2 Kings 23

Josiah Renews the Covenant

(2 Chronicles 34:29–33)

1Then the kingH4428 summonedH7971H622H413 allH3605 the eldersH2205 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389. 2AndH4428 he went upH5927 to the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 with allH3605 the peopleH3427 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389, as well asH854 the priestsH3548 and the prophetsH5030—allH3605 the peopleH5971 smallH6996 andH5704 greatH1419—and in their hearingH241 he readH7121 allH3605 the wordsH1697 of the BookH5612 of the CovenantH1285 that had been foundH4672 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068.

3So the kingH4428 stoodH5975 byH5921 the pillarH5982 and madeH3772 a covenantH1285 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 to followH1980H310 the LORDH3068 and to keepH8104 His commandmentsH4687, decreesH5715, and statutesH2708 with allH3605 his heartH3820 and allH3605 his soulH5315, and to carry outH6965 the wordsH1697 of theH2063 covenantH1285 that were writtenH3789 inH5921 thisH2088 bookH5612. And allH3605 the peopleH5971 enteredH5975 into the covenantH1285.

Josiah Destroys Idolatry

(1 Kings 13:1–10; 2 Chronicles 34:3–7)

4Then the kingH4428 commandedH6680 HilkiahH2518 the highH1419 priestH3548, the priestsH3548 second in rankH4932, and the doorkeepersH8104H5592 to removeH3318 from the templeH1964 of the LORDH3068 allH3605 the articlesH3627 madeH6213 for BaalH1168, AsherahH842, and allH3605 the hostH6635 of heavenH8064. And he burned themH8313 outsideH2351 JerusalemH3389 in the fieldsH7709 of KidronH6939 and carriedH5375 their ashesH6083 to BethelH1008.

5Josiah also did away withH7673 the idolatrous priestsH3649 ordainedH5414 by the kingsH4428 of JudahH3063 to burn incenseH6999 on the high placesH1116 of the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063 and in the places all aroundH4524 JerusalemH3389—those who had burned incenseH6999 to BaalH1168, to the sunH8121 and moonH3394, to the constellationsH4208, and to allH3605 the hostH6635 of heavenH8064.

6He broughtH3318 the Asherah poleH842 from the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 toH413 the KidronH6939 ValleyH5158 outsideH2351 JerusalemH3389, andH6939H5158 there he burnedH8313 itH853, groundH1854 it to powderH6083, and threwH7993 its dustH6083 onH5921 the gravesH6913 of the commonH1121 peopleH5971. 7He also tore downH5422 the quartersH1004 of the male shrine prostitutesH6945 thatH834 were in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, whereH834 the womenH802 had wovenH707H8033 tapestriesH1004 for AsherahH842.

8Then Josiah broughtH935 allH3605 the priestsH3548 from the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063 and desecratedH2930 the high placesH1116, fromH834 GebaH1387 toH5704 BeershebaH884, whereH8033 the priestsH3548 had burned incenseH6999. He tore downH5422 the high placesH1116 of the gatesH8179 at the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179 of JoshuaH3091 the governorH8269 of the cityH5892, which wasH834 toH5921 the leftH8040H376 of the cityH5892 gateH8179. 9AlthoughH389 the priestsH3548 of the high placesH1116 did notH3808 come upH5927 toH413 the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068 in JerusalemH3389, they ateH398 unleavened breadH4682 withH8432 their fellow priestsH251.

10He also desecratedH2930 TophethH8612 in the ValleyH1516 of Ben-hinnomH1121H20111 so that noH1115 oneH376 could sacrificeH5674 his sonH1121 or daughterH1323 in the fireH7842 to MolechH4432. 11And he removedH7673 from the entranceH935 to the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 the horsesH5483 thatH834 the kingsH4428 of JudahH3063 had dedicatedH5414 to the sunH8121. They wereH834 in the courtH65033 nearH413 the chamberH3957 of an officialH5631 named Nathan-melechH5419. AndH853 Josiah burned upH8313H784 the chariotsH4818 of the sunH8121.

12He pulled downH5422 the altarsH4196 thatH834 the kingsH4428 of JudahH3063 had set upH6213 onH5921 the roofH1406 near the upper chamberH5944 of AhazH271, and the altarsH4196 thatH834 ManassehH4519 had set upH6213 in the twoH8147 courtyardsH2691 of the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068. The kingH4428 pulverized themH7323 thereH80334 and threwH7993 their dustH6083 intoH413 the KidronH6939 ValleyH5158.

13

The kingH4428 also desecratedH2930 the high placesH1116 eastH5921 ofH6440 JerusalemH3389, to the southH3225 of the MountH2022 of CorruptionH4889, whichH834 KingH4428 SolomonH8010 of IsraelH3478 had builtH1129 for AshtorethH6253 the abominationH8251 of the SidoniansH6722, for ChemoshH3645 the abominationH8251 of the MoabitesH4124, and for MilcomH44455 the abominationH8441 of the AmmonitesH1121H5983. 14He smashed the sacred pillarsH4676 to piecesH7665, cut downH3772 the Asherah polesH842, and coveredH4390 the sitesH4725 with humanH120 bonesH6106.

15He evenH1571 pulled downH5422 the altarH4196 at BethelH1008, the high placeH1116 set upH6213 by JeroboamH3379 sonH1121 of NebatH5028, whoH834 had caused IsraelH3478 to sinH2398. Then he burnedH83136 the high placeH1116, groundH1854 it to powderH6083, and burnedH8313 the Asherah poleH842. 16And as JosiahH2977 turnedH6437, he sawH7200 the tombsH6913 thereH8033 on the hillsideH2022, and he sentH7971 someone to takeH3947 the bonesH6106 out ofH4480 the tombsH6913, and he burned themH8313 onH5921 the altarH4196 to defile itH2930, according to the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 proclaimedH7121 by the manH376 of GodH430 whoH834 had foretoldH7121 theseH428 thingsH1697.7

17Then the king askedH559, “WhatH4100 is thisH1975 monumentH6725 IH589 seeH7200?”

And the menH582 of the cityH5892 repliedH559H413, “It is the tombH6913 of the manH376 of GodH430 whoH834 cameH935 from JudahH3063 and proclaimedH7121 theseH428 thingsH1697 thatH834 you have doneH6213 toH5921 the altarH4196 ofH1008 BethelH1008.”

18“Let him restH5117,” saidH559 Josiah. “Do notH408 let anyoneH376 disturbH5128 his bonesH6106.”

So they left his bonesH6106 undisturbedH4422, along with thoseH6106 of the prophetH5030 whoH834 had comeH935 from SamariaH8111.

19Just as JosiahH6213H3605H4639 had doneH6213 at BethelH1008, so alsoH1571 in the citiesH5892 of SamariaH8111 he removedH5493 allH3605 the shrinesH1004 of the high placesH1116 set upH6213 by the kingsH4428 of IsraelH3478 who had provoked the LORD to angerH3707. 20OnH5921 the altarsH4196 he slaughteredH2076 allH3605 the priestsH3548 of the high placesH1116, and he burnedH8313 humanH120 bonesH6106 on themH5921. Then he returnedH7725 to JerusalemH3389.

Josiah Restores the Passover

(2 Chronicles 35:1–19)

21The kingH4428 commandedH6680 allH3605 the peopleH5971H559, “KeepH6213 the PassoverH6453 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430, as it is writtenH3789 inH5921 thisH2088 BookH5612 of the CovenantH1285.”

22

NoH3808 suchH2088 PassoverH6453 had been observedH6213 from the daysH3117 of the judgesH8199 whoH834 had governedH8199 IsraelH3478 through allH3605 the daysH3117 of the kingsH4428 of IsraelH3478H4428 and JudahH3063. 23ButH3588H518 in the eighteenthH8083H6240 yearH8141 of Josiah’sH2977 reignH4428, thisH2088 PassoverH6453 was observedH6213 to the LORDH3068 in JerusalemH3389.

24FurthermoreH1571, JosiahH2977 removedH1197 the mediumsH178 andH853 spiritistsH3049, the household godsH8655 andH853 idolsH1544, and allH3605 the abominationsH8251 thatH834 were seenH7200 in the landH776 of JudahH3063 and in JerusalemH3389. He did thisH4616 to carry outH6965 the wordsH1697 of the lawH8451 writtenH3789 inH5921 the bookH5612 thatH834 HilkiahH2518 the priestH3548 had foundH4672 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068.

25NeitherH3808 beforeH6440 norH3808 afterH310 Josiah was thereH1961 any kingH4428 like himH3644, whoH834 turnedH7725 toH413 the LORDH3068 with allH3605 his heartH3824 and with allH3605 his soulH5315 and with allH3605 his strengthH3966, according to allH3605 the LawH8451 of MosesH4872.

26NeverthelessH389, the LORDH3068 did notH3808 turn awayH7725 from the furyH2740 of His burningH1419 angerH639, whichH834 was kindledH2734H639 against JudahH3063 because ofH5921 allH3605 thatH834 ManassehH4519 had doneH3708 to provoke Him to angerH3707. 27For the LORDH3068 had saidH559, “I willH1571 removeH5493 JudahH3063 fromH5921 My sightH6440, just asH834 I removedH5493 IsraelH3478. I will rejectH3988 thisH2063 cityH5892 JerusalemH3389, whichH834 I choseH977, and the templeH1004 of whichH834 I saidH559, ‘My NameH8034 shall beH1961 thereH8033.’”

The Death of Josiah

(2 Chronicles 35:20–24)

28As for the restH3499 of the actsH1697 of JosiahH2977 and allH3605 his accomplishmentsH834H6213, are theyH1992 notH3808 writtenH3789 inH5921 the BookH5612 of the ChroniclesH1697H3117 of the KingsH4428 of JudahH3063?

29During Josiah’s reignH3117, PharaohH6547 NecoH5224 kingH4428 of EgyptH4714 marched upH5927 toH5921 help the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 atH5921 the EuphratesH6578 RiverH5104. KingH4428 JosiahH2977 went outH1980 to confront himH7122, but Neco facedH7200 himH853 and killed himH4191 at MegiddoH4023.

30From MegiddoH4023 his servantsH5650 carried his bodyH4191 in a chariotH7392, brought him toH935 JerusalemH3389, and buried himH6912 in his own tombH6900. Then the peopleH5971 of the landH776 tookH3947 JehoahazH3059 sonH1121 of JosiahH2977, anointed himH4886, and made him kingH4427 in place ofH8478 his fatherH1.

Jehoahaz Succeeds Josiah

(2 Chronicles 36:1–4)

31JehoahazH3059 was twenty-threeH6242H7969 years oldH1121H8141 when he became kingH4427, and he reignedH4427 in JerusalemH3389 threeH7969 monthsH2320. His mother’sH517 nameH8034 was HamutalH2537 daughterH1323 of JeremiahH3414; she was from LibnahH3841. 32And he didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068, just asH3605 his fathersH1 had doneH6213.

33And PharaohH6547 NecoH5224 imprisoned JehoahazH631 at RiblahH7247 in the landH776 of HamathH2574 so that he could not reignH4427 in JerusalemH3389, and he imposedH5414 onH5921 Judah a levyH6066 of a hundredH3967 talentsH3603 of silverH37018 and a talentH3603 of goldH2091.9 34Then PharaohH6547 NecoH5224 made EliakimH471 sonH1121 of JosiahH2977 kingH4427 in place ofH8478 his fatherH1 JosiahH2977, and he changedH5437 Eliakim’s nameH8034 to JehoiakimH3079. But Neco tookH3947 JehoahazH3059 and carried him offH935 to EgyptH4714, where he diedH4191H8033.

35So JehoiakimH3079 paidH5414 the silverH3701 and goldH2091 to PharaohH6547 Neco, butH389 to meetH5921 Pharaoh’sH6547 demandH6310 he taxedH6186 the landH776 and exactedH5065 the silverH3701 andH853 the goldH2091 from the peopleH5971H776, eachH376 according to his wealthH6187.

Jehoiakim Reigns in Judah

(2 Chronicles 36:5–8)

36JehoiakimH3079 was twenty-fiveH6242H2568 years oldH1121H8141 when he became kingH4427, and he reignedH4427 in JerusalemH3389 elevenH259H6240 yearsH8141. His mother’sH517 nameH8034 was ZebidahH2080 daughterH1323 of PedaiahH6305; she was fromH4480 RumahH7316. 37And he didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068, just asH3605 his fathersH1 had doneH6213.