2 Chronicles 34

1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years.

Josiah [is] a son of eight years in his reigning, and he has reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem,

2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

and he does that which is right in the eyes of YHWH, and walks in the ways of his father David, and has not turned aside [to] the right or left.

3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his father David, and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images.

And in the eighth year of his reign (and he [is] yet a youth), he has begun to seek for the God of his father David, and in the twelfth year he has begun to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the Asherim, and the carved images, and the molten images.

4 Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

And they break down the altars of the Ba‘alim before him, and he has cut down the images that [are] on high above them, and the Asherim, and the carved images, and the molten images, he has broken and beaten small, and strews [them] on the surface of the graves of those sacrificing to them,

5 Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

and he has burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and cleanses Judah and Jerusalem,

6 Josiah did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them.

and in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even to Naphtali, with their tools, all around.

7 He tore down the altars and Asherah poles, crushed the idols to powder, and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

And he breaks down the altars and the Asherim, and he has beaten down the carved images very small, and he has cut down all the images in all the land of Israel, and turns back to Jerusalem.

8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, in order to cleanse the land and the temple, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.

And in the eighteenth year of his reign, to purify the land and the house, he has sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah head of the city, and Joah son of Johaz the remembrancer, to strengthen the house of his God YHWH.

9 So they went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites at the doors had collected from the people of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all the remnant of Israel, Judah, and Benjamin, and from the people of Jerusalem.

And they come to Hilkiah the high priest, and they give the money that is brought into the house of God, that the Levites, keeping the threshold, have gathered from the hand of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah, and Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

10 They put it into the hands of the supervisors of those doing the work of the house of the LORD, who in turn gave it to the workmen restoring and repairing the house of the LORD.

and they give [it] into the hand of the workmen, those appointed over the house of YHWH, and they give it [to] the workmen who are working in the house of YHWH, to repair and to strengthen the house;

11 They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to buy dressed stone, as well as timbers for couplings and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to deteriorate.

and they give [it] to craftsmen and to builders to buy hewn stones, and wood for couplings and for beams [for] the houses that the kings of Judah had destroyed.

12 And the men did the work faithfully. The Levites overseeing them were Jahath and Obadiah, descendants of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descendants of Kohath. Other Levites, all skilled with musical instruments,

And the men are working faithfully in the business, and over them are appointed Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathite, to overlook; and of the Levites, everyone understanding about instruments of song,

13 were over the laborers and supervised all who did the work, task by task. Some of the Levites were secretaries, officers, and gatekeepers.

and over the burden-bearers, and overseers of everyone doing work for every service; and of the Levites [are] scribes, and officers, and gatekeepers.

14 While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD written by Moses.

And in their bringing out the money that is brought into the house of YHWH, Hilkiah the priest has found the Scroll of the Law of YHWH by the hand of Moses,

15 And Hilkiah said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD!” And he gave it to Shaphan.

and Hilkiah answers and says to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found [the] Scroll of the Law in the house of YHWH”; and Hilkiah gives the scroll to Shaphan,

16 Then Shaphan brought the book to the king and reported, “Your servants are doing all that has been placed in their hands.

and Shaphan brings in the scroll to the king, and brings the king back word again, saying, “All that has been given into the hand of your servants they are doing,

17 They have paid out the money that was found in the house of the LORD and have put it into the hands of the supervisors and workers.”

and they pour out the money that is found in the house of YHWH, and give it into the hand of those appointed and into the hands of those doing the work.”

18 Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.

And Shaphan the scribe declares [it] to the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given a scroll to me”; and Shaphan reads in it before the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes

And it comes to pass, at the king’s hearing the words of the Law, that he tears his garments,

20 and commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the servant of the king:

and the king commands Hilkiah, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Abdon son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, servant of the king, saying,

21 “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah concerning the words in the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that has been poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD by doing all that is written in this book.”

“Go, seek YHWH for me, and for him who is left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the scroll that is found, for great [is] the fury of YHWH that is poured on us, because that our fathers did not keep the word of YHWH to do according to all that is written on this scroll.”

22 So Hilkiah and those the king had designated went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.

And Hilkiah goes, and they of the king, to Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tikvath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the garments, and she is dwelling in Jerusalem in the Second [Quarter], and they speak to her thus.

23 And Huldah said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell the man who sent you

And she says to them, “Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Say to the man who has sent you to me,

24 that this is what the LORD says: I am about to bring calamity on this place and on its people, according to all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah,

Thus said YHWH: Behold, I am bringing in calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the execrations that are written on the scroll that they read before the king of Judah,

25 because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be poured out upon this place and will not be quenched.’

because that they have forsaken Me, and make incense to other gods, so as to provoke Me with all the works of their hands, and My fury is poured out on this place, and it is not quenched.

26 But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for the words that you heard,

And to the king of Judah who is sending you to inquire of YHWH, thus you say to him, Thus said YHWH God of Israel, whose words 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 people, and because you have humbled yourself before Me and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,’ declares the LORD.

Because your heart [is] tender, and you are humbled before God in your hearing His words concerning this place and concerning its inhabitants, and are humbled before Me, and tear your garments, and weep before Me, indeed, I have also heard [you]—a declaration of YHWH.

28 ‘Now I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.’” So they brought her answer back to the king.

Behold, I am gathering you to your fathers, and you have been gathered to your graves in peace, and your eyes do not look on all the calamity that I am bringing on this place and on its inhabitants”; and they bring the king back word.

29 Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

And the king sends and gathers all the elderly of Judah and Jerusalem,

30 And he went up to the house of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the Levites—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.

and the king goes up to the house of YHWH, and [to] every man of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, even all the people, from great even to small, and he reads in their ears all the words of the scroll of the covenant that is found in the house of YHWH.

31 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 this covenant that were written in this book.

And the king stands on his station, and makes the covenant before YHWH to walk after YHWH, and to keep His commands, and His testimonies, and His statutes, with all his heart and with all his soul, to do the words of the covenant that are written on this scroll.

32 Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin take a stand in agreement to it. So all the people of Jerusalem carried out the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

And he presents everyone who is found in Jerusalem and Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem do according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

33 And Josiah removed all the abominations from all the lands belonging to the Israelites, and he required everyone in Israel to serve the LORD their God. Throughout his reign they did not turn aside from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.

And Josiah turns aside all the abominations out of all the lands that the sons of Israel have, and causes everyone who is found in Israel to serve, to serve their God YHWH; all his days they did not turn aside from after YHWH, God of their fathers.