Josiah Is King of Judah
2 Chronicles 34, verse 1. Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 2. And he did what was right before the Lord and walked in the ways of his father David. He did not turn aside to the right hand or the left.
Josiah Purges False Worship
2 Chronicles 34, verse 3. 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 of his reign, he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the groves, and the molded images. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 4. They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence and the high places above them, and Josiah cut down the groves and the carved images and the molded images and crushed them to dust, and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 5. He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem 2 Chronicles 34, verse 6. and the cities of Ephraim and Manasseh and Simeon, as far as Naphtali and all the surrounding areas. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 7. When he had broken down the groves and the altars and the idols, beaten the carved images into powder, and cut down all the high places throughout the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
Repair of the Temple
2 Chronicles 34, verse 8. In the eighteenth year of his reign, after he cleansed the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz his recorder to repair the house of the Lord his God. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 9. When they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God which the Levites who kept the doors had gathered from the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all the remnant of Israel, from all Judah and Benjamin and these who dwelt in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 10. Then they put it in the hand of the foremen who had the oversight of the house of the Lord, and they gave it to the workmen who worked in the house of the Lord to repair and restore the house. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 11. They gave it to the carpenters and builders to buy hewn stone and timber for beams to roof the houses the kings of Judah had destroyed. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 12. And the men were faithful in the work. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of Kohath, who supervised; and all the Levites who were skillful with musical instruments; 2 Chronicles 34, verse 13. and overseers were over the burden-bearers and those who did work in any kind of service; and some of the Levites were scribes, officers, and gatekeepers.
The Book of the Law Is Found
2 Chronicles 34, verse 14. Now when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord given by Moses. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 15. Then Hilkiah spoke up and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 16. So Shaphan carried the book to the king and brought the king's word, saying, “All the money given is in the hands of your servants who are doing the work; 2 Chronicles 34, verse 17. and they cast the silver found in the house of the Lord, and delivered it into the hand of the overseers and the workmen.” 2 Chronicles 34, verse 18. Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 19. Thus when the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 20. Then the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the servant of the king, saying, 2 Chronicles 34, verse 21. “Concerning the words of the book that was found, go inquire of the Lord for me from those who are left in Israel and Judah. For the wrath of the Lord is burning greatly against us, for our fathers did not obey the word of the Lord nor do everything written in this book.” 2 Chronicles 34, verse 22. So Hilkiah and those the king had appointed went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter. And they told her this. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 23. And she told them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me, 2 Chronicles 34, verse 24. “Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will bring calamity on this place—all the words written in the book they read before the king of Judah, 2 Chronicles 34, verse 25. for they forsook Me and burned incense to other gods. They provoked Me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore My wrath burns in this place and it will not be quenched.’”’ 2 Chronicles 34, verse 26. But as for the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the Lord—this is what you shall say to him: ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Concerning the words you have heard, 2 Chronicles 34, verse 27. because your heart was turned and you humbled yourself before My face when you heard My words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and tore your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,” says the Lord. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 28. “Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be placed in your grave in peace. Your eyes shall not see the calamity I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.”’” So they brought back word to the king.
Josiah Restores True Worship
2 Chronicles 34, verse 29. Then the king sent and gathered the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 30. The king went up to the house of the Lord with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—the priests and the Levites and all the people, great and small. And he read for their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that was found in the house of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 31. And the king stood by his pillar and made a covenant before the Lord that he would follow the Lord and keep His commandments, His testimonies, and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and perform the words of the covenant written in this book. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 32. And he required it of all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made a covenant in the house of the Lord God of their fathers. 2 Chronicles 34, verse 33. Thus Josiah removed all the abominations from all the land that belonged to the sons of Israel, and made all present in Jerusalem and Israel diligently serve the Lord their God for all their days. They did not depart from following the Lord God of their fathers.