H5869 of Yahweh ^H3068 and walked ^H1980 in the ways ^H1870 of his father ^H1 David ^H1732 and did not turn ^H5493 aside ^H5493 to the right ^H3225 or to the left ^H8040. 3 Now in the eighth ^H8083 year ^H8141 of his reign ^H4427 while he was still ^H5750 a youth ^H5288, he began ^H2490 to seek ^H1875 the God ^H430 of his father ^H1 David ^H1732; and in the twelfth ^H8147 H6240 year ^H8141 he began ^H2490 to cleanse ^H2891 Judah ^H3063 and Jerusalem ^H3389 of the high ^H1116 places ^H1116, the Asherim ^H842, the graven ^H6456 images ^H6456, and the molten ^H4541 images ^H4541. 4 And they tore ^H5422 down ^H5422 the altars ^H4196 of the Baals ^H1168 in his presence ^H6440, and the incense ^H2553 altars ^H2553 that were high ^H4605 above ^H4605 them he cut ^H1438 in ^H1438 pieces ^H1438; also the Asherim ^H842, the graven ^H6456 images ^H6456, and the molten ^H4541 images ^H4541 he broke ^H7665 in ^H7665 pieces ^H7665 and ground ^H1854 to ^H1854 powder ^H1854 and scattered ^H2236 it on the graves ^H6913 of those who had sacrificed ^H2076 to them. 5 Then he burned ^H8313 the bones ^H6106 of the priests ^H3548 on their altars ^H4196 and cleansed ^H2891 Judah ^H3063 and Jerusalem ^H3389. 6 And in the cities ^H5892 of Manasseh ^H4519, Ephraim ^H669, Simeon ^H8095, even as far ^H5704 as Naphtali ^H5321, in their surrounding ^H5439 [fn]ruins ^H7339, 7 he also tore ^H5422 down ^H5422 the altars ^H4196 and beat ^H3807 the Asherim ^H842 and the graven ^H6456 images ^H6456 into powder ^H1854, and cut ^H1438 in ^H1438 pieces ^H1438 all ^H3605 the incense ^H2553 altars ^H2553 throughout ^H3605 the land ^H776 of Israel ^H3478. Then he returned ^H7725 to Jerusalem ^H3389.

Josiah Repairs the House of Yahweh

8 Now in the eighteenth ^H8083 H6240 year ^H8141 of his reign ^H4427, when he had cleansed ^H2891 the land ^H776 and the house ^H1004, he sent ^H7971 Shaphan ^H8227 the son ^H1121 of Azaliah ^H683, and Maaseiah ^H4641 an official ^H8269 of the city ^H5892, and Joah ^H3098 the son ^H1121 of Joahaz ^H3099 the recorder ^H2142, to repair ^H2388 the house ^H1004 of Yahweh ^H3068 his God ^H430.

9 And they came ^H935 to Hilkiah ^H2518 the high ^H1419 priest ^H3548 and gave ^H5414 him the money ^H3701 that was brought ^H935 into the house ^H1004 of God ^H430, which ^H834 the Levites ^H3881, the [fn]doorkeepers ^H8104 H5592, had gathered ^H622 from the hand ^H3027 of Manasseh ^H4519 and Ephraim ^H669, and from all ^H3605 the remnant ^H7611 of Israel ^H3478, and from all ^H3605 Judah ^H3063 and Benjamin ^H1144 and the inhabitants ^H3427 of Jerusalem ^H3389. 10 Then they gave ^H5414 it into the hand ^H3027 of [fn]those who did ^H6213 the work ^H4399, who had ^H6485 the oversight ^H6485 of the house ^H1004 of Yahweh ^H3068; and those who did ^H6213 the work ^H4399, who ^H834 were doing ^H6213 this in the house ^H1004 of Yahweh ^H3068, [fn]used ^H5414 it to restore ^H918 and repair ^H2388 the house ^H1004. 11 They in turn gave ^H5414 it to the craftsmen ^H2796 and to the builders ^H1129 to buy ^H7069 hewn ^H4274 stone ^H68 and timber ^H6086 for clamps ^H4226 and to make ^H7136 beams ^H7136 for the houses ^H1004 which ^H834 the kings ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063 had let go ^H7843 to ^H7843 ruin ^H7843. 12 And the men ^H376 did ^H6213 the work ^H4399 faithfully ^H530 with foremen ^H6485 over ^H5921 them to direct ^H5329: Jahath ^H3189 and Obadiah ^H5662, the Levites ^H3881 of the sons ^H1121 of Merari ^H4847, Zechariah ^H2148 and Meshullam ^H4918 of the sons ^H1121 of the Kohathites ^H6956, and the Levites ^H3881, all ^H3605 who were skillful ^H995 with musical ^H7892 instruments ^H3627. 13 They were also over ^H5921 those who carried ^H5449 loads ^H5449, and directed ^H5329 all ^H3605 those who did ^H6213 the work ^H4399 from service ^H5656 to service ^H5656; and some of the Levites ^H3881 were scribes ^H5608 and officials ^H7860 and gatekeepers ^H7778.

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law

14 When they were taking ^H3318 out ^H3318 the money ^H3701 which had been brought ^H935 into the house ^H1004 of Yahweh ^H3068, Hilkiah ^H2518 the priest ^H3548 found ^H4672 the book ^H5612 of the law ^H8451 of Yahweh ^H3068 given by the hand ^H3027 of Moses ^H4872.

15 So Hilkiah ^H2518 answered ^H6030 and said ^H559 to Shaphan ^H8227 the scribe ^H5608, “I have found ^H4672 the book ^H5612 of the law ^H8451 in the house ^H1004 of Yahweh ^H3068.” And Hilkiah ^H2518 gave ^H5414 the book ^H5612 to Shaphan ^H8227. 16 Then Shaphan ^H8227 brought ^H935 the book ^H5612 to the king ^H4428 and furthermore ^H5750 [fn]responded ^H7725 to the king ^H4428 with a word ^H1697, saying ^H559, “Everything ^H3605 that was given ^H5414 to the hand ^H3027 of your servants ^H5650 they are doing ^H6213. 17 They have also poured ^H5413 out ^H5413 the money ^H3701 that was found ^H4672 in the house ^H1004 of Yahweh ^H3068, and have given ^H5414 it into the hand ^H3027 of the supervisors ^H6485 and those who did ^H6213 the work ^H4399.” 18 Moreover, Shaphan ^H8227 the scribe ^H5608 told ^H5046 the king ^H4428 saying ^H559, “Hilkiah ^H2518 the priest ^H3548 gave ^H5414 me a book ^H5612.” And Shaphan ^H8227 read ^H7121 from it in the presence ^H6440 of the king ^H4428.

19 Now it happened that when the king ^H4428 heard ^H8085 the words ^H1697 of the law ^H8451, he tore ^H7167 his clothes ^H899. 20 Then the king ^H4428 commanded ^H6680 Hilkiah ^H2518, Ahikam ^H296 the son ^H1121 of Shaphan ^H8227, [fn]Abdon ^H5658 the son ^H1121 of Micah ^H4318, Shaphan ^H8227 the scribe ^H5608, and Asaiah ^H6222 the king’s ^H4428 servant ^H5650, saying ^H559, 21 “Go ^H1980, inquire ^H1875 of Yahweh ^H3068 for me and those who are left ^H7604 in Israel ^H3478 and in Judah ^H3063, concerning ^H5921 the words ^H1697 of the book ^H5612 which ^H834 has been found ^H4672, for great ^H1419 is the wrath ^H2534 of Yahweh ^H3068 which ^H834 is poured ^H5413 out ^H5413 against us, because ^H5921 H834 our fathers ^H1 have not kept ^H8104 the word ^H1697 of Yahweh ^H3068, to do ^H6213 according to all ^H3605 that is written ^H3789 in this ^H2088 book ^H5612.”

Josiah Will Not See Yahweh’s Wrath

22 So Hilkiah ^H2518 and those whom ^H834 the king ^H4428 [fn]had told went ^H1980 to Huldah ^H2468 the prophetess ^H5031, the wife ^H802 of Shallum ^H7967 the son ^H1121 of [fn]Tokhath ^H8445, the son ^H1121 of Hasrah ^H2641, keeper ^H8104 of the wardrobe ^H899 (now she lived ^H3427 in Jerusalem ^H3389 in the Second ^H4932 Quarter); and they spoke ^H1696 to her regarding this ^H2088.

23 And she said ^H559 to them, “Thus ^H3541 says ^H559 Yahweh ^H3068, the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478, ‘Say ^H559 to the man ^H376 who ^H834 sent ^H7971 you to Me, 24 thus ^H3541 says ^H559 Yahweh ^H3068, “Behold ^H2009, I am bringing ^H935 evil ^H7451 on this ^H2088 place ^H4725 and on its inhabitants ^H3427, even all ^H3605 the curses ^H423 written ^H3789 in the book ^H5612 which ^H834 they have read ^H7121 in the presence ^H6440 of the king ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063. 25 Because ^H8478 H834 they have forsaken ^H5800 Me and have burned ^H6999 incense ^H6999 to other ^H312 gods ^H430 that they might provoke ^H3707 Me to ^H3707 anger ^H3707 with all ^H3605 the works ^H4639 of their hands ^H3027, therefore My wrath ^H2534 will be poured ^H5413 out ^H5413 against this ^H2088 place ^H4725, and it shall not be quenched ^H3518.”’ 26 But to the king ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063 who sent ^H7971 you to inquire ^H1875 of Yahweh ^H3068, thus ^H3541 you shall say ^H559 to him, ‘Thus ^H3541 says ^H559 Yahweh ^H3068, the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478, “Regarding the words ^H1697 which ^H834 you have heard ^H8085, 27 because ^H3282 your heart ^H3824 was soft ^H7401 and you humbled ^H3665 yourself before ^H4480 H6440 God ^H430 when you heard ^H8085 His words ^H1697 against ^H5921 this ^H2088 place ^H4725 and against ^H5921 its inhabitants ^H3427, and because you humbled ^H3665 yourself before ^H6440 Me, tore ^H7167 your clothes ^H899 and wept ^H1058 before ^H6440 Me, I truly ^H1571 have heard ^H8085 you,” declares ^H5002 Yahweh ^H3068. 28 “Behold ^H2009, I will gather ^H622 you to your fathers ^H1, and you will be gathered ^H622 to your grave ^H6913 in peace ^H7965, so your eyes ^H5869 will not see ^H7200 all ^H3605 the evil ^H7451 which ^H834 I will bring ^H935 on this ^H2088 place ^H4725 and on its inhabitants ^H3427.”’” So they brought ^H7725 back ^H7725 word ^H1697 to the king ^H4428.

29 Then the king ^H4428 sent ^H7971 and gathered ^H622 all ^H3605 the elders ^H2205 of Judah ^H3063 and Jerusalem ^H3389. 30 And the king ^H4428 went ^H5927 up ^H5927 to the house ^H1004 of Yahweh ^H3068 and all ^H3605 the men ^H376 of Judah ^H3063, and the inhabitants ^H3427 of Jerusalem ^H3389, and the priests ^H3548 and the Levites ^H3881 and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971, from the greatest ^H1419 to the least ^H6996; and he read ^H7121 in their hearing ^H241 all ^H3605 the words ^H1697 of the book ^H5612 of the covenant ^H1285 which was found ^H4672 in the house ^H1004 of Yahweh ^H3068.

Josiah Cuts a Covenant with Yahweh

31 Then the king ^H4428 stood ^H5975 in his place ^H5977 and cut ^H3772 a covenant ^H1285 before ^H6440 Yahweh ^H3068, to walk ^H1980 after ^H310 Yahweh ^H3068, and to keep ^H8104 His commandments ^H4687 and His testimonies ^H5715 and His statutes ^H2706 with all ^H3605 his heart ^H3824 and with all ^H3605 his soul ^H5315, to do ^H6213 the words ^H1697 of the covenant ^H1285 that were written ^H3789 in this ^H2088 book ^H5612. 32 Moreover, he made all ^H3605 who were ^H4672 present ^H4672 in Jerusalem ^H3389 and Benjamin ^H1144 to stand ^H5975 with him. So the inhabitants ^H3427 of Jerusalem ^H3389 did ^H6213 according to the covenant ^H1285 of God ^H430, the God ^H430 of their fathers ^H1. 33 And Josiah ^H2977 took ^H5493 away ^H5493 all ^H3605 the abominations ^H8441 from all ^H3605 the lands ^H776 belonging to the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478, and made all ^H3605 who were ^H4672 present ^H4672 in Israel ^H3478 to serve ^H5647 Yahweh ^H3068 their God ^H430. Throughout ^H3605 his [fn]lifetime ^H3605 H3117 they did not turn ^H5493 away ^H5493 from following ^H310 Yahweh ^H3068, the God ^H430 of their fathers ^H1.