2 Chronicles 34

1 Eight years old, was Josiah when he begun to reign, —and, thirty-one years, reigned he in Jerusalem.

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.

2 And he did that which was right, in the eyes of Yahweh, —and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left.

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 And, in the eighth year of his reign, he, being yet a boy, he began to seek unto the God of David his father, -and, in the twelfth year, he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, from the high places and the Sacred Stems, and the carved images and the molten images.

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 And they threw down before him, the altars of the Baalim, and, the sun-pillars which were on high above them, he hewed down, —and, the Sacred Stems and the carved images and the molten images, brake he in pieces and ground to dust, and tossed over the face of the graves, of them who had been sacrificing unto them.

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 And, the bones of the priests, burned he upon their altars, —and so purified Judah and Jerusalem:

He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem.

6 also throughout the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even as far as Naphtali, —searched he their houses, round about.

He did this in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, even to Naphtali, around in their ruins.

7 And, when he had thrown down the altars and the Sacred Stems, and, the images, he had beaten to powder, and, the sun-pillars, he had hewn down throughout all the land of Israel, then returned he to Jerusalem.

He broke down the altars, beat the Asherah poles and the engraved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all Eretz-Israel, then returned to Jerusalem.

8 And, in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purified the land and the house, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city and Joah son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of Yahweh his God.

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 So they went in unto Hilkiah the high priest, and delivered the silver that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites who kept the entrance-hall had collected from the hand of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin, —and returned to Jerusalem.

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 And the overseers in the house of Yahweh, delivered it into the hand of the doer of the work, —yea they delivered it to the doers of the work, because they were working in the house of Yahweh, in searching and repairing the house:

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 yea they delivered it to the artificers and to the builders, to buy carved stones and timbers for the joinings, —and to build up the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.

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 Now, the men, were working faithfully in the work, and over them as overseers, were—Jahath and Obadiah, Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to preside, —and Levites, all who had understanding in instruments of song;

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 over the burden-bearers, and such as took the lead, for everyone who was working in any manner of service, —and, of the Levites, were scribes and officers and doorkeepers.

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 Now, as they were taking out the silver which had been brought into the house of Yahweh, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of Yahweh, by the hand of Moses.

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 Then spake up Hilkiah, and said unto Shaphan the scribe, The Book of the Law, have I found, in the house of Yahweh, —and Hilkiah gave the book unto Shaphan.

Hilkiah answered Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the scroll of the Torah in the LORD’s house.” So Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

16 Then Shaphan took in the book unto the king, and returned yet further unto the king a message, saying, —All that was delivered into the hand of thy servants, they are doing;

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 and they have poured out the silver, that was found in the house of Yahweh, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the doers of the work.

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 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, A book, hath Hilkiah the priest given to me. And Shaphan, read therein, before the king.

Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has delivered me a book.” Shaphan read from it to the king.

19 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.

When the king had heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.

20 Then did the king command Hilkiah—and Ahikam son of Shaphan—and Abdon son of Micah—and Shaphan the scribe—and Asaiah servant of the king, saying:

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, enquire of Yahweh for me, and for the remnant in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book which hath been found, —for great is the wrath of Yahweh, which hath been poured out upon us, because our fathers, kept not, the word of Yahweh, to do according to all that is written in this book.

“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 they whom the king had named went into Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tokhath son of Hasrah keeper of the wardrobe, she, having her dwelling in Jerusalem, in the new city, —and they spake unto her accordingly.

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 And she said unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh God of Israel, —Say ye unto the man who hath sent you unto me:

She said to them, “The LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me,

24 Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me bringing in calamity upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, -even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah:

“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 burned incense unto other gods, so as to provoke me to anger, with all the works of their hands, therefore hath my wrath been poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.

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, unto the king of Judah, who hath sent you to enquire of Yahweh, thus, shall ye say unto him, —Thus, saith Yahweh God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard:

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 tender was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, and didst humble thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me, therefore, I also, have heard, is the declaration of Yahweh.

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 me! gathering thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy sepulchres in peace, and thine eyes shall not look upon all the calamity which, I, am bringing in upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof. And they returned, unto the king, the message.

“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.

Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

30 And the king went up to the house of Yahweh—and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—and the priests and the Levites, and all the people, from the great even unto the small, —and he read in their ears, all the words of the book of the covenant, which had been found in the house of Yahweh.

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 And the king stood in his place, and solemnised the covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all his heart and with all his soul, —to perform the words of the covenant that are written in this book.

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 And he caused to take a stand, all that were present in Jerusalem, and Benjamin, —and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

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 And Josiah removed all the abominations, out of all the lands which belonged to the sons of Israel, and caused all that were present in Jerusalem to serve, yea to serve, Yahweh their God, —all his days, turned they not aside from following Yahweh, God of their fathers.

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.