34
1 Josiah
was eight years
old when he began
to reign, and
he reigned
thirty-one years
in Jerusalem.
2 He
did that which
was right in
the LORD’s eyes,
and walked in
the ways of
David his father,
and didn’t turn
away to the
right hand or
to the left.
3 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,
the Asherah poles, the
engraved images,
and the molten
images.
4 They
broke down the
altars of the
Baals in his
presence; and he
cut down the
incense altars
that were on
high above them.
He broke
the Asherah poles, the
engraved images,
and the molten
images in pieces,
made dust of
them, and
scattered it on
the graves of
those who had
sacrificed to them.
5 He
burned the bones
of the priests
on their altars,
and purged Judah
and Jerusalem.
6 He
did this in
the cities of
Manasseh, Ephraim, and
Simeon, even to
Naphtali, around
in their ruins.
7 He
broke down the
altars, beat
the Asherah poles and
the engraved
images into powder,
and cut down
all the incense
altars throughout
all the land of
Israel, then
returned to
Jerusalem.
8 Now
in the eighteenth
year of his
reign, when he
had purged the land
and the house,
he sent Shaphan
the son of Azaliah,
Maaseiah the
governor of the
city, and Joah
the son of
Joahaz the
recorder to repair
the house of
the LORD his
God.
9 They
came to Hilkiah
the high priest
and delivered the
money that was
brought into God’s
house, which the
Levites, the
keepers of the
threshold, had
gathered from the
hands of Manasseh,
Ephraim, of all
the remnant of
Israel, of all
Judah and Benjamin,
and of the
inhabitants of
Jerusalem.
10 They
delivered it into
the hands of
the workmen who
had the oversight
of the LORD’s
house; and the
workmen who
labored in the
LORD’s house gave
it to mend
and repair the
house.
11 They
gave it to
the carpenters and
to the builders
to buy cut stone
and timber for
couplings, and to
make beams for
the houses which
the kings of
Judah had
destroyed.
12 The
men did the
work faithfully. Their
overseers were
Jahath and Obadiah
the Levites, of
the sons of
Merari; and
Zechariah and
Meshullam, of the
sons of the
Kohathites, to
give direction; and others
of the Levites,
who were
all skillful with
musical instruments.
13 Also
they were over
the bearers of
burdens, and directed
all who did
the work in
every kind of
service. Of the
Levites, there
were scribes,
officials, and
gatekeepers.
14 When
they brought out
the money that
was brought into
the LORD’s house,
Hilkiah the priest
found the book
of the LORD’s
law given by
Moses.
15 Hilkiah
answered Shaphan
the scribe, “I
have found the
book of the
law in the
LORD’s house.” So
Hilkiah delivered
the book to
Shaphan.
16 Shaphan
carried the book
to the king,
and moreover
brought back word
to the king,
saying, “All that
was committed to
your servants,
they are doing.
17 They
have emptied out
the money that
was found in
the LORD’s house,
and have delivered
it into the
hand of the
overseers and into
the hand of
the workmen.”
18 Shaphan
the scribe told
the king, saying, “Hilkiah
the priest has
delivered me a
book.” Shaphan
read from it
to the king.
19 When
the king had
heard the words
of the law,
he tore
his clothes.
20 The
king commanded
Hilkiah, Ahikam the
son of Shaphan,
Abdon the son
of Micah, Shaphan
the scribe, and
Asaiah the king’s
servant, saying,
21 “Go
inquire of the
LORD for me,
and for those
who are left
in Israel and
in Judah,
concerning the
words of the
book that is
found; for great
is the LORD’s
wrath that is
poured out on
us, because
our fathers have
not kept the
LORD’s word, to
do according to
all that is
written in this
book.”
22 So
Hilkiah and
those whom the
king had commanded
went to Huldah
the prophetess,
the wife of
Shallum the son
of Tokhath, the
son of Hasrah,
keeper of
the wardrobe (now
she lived in
Jerusalem in the
second quarter), and
they spoke to
her to that effect.
23 She said to
them, “The LORD,
the God of
Israel says: ‘Tell
the man who sent
you to me,
24 “The
LORD says, ‘Behold,
I will bring
evil on this
place and on
its inhabitants,
even all the curses
that are written
in the book
which they have
read before the
king of Judah.
25 Because
they have forsaken
me, and have
burned incense to
other gods, that
they might provoke
me to anger
with all the
works of their
hands, therefore
my wrath is
poured out on
this place, and
it will not
be quenched.’ ” ’
26 But
to the king
of Judah, who
sent you to
inquire of the
LORD, you shall
tell him this, ‘The
LORD, the God
of Israel says: “About
the words which
you have heard,
27 because
your heart was
tender, and you
humbled yourself
before God when
you heard his
words against this
place and against
its inhabitants,
and have humbled
yourself before me,
and have torn
your clothes and
wept before me,
I also have
heard you,” says
the LORD.
28 “Behold,
I will gather you
to your fathers,
and you will
be gathered to
your grave in
peace. Your
eyes won’t see all
the evil that
I will bring
on this place
and on its
inhabitants.” ’ ”
They brought back
this message to
the king.
29 Then
the king sent
and gathered together all
the elders of
Judah and
Jerusalem.
30 The
king went up
to the LORD’s
house with all
the men of
Judah and the
inhabitants of
Jerusalem—the
priests, the
Levites, and all
the people, both
great and small—and
he read in
their hearing all
the words of
the book of
the covenant that
was found in
the LORD’s house.
31 The
king stood in
his place and
made a covenant
before the LORD,
to walk after
the LORD, and
to keep his
commandments, his
testimonies, and
his statutes with
all his heart
and with all
his soul, to
perform the words
of the covenant
that were written
in this book.
32 He
caused all who
were found in
Jerusalem and
Benjamin to stand.
The inhabitants of
Jerusalem did according
to the covenant
of God, the God of
their fathers.
33 Josiah
took away all
the abominations
out of all
the countries that belonged
to the children
of Israel, and
made all who
were found in
Israel to serve,
even to serve
the LORD their
God. All his
days they didn’t
depart from following
the LORD, the
God of
their fathers.