< 2 Chronicles 34 >

1 Josie was of eiyte yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnede in Jerusalem oon and thritti yeer.
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
2 And he dide that, that was riytful in the siyt of the Lord; and yede in the waies of Dauid, his fadir, and bowide not to the riyt side nether to the left side.
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 Forsothe in the eiytethe yeer of the rewme of his empire, whanne he was yit a child, he bigan to seke God of his fadir Dauid; and in the tweluethe yeer after that he bigan, he clenside Juda and Jerusalem fro hiy places, and wodis, and similacris, and grauun ymagis.
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 thei destrieden bifor hym the auteris of Baalym, and thei destrieden the symylacris, that weren put aboue. Also he hewide doun the wodis, and grauun ymagis, and brak to smale gobetis; and scateride abrood `the smale gobetis on the birielis of hem, that weren wont to offre `to tho.
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 Ferthermore he brente the boonys of preestis in the auteris of idols, and he clenside Juda and Jerusalem.
He burnt the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem.
6 But also he destriede alle idols in the citees of Manasses, and of Effraym, and of Symeon, `til to Neptalym.
He did this in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, even to Naphtali, around in their ruins.
7 And whanne he hadde scateride the auteris, and hadde al to-broke in to gobetis the wodis, and grauun ymagis, and hadde destried alle templis of ydols fro al the lond of Israel, he turnede ayen in 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 the land of Israel, then returned to Jerusalem.
8 Therfor in the eiytenthe yeer of his rewme, whanne the lond and temple `of the Lord was clensid nowe, he sente Saphan, the sone of Helchie, and Masie, the prince of the citee, and Joa, the sone of Joachaz, chaunceler, that thei schulden reparele the hous `of his Lord 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 Whiche camen to Helchie, the grete preest; and whanne thei hadden take of hym the money, which was brouyt in to the hows of the Lord; and which monei the dekenes and porteris hadden gaderid of Manasses, and of Effraym, and of alle the residue men of Israel, and of al Juda and Beniamyn, and of the dwelleris of 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 thei yauen it in the hondis of hem that weren souereyns of the werk men in the hows of the Lord, that thei schulden restore the temple, and reparele alle feble thingis.
They delivered it into the hands of the workmen who had the oversight of the LORD’s house; and the workmen who laboured in the LORD’s house gave it to mend and repair the house.
11 And thei yauen that monei to the crafti men and masouns, for to bie stoonys hewid out of the `delues, ether quarreris, and trees to the ioynyngis of the bildyng, and to the coupling of housis, whiche the kingis of Juda hadden destried.
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 Whiche men diden feithfuli alle thingis. Sotheli the souereyns of worcheris weren Jabath, and Abdie, of the sones of Merari; Zacarie, and Mosallam, of the sones of Caath; whiche hastiden the werk; alle weren dekenes, kunnynge to synge with orguns.
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 skilful with musical instruments.
13 Sotheli ouer them that baren birthuns to dyuerse vsis weren the scribis, and maistris of the dekenes, and porteris.
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 And whanne thei baren out the monei, that was borun in to the temple of the Lord, Helchie, `the preest, foond the book of the lawe of the Lord bi the hond of Moises.
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 And he seide to Saphan, the writere, Y haue founde the book of the lawe in the hows of the Lord.
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 And Helchie took to Saphan, and he bar in the book to the king; and telde to hym, and seide, Lo! alle thingis ben fillid, whiche thou hast youe in to the hondis of thi seruauntis.
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 Thei han wellyd togidere the siluere, which is foundun in the hous of the Lord; and it is youun to the souereyns of the crafti men, and makynge dyuerse werkis;
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 ferthermore Helchie, the preest, took to me this book. And whanne he hadde rehersid this book in the presence of the kyng,
Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has delivered me a book.” Shaphan read from it to the king.
19 and he hadde herd the wordis of the lawe, he to-rente hise clothis; and he comaundide to Helchie,
When the king had heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.
20 and to Aichan, the sone of Saphan, and to Abdon, the sone of Mycha, and to Saphan, the scryuen, and to Asaie, the seruaunt of the kyng,
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 and seide, Go ye, and preie the Lord for me, and for the resydue men of Israel and of Juda, on alle the wordis of this book, which is foundun. For greet veniaunce of the Lord hath droppid on vs, for oure fadris kepten not the wordis of the Lord, to do alle thingis that ben writun in this book.
“Go enquire 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 Therfor Helchie yede, and thei that weren sent togidere of the king, to Olda, the prophetesse, the wijf of Sellum, sone of Thecuath, sone of Asra, kepere of clothis, which Olda dwellide in Jerusalem in the secounde warde; and thei spaken to hir the wordis, whiche we telden bifore.
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 sche answeride to hem, The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, Seie ye to the man, that sente you to me,
She said to them, “The LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me,
24 The Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal brynge ynne yuels on this place, and on the dwelleris therof, and alle the cursyngis that ben writun in this book, which thei redden bifor the kyng of Juda.
“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 For thei han forsake me, and han sacrified to alien goddis, for to terre me to wrathfulnesse in alle the werkis of her hondis; therfor my strong veniaunce schal droppe on this place, and it schal not be quenchid.
Because they have forsaken me, and have burnt 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 speke ye thus to the kyng of Juda, that sente you to preye the Lord, The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, For thou herdist the wordis of the book,
But to the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, you shall tell him this, ‘The LORD, the God of Israel says: “About the words which you have heard,
27 and thin herte is maad neisch, and thou art mekid in the siyt of the Lord of these thingis that ben seide ayens this place and the dwelleris of Jerusalem, and thou hast reuerensid my face, and hast to-rente thi clothis, and hast wepte bifor me; also Y haue herd thee, seith the Lord.
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 For now Y schal gadere thee to thi fadris, and thou schalt be borun in to thi sepulcre in pees; and thin iyen schulen not se al yuel, which Y schal brynge yn on this place, and on the dwelleris therof. Therfor thei telden to the king alle thingis, whiche Olda hadde seid.
“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 And aftir that he hadde clepid togidere alle the eldere men of Juda and of Jerusalem,
Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
30 he stiede in to the hows of the Lord, and togidere alle the men of Juda, `and the dwelleris of Jerusalem, preestis, and dekenes, and al the puple, fro the leeste `til to the moste; to whiche herynge in the hows of the Lord, the kyng redde alle the wordis of the book.
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 he stood in his trone, and smoot a boond of pees bifor the Lord, for to `go aftir hym, and to kepe the comaundementis, and witnessyngis, and iustifiyngis of hym, in al his herte and in al his soule; and to do tho thingis that weren writun in that book, which he hadde red.
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 chargide greetli on this thing alle men, that weren foundun in Jerusalem and Beniamyn; and the dwellers of Jerusalem diden aftir the couenaunt of the Lord God of her fadris.
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 Therfor Josie dide awei alle abhomynaciouns fro alle the cuntreis of the sones of Israel; and he made alle men, that weren residue in Israel, to serue her Lord God; in alle the daies of his lijf thei yeden not awei fro the Lord God of her fadris.
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.

< 2 Chronicles 34 >