Berean Standard Bible
2 Kings 23:3
3So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.
2 Kings 23:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the king stood by a pillar, 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 their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
- New International Version (NIV)The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the king stood by the pillar 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 this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow 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 this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant.
Context of 2 Kings 23:3
1Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 2And he went up to the house of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the prophets—all the people small and great—and in their hearing he read all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD. So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant. 4Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel. 5Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.
Read all of 2 Kings 232 Kings 23:3 word by word
וַיַּעֲמֹ֣ד הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ עַֽל־הָ֨עַמּ֜וּד וַיִּכְרֹ֥ת אֶֽת־הַבְּרִ֣ית׀ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה לָלֶ֜כֶת אַחַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ וְלִשְׁמֹ֨ר מִצְוֹתָ֜יו וְאֶת־עֵדְוֹתָ֤יו וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתָיו֙ בְּכָל־לֵ֣ב וּבְכָל־נֶ֔פֶשׁ לְהָקִ֗ים אֶת־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את הַכְּתֻבִ֖ים עַל־הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד כָּל־הָעָ֖ם בַּבְּרִֽית׃Read the interlinear
- So the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- byעַל‛al · uponH5921
- the pillarעַמּוּד‛ammûd ‛ammûd · pillarH5982
- and madeכָּרַתkârath · to cut: make(covenant)H3772
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- a covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- to followהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
- to followאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- and to keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
- His commandmentsמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
- decreesעֵדוּת‛êdûth · testimonyH5715
- and statutesחֻקָּהchûqqâh · statuteH2708
- with allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
- and to carry outקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
- the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of theזֹאתzô'th · thisH2063
- that were writtenכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
- thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
- bookסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: bookH5612
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
Cross-references for 2 Kings 23:3
- 2 Kings 11:14And she looked out and saw the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”
- 2 Chronicles 23:13And she looked and saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, while the singers with musical instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason, treason!”
- 2 Chronicles 34:31So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book.
- Exodus 24:7Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people, who replied, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”
- Deuteronomy 5:1Then Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I declare in your hearing this day. Learn them and observe them carefully.
- Deuteronomy 29:1These are the words of the covenant that the LORD commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant He had made with them at Horeb.
- Joshua 24:25On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he established for them a statute and ordinance.
- 2 Chronicles 15:12Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul.
- 2 Chronicles 23:16Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people.
- 2 Chronicles 29:10Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that His fierce anger will turn away from us.
- Ezra 10:3So now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.
- Nehemiah 9:38In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”
- Nehemiah 10:28“The rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the people of the land to obey the Law of God—along with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand,
- Jeremiah 50:5They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and join themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.
- Hebrews 8:8But God found fault with the people and said: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
- Hebrews 12:24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 23:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Stood by a pillar - He stood, העמוד על al haammud, "upon the stairs or pulpit." This is what is called the brazen scaffold or pulpit which Solomon made, and on which the kings were accustomed to stand when they addressed the people. See 2 Chronicles 6:13, and the parallel places. Made a covenant - This was expressed, In general. To walk after Jehovah; to have no gods besides him. To take his law for the regulation of their conduct. In particular. To bend…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3By a pillar - Rather, “upon the pillar” (see 2 Kings 11:14, note). Made a covenant - “The covenant.” Josiah renewed the old covenant made between God and His people in Horeb Deuteronomy 5:2, so far at least as such renewal was possible by the mere act of an individual. He bound himself by a solemn promise to the faithful performance of the entire Law. With all their heart - “Their” rather than “his,” because the king was considered as pledging the whole…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3the king … made a covenant: The king … renewed the covenant: God’s people renewed their covenant (their promises with God) at several important times in history (see 2 Kings 11:12, 17; Joshua 24:1–27; 1 Kings 8:1–53).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-32Ki 23:1-3. Josiah Causes the Law to Be Read. 1-3. the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders--This pious and patriotic king, not content with the promise of his own security, felt, after Huldah's response, an increased desire to avert the threatened calamities from his kingdom and people. Knowing the richness of the divine clemency and grace to the penitent, he convened the elders of the people, and placing himself at their head…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 23:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Kings 23
- 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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