2 Chronicles 34 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Josiah Succeeds Amon in Judah

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

2 He did ^H6213 what was right ^H3477 in the sight ^H5869 of the LORD ^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 the left ^H8040. 3 For 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 purge ^H2891 Judah ^H3063 and Jerusalem ^H3389 of the high ^H1116 places ^H1116, the [fn]Asherim ^H842, the carved ^H6456 images ^H6456, and the cast ^H4541 metal ^H4541 images ^H4541. 4 They tore ^H5422 down ^H5422 the altars ^H4196 of the Baals ^H1168 in his presence ^H6440, and he chopped ^H1438 down ^H1438 the incense ^H2553 altars ^H2553 that were high ^H4605 above ^H4605 them; also he broke ^H7665 in ^H7665 pieces ^H7665 the Asherim ^H842, the carved ^H6456 images ^H6456, and the cast ^H4541 metal ^H4541 images ^H4541, and ground ^H1854 them 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 purged ^H2891 Judah ^H3063 and Jerusalem ^H3389. 6 In the cities ^H5892 of Manasseh ^H4519, Ephraim ^H669, Simeon ^H8095, and as far ^H5704 as Naphtali ^H5321, in their surrounding ^H5439 spaces ^H7339, 7 he also tore ^H5422 down ^H5422 the altars ^H4196 and crushed ^H3807 the [fn]Asherim ^H842 and the carved ^H6456 images ^H6456 into powder ^H1854, and chopped ^H1438 down ^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 Temple

8 Now in the eighteenth ^H8083 H6240 year ^H8141 of his reign ^H4427, when he had purged ^H2891 the land ^H776 and the house ^H1004, he sent ^H7971 Shaphan ^H8227 the son ^H1121 of Azaliah ^H683, Maaseiah ^H4641 an official ^H8269 of the city ^H5892, and Joah ^H3098 the son ^H1121 of Joahaz ^H3099 the secretary ^H4206, to repair ^H2388 the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068 his God ^H430.

9 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 collected ^H622 [fn]from Manasseh ^H4519 and Ephraim ^H669, and from all ^H3605 the remnant ^H7611 of Israel ^H3478, from all ^H3605 Judah ^H3063 and Benjamin ^H1144 and the inhabitants ^H3427 of Jerusalem ^H3389. 10 Then they handed ^H5414 H3027 it over ^H5414 to the workmen ^H4399 H6213 who had ^H6485 the oversight ^H6485 of the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068, and the workmen ^H4399 H6213 who ^H834 were working ^H6213 in the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068 [fn]used ^H5414 it to restore ^H918 and repair ^H2388 the house ^H1004. 11 They in turn gave ^H5414 it to the carpenters ^H2796 and the builders ^H1129 to buy ^H7069 quarried ^H4274 stone ^H68 and timber ^H6086 for couplings ^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 The men ^H376 did ^H6213 the work ^H4399 faithfully ^H530 with foremen ^H6485 over ^H5921 them to supervise ^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 in ^H5921 charge ^H5921 of ^H5921 the burden ^H5449 bearers ^H5449, and supervised ^H5329 all ^H3605 the workmen ^H6213 H4399 from job ^H5656 to job ^H5656; and some ^H4480 of the Levites ^H3881 were scribes ^H5608, and officials ^H7860, and gatekeepers ^H7778.

Hilkiah Discovers the Lost Book of the Law

14 When they were bringing ^H3318 out ^H3318 the money ^H3701 which had been brought ^H935 into the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068, Hilkiah ^H2518 the priest ^H3548 found ^H4672 the Book ^H5612 of the Law ^H8451 of the LORD ^H3068 given by Moses ^H4872.

15 Hilkiah ^H2518 responded ^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 the LORD ^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 [fn]reported ^H7725 further ^H5750 word ^H1697 to the king ^H4428, saying ^H559, “Everything ^H3605 that was [fn]entrusted ^H5414 H3027 to your servants ^H5650, they are doing ^H6213. 17 They have also emptied ^H5413 out ^H5413 the money ^H3701 which was found ^H4672 in the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068, and have handed ^H5414 H3027 it over ^H5414 to the supervisors ^H6485 and the workmen ^H4399 H6213.” 18 Moreover, Shaphan ^H8227 the scribe ^H5608 informed ^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 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 the LORD ^H3068 for me and for those who are left ^H7604 in Israel ^H3478 and Judah ^H3063, concerning ^H5921 the words ^H1697 of the book ^H5612 which ^H834 has been found ^H4672; for the wrath ^H2534 of the LORD ^H3068 which ^H834 has poured ^H5413 out ^H5413 on us is great ^H1419, because ^H5921 H834 our fathers ^H1 have not kept ^H8104 the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068, to act ^H6213 in accordance with everything ^H3605 that is written ^H3789 in this ^H2088 book ^H5612.”

Huldah, the Prophetess, Speaks

22 So Hilkiah ^H2518 and those [fn]whom ^H834 the king ^H4428 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, the keeper ^H8104 of the wardrobe ^H899 (she lived ^H3427 in Jerusalem ^H3389 in the Second ^H4932 Quarter); and they spoke ^H1696 to her regarding this ^H2088.

23 Then she said ^H559 to them, “This ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 the LORD ^H3068, the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478 says ^H559: ‘Tell ^H559 the man ^H376 who ^H834 sent ^H7971 you to Me, 24 this ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 the LORD ^H3068 says ^H559: “Behold ^H2009, I am bringing ^H935 [fn]evil ^H7451 on this ^H2088 place ^H4725 and on its inhabitants ^H3427, 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 Since ^H8478 H834 they have abandoned ^H5800 Me and have burned ^H6999 incense ^H6999 to other ^H312 gods ^H430, so ^H4616 that ^H4616 they may provoke ^H3707 Me to ^H3707 anger ^H3707 with all ^H3605 the works ^H4639 of their hands ^H3027, My wrath ^H2534 will be poured ^H5413 out ^H5413 on this ^H2088 place ^H4725 and it will not be quenched ^H3518.”’ 26 But to the king ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063 who sent ^H7971 you to inquire ^H1875 of the LORD ^H3068, this ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 you shall say ^H559 to him: ‘This ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 the LORD ^H3068, the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478 says ^H559: In regard to the words ^H1697 which ^H834 you have heard ^H8085, 27 “Because ^H3282 your heart ^H3824 was tender ^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 its inhabitants ^H3427, and because you humbled ^H3665 yourself before ^H6440 Me, tore ^H7167 your clothes ^H899, and wept ^H1058 before ^H6440 Me, I have indeed ^H1571 heard ^H8085 you,” declares ^H5002 the LORD ^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 am bringing ^H935 on this ^H2088 place ^H4725 and its inhabitants ^H3427.”’” And they brought ^H7725 back ^H7725 word ^H1697 to the king ^H4428.

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

Josiah’s Good Reign

31 Then the king ^H4428 stood ^H5975 [fn]in his place ^H5977 and made ^H3772 a covenant ^H1285 before ^H6440 the LORD ^H3068 to walk ^H1980 after ^H310 the LORD ^H3068, and to keep ^H8104 His commandments ^H4687, His testimonies ^H5715, and His statutes ^H2706 with all ^H3605 his heart ^H3824 and with all ^H3605 his soul ^H5315, to perform ^H6213 the words ^H1697 of the covenant ^H1285 that are written ^H3789 in this ^H2088 book ^H5612. 32 Furthermore, he made all ^H3605 who were ^H4672 present ^H4672 in Jerusalem ^H3389 and Benjamin ^H1144 stand ^H5975 with him. So the inhabitants ^H3427 of Jerusalem ^H3389 acted ^H6213 in accordance with the covenant ^H1285 of God ^H430, the God ^H430 of their fathers ^H1. 33 Josiah ^H2977 removed ^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 serve ^H5647 the LORD ^H3068 their God ^H430. Throughout ^H3605 his [fn]lifetime ^H3605 H3117 they did not turn ^H5493 from following ^H310 the LORD ^H3068 God ^H430 of their fathers ^H1.