2 דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים 34

1 בֶּן־שְׁמוֹנֶ֥ה שָׁנִ֖ים יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ בְמָלְכ֑וֹ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וְאַחַת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

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

2 וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ בְּדַרְכֵי֙ דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֔יו וְלֹא־סָ֖ר יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹֽאול׃

He did what was right in the Lord's sight and followed the ways of his forefather David—he did not deviate to the right or to the left.

3 וּבִשְׁמוֹנֶ֨ה שָׁנִ֜ים לְמָלְכ֗וֹ וְהוּא֙ עוֹדֶ֣נּוּ נַ֔עַר הֵחֵ֕ל לִדְר֕וֹשׁ לֵאלֹהֵ֖י דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֑יו וּבִשְׁתֵּ֧ים עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֗ה הֵחֵל֙ לְטַהֵ֔ר אֶת־יְהוּדָה֙ וִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם מִן־הַבָּמוֹת֙ וְהָ֣אֲשֵׁרִ֔ים וְהַפְּסִלִ֖ים וְהַמַּסֵּכֽוֹת׃

In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to publicly worship the God of David his forefather, and in the twelfth year of his reign he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem by removing the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the metal images.

4 וַיְנַתְּצ֣וּ לְפָנָ֗יו אֵ֚ת מִזְבְּח֣וֹת הַבְּעָלִ֔ים וְהַֽחַמָּנִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־לְמַ֥עְלָה מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֖ם גִּדֵּ֑עַ וְ֠הָאֲשֵׁרִים וְהַפְּסִלִ֤ים וְהַמַּסֵּכוֹת֙ שִׁבַּ֣ר וְהֵדַ֔ק וַיִּזְרֹק֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַקְּבָרִ֔ים הַזֹּבְחִ֖ים לָהֶֽם׃

He had the altars of Baal torn down in front of him, and the incense altars above them cut down. In addition, the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the metal images were smashed to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had been sacrificing to them.

5 וְעַצְמוֹת֙ כֹּֽהֲנִ֔ים שָׂרַ֖ף עַל־מִזְבְּחוֹתָ֑ם וַיְטַהֵ֥ר אֶת־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְאֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

He burned the bones of the idolatrous priests on their altars. In this way he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

6 וּבְעָרֵ֨י מְנַשֶּׁ֧ה וְאֶפְרַ֛יִם וְשִׁמְע֖וֹן וְעַד־נַפְתָּלִ֑י בְּהַר בְּחַרְבֹתֵיהֶ֖ם סָבִֽיב׃

Josiah repeated this in the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, all the way to Naphtali, and in their surrounding areas.

7 וַיְנַתֵּ֣ץ אֶת־הַֽמִּזְבְּח֗וֹת וְאֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרִ֤ים וְהַפְּסִלִים֙ כִּתַּ֣ת לְהֵדַ֔ק וְכָל־הַֽחַמָּנִ֥ים גִּדַּ֖ע בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּ֖שָׁב לִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ ס

He tore down the altars and crushed the Asherah poles and the images to dust, and cut down all the incense altars across the whole land of Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

8 וּבִשְׁנַ֨ת שְׁמוֹנֶ֤ה עֶשְׂרֵה֙ לְמָלְכ֔וֹ לְטַהֵ֥ר הָאָ֖רֶץ וְהַבָּ֑יִת שָׁ֠לַח אֶת־שָׁפָ֨ן בֶּן־אֲצַלְיָ֜הוּ וְאֶת־מַעֲשֵׂיָ֣הוּ שַׂר־הָעִ֗יר וְ֠אֵת יוֹאָ֤ח בֶּן־יֽוֹאָחָז֙ הַמַּזְכִּ֔יר לְחַזֵּ֕ק אֶת־בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָֽיו׃

In the eighteenth year of his reign, once he had finished cleansing the land and the Temple, Josiah sent Shaphan, son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city governor, and Joah, son of Joahaz, the record-keeper, to repair the Temple of the Lord his God.

9 וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ אֶל־חִלְקִיָּ֣הוּ ׀ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֗וֹל וַֽיִּתְּנוּ֮ אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף֮ הַמּוּבָ֣א בֵית־אֱלֹהִים֒ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָסְפֽוּ־הַלְוִיִּם֩ שֹׁמְרֵ֨י הַסַּ֜ף מִיַּ֧ד מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה וְאֶפְרַ֗יִם וּמִכֹּל֙ שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמִכָּל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ יְרֽוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought to God's Temple. The Levites at the entrances had collected this money from the people of Manasseh and Ephraim, from what was left of the people of Israel, as well as contributions from Judah, Benjamin, and the people of Jerusalem.

10 וַֽיִּתְּנ֗וּ עַל־יַד֙ עֹשֵׂ֣ה הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה הַמֻּפְקָדִ֖ים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּתְּנ֨וּ אֹת֜וֹ עוֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר עֹשִׂים֙ בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה לִבְדּ֥וֹק וּלְחַזֵּ֖ק הַבָּֽיִת׃

They handed it over to those who were supervising the repair work on Lord's Temple, who in turn paid the workmen doing the restoring and repairing.

11 וַֽיִּתְּנ֗וּ לֶחָֽרָשִׁים֙ וְלַבֹּנִ֔ים לִקְנוֹת֙ אַבְנֵ֣י מַחְצֵ֔ב וְעֵצִ֖ים לַֽמְחַבְּר֑וֹת וּלְקָרוֹת֙ אֶת־הַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִשְׁחִ֖יתוּ מַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃

They also paid carpenters and builders to buy cut stone, as well as timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had let deteriorate.

12 וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֩ עֹשִׂ֨ים בֶּאֱמוּנָ֜ה בַּמְּלָאכָ֗ה וַעֲלֵיהֶ֣ם ׀ מֻ֠פְקָדִים יַ֣חַת וְעֹבַדְיָ֤הוּ הַלְוִיִּם֙ מִן־בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֔י וּזְכַרְיָ֧ה וּמְשֻׁלָּ֛ם מִן־בְּנֵ֥י הַקְּהָתִ֖ים לְנַצֵּ֑חַ וְהַ֨לְוִיִּ֔ם כָּל־מֵבִ֖ין בִּכְלֵי־שִֽׁיר׃

The men did good, honest work. In charge of them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites from the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, Levites from the sons of the Kohathites. The Levites, all skilled musicians,

13 וְעַ֣ל הַסַּבָּלִ֗ים וּֽמְנַצְּחִים֙ לְכֹל֙ עֹשֵׂ֣ה מְלָאכָ֔ה לַעֲבוֹדָ֖ה וַעֲבוֹדָ֑ה וּמֵֽהַלְוִיִּ֔ם סוֹפְרִ֥ים וְשֹׁטְרִ֖ים וְשׁוֹעֲרִֽים׃

were in charge of the workmen and directed everyone involved, depending on what was required. Some of the Levites were scribes, some officers, and some gatekeepers.

14 וּבְהוֹצִיאָ֣ם אֶת־הַכֶּ֔סֶף הַמּוּבָ֖א בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה מָצָא֙ חִלְקִיָּ֣הוּ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶת־סֵ֥פֶר תּֽוֹרַת־יְהוָ֖ה בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃

In the process of taking out the money donated to the Lord's Temple, Hilkiah the priest discovered the Book of the Lord's Law written down by Moses.

15 וַיַּ֣עַן חִלְקִיָּ֗הוּ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־שָׁפָ֣ן הַסּוֹפֵ֔ר סֵ֧פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֛ה מָצָ֖אתִי בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּתֵּ֧ן חִלְקִיָּ֛הוּ אֶת־הַסֵּ֖פֶר אֶל־שָׁפָֽן׃

Hilkiah told Shaphan the scribe, “I've found the Book of the Law in the Lord's Temple.” He gave it to Shaphan.

16 וַיָּבֵ֨א שָׁפָ֤ן אֶת־הַסֵּ֙פֶר֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיָּ֨שֶׁב ע֧וֹד אֶת־הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ דָּבָ֖ר לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־נִתַּ֥ן בְּיַד־עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ הֵ֥ם עֹשִֽׂים׃

Shaphan took the book to the king and told him, “We your servants are doing everything we were instructed to do.

17 וַיַּתִּ֕יכוּ אֶת־הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַנִּמְצָ֣א בְּבֵית־יְהוָ֑ה וַֽיִּתְּנ֗וּהוּ עַל־יַד֙ הַמֻּפְקָדִ֔ים וְעַל־יַ֖ד עוֹשֵׂ֥י הַמְּלָאכָֽה׃

The money collected at the Lord's Temple has been handed over to those who are supervising the workers, paying them to do the repairs.”

18 וַיַּגֵּ֞ד שָׁפָ֤ן הַסּוֹפֵר֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ לֵאמֹ֔ר סֵ֚פֶר נָ֣תַן לִ֔י חִלְקִיָּ֖הוּ הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיִּקְרָא־ב֥וֹ שָׁפָ֖ן לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest gave me this book.” Shaphan read it to the king.

19 וַיְהִי֙ כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֣י הַתּוֹרָ֑ה וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָֽיו׃

When the king heard what the Law said, he tore his clothes.

20 וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־חִלְקִיָּ֡הוּ וְאֶת־אֲחִיקָ֣ם בֶּן־שָׁ֠פָן וְאֶת־עַבְדּ֨וֹן בֶּן־מִיכָ֜ה וְאֵ֣ת ׀ שָׁפָ֣ן הַסּוֹפֵ֗ר וְאֵ֛ת עֲשָׂיָ֥ה עֶֽבֶד־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵאמֹֽר׃

Then he issue the following orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam, son of Shaphan, Abdon, son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, the king's assistant:

21 לְכוּ֩ דִרְשׁ֨וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֜ה בַּעֲדִ֗י וּבְעַד֙ הַנִּשְׁאָר֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל וּבִֽיהוּדָ֔ה עַל־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַסֵּ֖פֶר אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִמְצָ֑א כִּֽי־גְדוֹלָ֤ה חֲמַת־יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִתְּכָ֣ה בָ֔נוּ עַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־שָׁמְר֤וּ אֲבוֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת כְּכָל־הַכָּת֖וּב עַל־הַסֵּ֥פֶר הַזֶּֽה׃ פ

“Go and talk to the Lord for me, and also for those who still live in Israel and Judah, about what is said in the book that's been found. For the Lord must be really angry with us because our forefathers have not obeyed the Lord's instructions by following all that's written in this book.”

22 וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ חִלְקִיָּ֜הוּ וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֶל־חֻלְדָּ֨ה הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֵ֣שֶׁת ׀ שַׁלֻּ֣ם בֶּן־תָּקְהַ֗ת בֶּן־חַסְרָה֙ שׁוֹמֵ֣ר הַבְּגָדִ֔ים וְהִ֛יא יוֹשֶׁ֥בֶת בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם בַּמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ אֵלֶ֖יהָ כָּזֹֽאת׃ ס

Hilkiah and those the king had selected went and talked with Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, custodian of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the city's second quarter.

23 וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם כֹּה־אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִמְר֣וּ לָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי׃ ס

Huldah told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,

24 כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֥יא רָעָ֛ה עַל־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה וְעַל־יוֹשְׁבָ֑יו אֵ֤ת כָּל־הָאָלוֹת֙ הַכְּתוּב֣וֹת עַל־הַסֵּ֔פֶר אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָֽרְא֔וּ לִפְנֵ֖י מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה׃

this is what the Lord says: I am about to bring disaster down on this place and on its people, in accordance with all the curses written in the book that has been read to the king of Judah.

25 תַּ֣חַת ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲזָב֗וּנִי וַֽיְקַטְּרוּ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים לְמַ֙עַן֙ הַכְעִיסֵ֔נִי בְּכֹ֖ל מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יְדֵיהֶ֑ם וְתִתַּ֧ךְ חֲמָתִ֛י בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה וְלֹ֥א תִכְבֶּֽה׃

They have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to other gods, making me angry by everything they've done. My anger will be poured out upon this place and will not be stopped.

26 וְאֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה הַשֹּׁלֵ֤חַ אֶתְכֶם֙ לִדְר֣וֹשׁ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה כֹּ֥ה תֹאמְר֖וּ אֵלָ֑יו ס כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמָֽעְתָּ׃

But tell the king of Judah who sent you to ask the Lord, tell him this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: As for the what you heard read to you—

27 יַ֠עַן רַךְ־לְבָ֨בְךָ֜ וַתִּכָּנַ֣ע ׀ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֗ים בְּשָׁמְעֲךָ֤ אֶת־דְּבָרָיו֙ עַל־הַמָּק֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ וְעַל־יֹ֣שְׁבָ֔יו וַתִּכָּנַ֣ע לְפָנַ֔י וַתִּקְרַ֥ע אֶת־בְּגָדֶ֖יךָ וַתֵּ֣בְךְּ לְפָנָ֑י וְגַם־אֲנִ֥י שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

because you were receptive and repentant before God when you heard his warnings against this place and against its people, and because you have repented, tearing your clothes and weeping before me, I have also heard you, declares the Lord.

28 הִנְנִ֨י אֹֽסִפְךָ֜ אֶל־אֲבֹתֶ֗יךָ וְנֶאֱסַפְתָּ֣ אֶל־קִבְרֹתֶיךָ֮ בְּשָׁלוֹם֒ וְלֹא־תִרְאֶ֣ינָה עֵינֶ֔יךָ בְּכֹל֙ הָֽרָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֥י מֵבִ֛יא עַל־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה וְעַל־יֹשְׁבָ֑יו וַיָּשִׁ֥יבוּ אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ דָּבָֽר׃ פ

All this will not happen until after you have died, and you will die in peace. You will not see all the disaster that I'm going to bring down on this place and on its inhabitants.” They went back to the king and gave him her response.

29 וַיִּשְׁלַ֖ח הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֶּאֱסֹ֕ף אֶת־כָּל־זִקְנֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה וִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

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

30 וַיַּ֣עַל הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ בֵּית־יְ֠הוָה וְכָל־אִ֨ישׁ יְהוּדָ֜ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם וְהַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם וְכָל־הָעָ֖ם מִגָּד֣וֹל וְעַד־קָטָ֑ן וַיִּקְרָ֣א בְאָזְנֵיהֶ֗ם אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי֙ סֵ֣פֶר הַבְּרִ֔ית הַנִּמְצָ֖א בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

He went to the Lord's Temple with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, together with the priests and the Levites, all the people from the least to the greatest, and he read to them the whole Book of the Agreement that had been discovered in the Lord's Temple.

31 וַיַּעֲמֹ֨ד הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ עַל־עָמְד֗וֹ וַיִּכְרֹ֣ת אֶֽת־הַבְּרִית֮ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָה֒ לָלֶ֜כֶת אַחֲרֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה וְלִשְׁמ֤וֹר אֶת־מִצְוֹתָיו֙ וְעֵֽדְוֹתָ֣יו וְחֻקָּ֔יו בְּכָל־לְבָב֖וֹ וּבְכָל־נַפְשׁ֑וֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י הַבְּרִ֔ית הַכְּתוּבִ֖ים עַל־הַסֵּ֥פֶר הַזֶּֽה׃

The king stood by the pillar and made a solemn agreement before the Lord to follow him and to keep his commandments, laws, and regulations with total dedication, and to observe the requirements of the agreement as written in the book.

32 וַיַּעֲמֵ֕ד אֵ֛ת כָּל־הַנִּמְצָ֥א בִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם כִּבְרִ֥ית אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃

Then he had everyone present from Jerusalem and Benjamin stand up to show they agreed to it. So all the people of Jerusalem accepted and followed the agreement with God, the God of their forefathers.

33 וַיָּ֨סַר יֹֽאשִׁיָּ֜הוּ אֶת־כָּל־הַתּוֹעֵב֗וֹת מִֽכָּל־הָאֲרָצוֹת֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַֽיַּעֲבֵ֗ד אֵ֤ת כָּל־הַנִּמְצָא֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לַעֲב֖וֹד אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם כָּל־יָמָ֕יו לֹ֣א סָ֔רוּ מֵֽאַחֲרֵ֕י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ פ

Josiah demolished all the vile idols from the whole territory belonging to the Israelites, and he made everyone in Israel serve the Lord their God. During his reign they did not give up worshiping the Lord, the God of their fathers.