Amplified Bible
2 Chronicles 34:3
3For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young (sixteen), he began to seek after and inquire of the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and cast images.
2 Chronicles 34:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
- New International Version (NIV)In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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 Asherim, and the carved and the metal images.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images.
Context of 2 Chronicles 34:3
1Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father (forefather) and did not turn aside either to the right or to the left. For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young (sixteen), he began to seek after and inquire of the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and cast images. 4They tore down the altars of the Baals in his presence; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were high above them; he also smashed the Asherim and the carved images and the cast images to pieces, and ground them to dust and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5Then Josiah burned the bones of the [pagan] priests on their altars and purged and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
Read all of 2 Chronicles 342 Chronicles 34:3 word by word
וּבִשְׁמוֹנֶ֨ה שָׁנִ֜ים לְמָלְכ֗וֹ וְהוּא֙ עוֹדֶ֣נּוּ נַ֔עַר הֵחֵ֕ל לִדְר֕וֹשׁ לֵאלֹהֵ֖י דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֑יו וּבִשְׁתֵּ֧ים עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֗ה הֵחֵל֙ לְטַהֵ֔ר אֶת־יְהוּדָה֙ וִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם מִן־הַבָּמוֹת֙ וְהָ֣אֲשֵׁרִ֔ים וְהַפְּסִלִ֖ים וְהַמַּסֵּכֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For in the eighthשְׁמֹנֶהshemôneh shemôneh shemônâh shemônâh · eightH8083
- yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- of his reignמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427
- while he was yet youngנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- he beganחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: beginH2490
- to seekדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
- after the Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- his fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- and in the twelfthעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- and in the twelfthשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- to purgeטָהֵרţâhêr · be pureH2891
- Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- and Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- from the high placesבָּמָהbâmâh · high placeH1116
- and the grovesאֲשֵׁרָה'ăshêrâh 'ăshêyrâh · AsherahH842
- and the carved imagesפָּסִילpesîyl · idolH6456
- and the molten imagesמַסֵּכָהmassêkâh · molten metalH4541
Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 34:3
- 1 Chronicles 22:5David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous, and an object of glory and splendor throughout all lands [of the earth]. So now I will make preparations for it.” Therefore, David made ample preparations before his death.
- 1 Chronicles 29:1And King David said to all the assembly, “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced and the work is great; for the temple is not for man but for the Lord God.
- Psalms 119:9How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping watch [on himself] according to Your word [conforming his life to Your precepts].
- Ecclesiastes 12:1Remember [thoughtfully] also your Creator in the days of your youth [for you are not your own, but His], before the evil days come or the years draw near when you will say [of physical pleasures], “I have no enjoyment and delight in them”;
- 2 Timothy 3:15and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Hebrew Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus [surrendering your entire self to Him and having absolute confidence in His wisdom, power and goodness].
- 2 Chronicles 15:2and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him, as your soul’s first necessity], He will let you find Him; but if you abandon (turn away from) Him, He will abandon (turn away from) you.
- 1 Chronicles 28:9“As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father [have personal knowledge of Him, be acquainted with, and understand Him; appreciate, heed, and cherish Him] and serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and minds, and understands every intent and inclination of the thoughts. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him as your first and vital necessity] He will let you find Him; but if you abandon (turn away from) Him, He will reject you forever.
- Proverbs 8:17I love those who love me; And those who seek me early and diligently will find me.
- Matthew 6:33But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.
- 2 Chronicles 33:17Yet the people still sacrificed on the high places, but only to the Lord their God.
- Leviticus 26:30I will destroy your high places [devoted to idolatrous worship], and cut down your incense altars, and heap your dead bodies upon the [crushed] bodies of your idols, and My soul will detest you [with deep and unutterable loathing].
- 2 Kings 23:4Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second rank and the doorkeepers to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the articles made for Baal, for [the goddess] Asherah, and for all the [starry] host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel [where Israel’s idolatry began].
- 2 Chronicles 30:14They took action and removed the [pagan] altars which were in Jerusalem; they also removed all the incense altars and threw them into the Brook Kidron [the dumping place for the ashes of such repulsive things].
- 2 Kings 18:4He removed the high places [of pagan worship], broke down the images (memorial stones) and cut down the Asherim. He also crushed to pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the Israelites had burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan [a bronze sculpture].
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 34:3
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3He began to purge Judah - Jeremiah‘s first prophecies Jeremiah 23 appear to have been coincident with Josiah‘s earlier efforts to uproot idolatry, and must have greatly strengthened his hands.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3When Josiah was sixteen, he started to seek the God of his ancestor David. At twenty, he began his own reforms.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. in the eighth year of his reign--This was the sixteenth year of his age, and, as the kings of Judah were considered minors till they had completed their thirteenth year, it was three years after he had attained majority. He had very early manifested the piety and excellent dispositions of his character. In the twelfth year of his reign, but the twentieth of his age, he began to take a lively interest in the purgation of his kingdom from all the…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Chronicles 34:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 34
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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