New International Version
2 Kings 23:25
25Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.
2 Kings 23:25 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since.
Context of 2 Kings 23:25
23But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was celebrated to the Lord in Jerusalem. 24Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the Lord. Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses. 26Nevertheless, the Lord did not turn away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to arouse his anger. 27So the Lord said, “I will remove Judah also from my presence as I removed Israel, and I will reject Jerusalem, the city I chose, and this temple, about which I said, ‘My Name shall be there.’”
Read all of 2 Kings 232 Kings 23:25 word by word
וְכָמֹהוּ֩ לֹֽא־הָיָ֨ה לְפָנָ֜יו מֶ֗לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֤ב אֶל־יְהוָה֙ בְּכָל־לְבָב֤וֹ וּבְכָל־נַפְשׁוֹ֙ וּבְכָל־מְאֹד֔וֹ כְּכֹ֖ל תּוֹרַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְאַחֲרָ֖יו לֹֽא־קָ֥ם כָּמֹֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And like unto him was there no kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- him, that turnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- to the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- with all his heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
- and with all his soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
- and with all his mightמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- according to all the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
- of Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- neither afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- him aroseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
Cross-references for 2 Kings 23:25
- 2 Kings 18:5Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him.
- 2 Kings 23:3The 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.
- Deuteronomy 4:29But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.
- Deuteronomy 6:5Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
- 1 Kings 2:4and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’
- 1 Kings 8:48and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name;
- 1 Kings 15:5For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.
- Jeremiah 29:13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
- Nehemiah 10:29all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.
- Malachi 4:4“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.
- John 1:17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
- John 7:19Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”
Commentaries on 2 Kings 23:25
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25Like unto him was there no king - Perhaps not one from the time of David; and, morally considered, including David himself, none ever sat on the Jewish throne, so truly exemplary in his own conduct, and so thoroughly zealous in the work of God. David was a greater but not a better man than Josiah.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 25And like unto him - See 2 Kings 18:5 note. We must not press the letter of either passage, but regard both kings as placed among the very best of the kings of Judah.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-30Verses 25-30 Upon reading these verses, we must say, Lord, though thy righteousness be as the great mountains, evident, plainly to be seen, and past dispute; yet thy judgments are a great deep, unfathomable, and past finding out. The reforming king is cut off in the midst of his usefulness, in mercy to him, that he might not see the evil coming upon his kingdom: but in wrath to his people, for his death was an inlet to their desolations. (2Ki 23:31-37)Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24-25Josiah's dedication to the law led to changes in Jerusalem and Judah. He worked hard to remove all bad practices and strictly observed Passover. This made him the greatest king in following the laws of Moses.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 23:25
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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