2 Ihe E Mere 34
1 Josaya gbara afọ asatọ mgbe e mere ya eze. Ọ chịrị iri afọ atọ na otu na Jerusalem.
Josiah was eight years old when he became the king [of Judah]. He ruled from Jerusalem for 31 years.
2 O mere ihe ziri ezi nʼanya Onyenwe anyị, gbasookwa ụzọ niile nke nna nna ya Devid, o sighị nʼụzọ a wezuga onwe ya gaa nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe.
He did things that were pleasing to Yahweh and conducted his life like his ancestor King David had done. He fully obeyed [IDM] all the laws of God.
3 Nʼafọ nke asatọ nke ọchịchị ya, mgbe ọ ka bụ okorobịa, o bidoro iji obi ya niile na-achọ Chineke nke nna ya Devid. Nʼafọ iri na abụọ nke ọchịchị ya, ọ malitere ime ka Juda na Jerusalem dị ọcha site nʼiwezuga ebe ịchụ aja niile dị elu, na ogidi Ashera niile, na arụsị a pịrị apị na nke a kpụrụ akpụ niile.
When he had been ruling for almost eight years, while he was still a young man, he began to worship God like his ancestor [King] David had done. Four years later, he began to get rid of all the pagan shrines on hilltops in Jerusalem and in [other places in] Judah, and the poles to [honor the goddess] Asherah, and the carved idols and statues of gods.
4 Nʼihu ya o mere ka a kwatuo ebe ịchụ aja Baal nʼike. Ọ kụdara ebe ịchụ aja ihe nsure ọkụ na-esi isi ụtọ dị nʼelu ebe ịchụ aja Baal ndị ahụ, tijisie ogidi Ashera niile, na arụsị na oyiyi niile. Ọ kụjasịrị ha niile, kpokọrọ ha ghasaa ha nʼelu ili ndị na-efe ha.
While he directed them, his workers tore down the altars where people worshiped Baal. They smashed the altars that were near those altars, where people burned incense. They smashed the poles [honor the goddess] Asherah and the idols and statues. They smashed them to bits and scattered the bits over the graves of those who had offered sacrifices to them.
5 Ọ kpọrọ ọkpụkpụ ndị nchụaja ahụ ọkụ nʼelu ebe ịchụ aja arụsị ha, si otu a mee ka Juda na Jerusalem dị ọcha.
They burned the bones of the priests [who had offered sacrifices]; they burned them on their own altars. In that way Josiah caused Jerusalem and other places in Judah to be acceptable places to worship Yahweh again.
6 Nʼobodo ndị Manase, na Ifrem na Simiọn, ruo na Naftalị, na mkpọmkpọ ebe ha niile gburugburu.
In the towns in [the tribes of] Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far [north] as [the tribe of] Naphtali and in the ruins around all those towns,
7 O titụrụ ebe ịchụ aja nke arụsị niile na ogidi arụsị Ashera, gwepịa arụsị ndị a niile dịka ntụ. Otu a ka o mere nʼala Izrel niile tupu ọ laghachi Jerusalem.
Josiah’s [workers] tore down the pagan altars and the poles to [honor the goddess] Asherah, and crushed the idols to powder. They also smashed to pieces all the altars for burning incense throughout Israel. Then Josiah returned to Jerusalem.
8 Nʼafọ nke iri na asatọ nke ọchịchị Josaya, mgbe o mere ka ala ahụ na ụlọnsọ dị ọcha, o zigara Shefan nwa Azalaya, Maaseia onye na-achị obodo, na Joa nwa Joahaz, onye na-edekọ akụkọ, ka ha wuzie ụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke ya.
When Josiah had been ruling for almost 18 years, he [did something else to] cause the land and the temple to be acceptable places to worship Yahweh. He sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the governor of the city and Joah the son of Joahaz, who wrote on a scroll what happened in the city, to repair the temple of Yahweh.
9 Ha jekwuru Hilkaya onyeisi nchụaja nye ya ego nke e webatara nʼụlọnsọ Chineke, nke ndị Livayị bụ ndị na-eche ọnụ ụzọ nakọtara site nʼaka ndị Manase na Ifrem, na ndị niile fọdụrụ nʼIzrel, na sitekwa nʼaka ndị Juda na Benjamin, na ndị niile bi na Jerusalem.
They went to Hilkiah the Supreme Priest and gave him the money that had been brought to the temple. That was the money that the descendants of Levi who guarded the doors of the temple had collected from the people of [the tribes of] Manasseh and Ephraim and [other places in northern] Israel, and also from all the people in Jerusalem and other places in the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
10 Mgbe ahụ, ha nyefere ya nʼaka ndị ikom ahọpụtara maka ilekọta ọrụ nʼụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị. Ndị ikom a kwụrụ ndị ọrụ rụziri ma mezie ụlọnsọ ahụ ụgwọ.
Then Hilkiah gave some of the money to the men who had been appointed to supervise the work of repairing the temple. The supervisors paid the men who did the repair work.
11 Ha nyekwara ndị ọkpọ ǹtu na ndị na-ewu ụlọ ego iji zụta nkume a wara awa, osisi iji mee ihe njikọta na osisi ịkwado ụlọ, maka iji rụzie ụlọ a nke ndị eze Juda hapụrụ ka ọ dakasịa.
They also gave some of the money to the carpenters and builders to buy the cut stones and the timber for the joists and the beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to decay.
12 Ndị ọrụ a rụrụ ọrụ ha nʼikwesị ntụkwasị obi. Ndị nlekọta ha bụ ndị Livayị ndị a: Jahat na Ọbadaya ndị si nʼikwu Merari, na Zekaraya na Meshulam ndịisi nʼikwu Kohat. Ndị Livayị ndị ọzọ, ndị bụ ndị nwere nghọta nʼiti ngwa egwu dị iche iche
The workers did their work faithfully. Their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah, who were descendants of [Levi’s son] Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, who were descendants of [Levi’s son] Kohath. All the other descendants of Levi, those who played musical instruments well,
13 ka e mere ndị nlekọta ndị na-ebu ibu. Ha lekọtakwara ndị niile rụrụ ọrụ dị iche iche. Ụfọdụ nʼime ndị Livayị ndị a bụ ndị ode akwụkwọ na ndị na-edekọ ihe, na ndị na-eche ọnụ ụzọ nche.
supervised all the workers as they did their various jobs. Some of the descendants of Levi were secretaries and some kept records and some guarded the gates [of the temple].
14 Mgbe ha na-ewepụta ego anabatara nʼụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị, Hilkaya onye nchụaja chọtara akwụkwọ Iwu Onyenwe anyị, bụ nke o nyere site nʼaka Mosis.
While they were giving to the supervisors the money that had been taken to the temple, Hilkiah the [Supreme] Priest found a scroll on which were written the laws that Yahweh had told Moses to give to the people.
15 Hilkaya sịrị Shefan ode akwụkwọ, “Achọtala m Akwụkwọ Iwu nʼime ụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị.” O nyere ya Shefan.
So Hilkiah said to Shaphan, “I have found in the temple a scroll on which are written the laws [that God gave to Moses]!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.
16 Mgbe ahụ, Shefan buuru akwụkwọ ahụ wegara ya eze, gwa ya sị, “Ndị ozi gị na-eje ozi ha dịka ihe niile i tinyere ha nʼaka si dị.
Shaphan [took the scroll] to the king and said to him, “Your officials are doing everything that you told them to do.
17 Ha enyefela ego niile nke dị nʼụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị nʼaka ndị nlekọta ọrụ, na ndị ọrụ.”
They have taken the money that was in the temple, and they have given it to the men who will supervise the workers who will repair the temple.”
18 Emesịa, Shefan ode akwụkwọ gwara eze okwu ọzọ sị ya, “O nwere akwụkwọ Hilkaya nyere m.” Shefan wepụtara ya gụọ ya na ntị eze.
Then Shaphan said to the king, “[I have brought to you] a scroll [that] Hilkiah gave to me.” And Shaphan started to read it to the king.
19 Mgbe eze nụrụ ihe niile e dere nʼakwụkwọ iwu ahụ, ọ dọwara uwe ya.
When the king heard the laws [that were written in the scroll], he tore his clothes [because he was very dismayed/worried].
20 O nyere Hilkaya, Ahikam nwa Shefan, Abdon nwa Maịka, Shefan ode akwụkwọ na Asaya, bụ onye ọrụ eze, iwu, sị ha,
Then he gave these instructions to Hilkiah, to Shaphan’s son Ahikam, to Micah’s son Abdon, to Shaphan, and to Asaiah the king’s special advisor:
21 “Gaanụ jụta Onyenwe anyị ase, nʼisi m na nʼisi ndị fọdụrụ nʼIzrel na Juda, banyere ihe niile e dere nʼakwụkwọ a bụ nke achọtara. Nʼihi na ọnụma Onyenwe anyị dị ukwuu bụ nke a wụkwasịrị anyị, nʼihi na ndị bu anyị ụzọ edebeghị okwu nke Onyenwe anyị, ha agbasoghị ihe niile e dere nʼime akwụkwọ a banyere anyị.”
“Go and ask Yahweh for me, and for all his people who are still alive in Judah and Israel, about what is written in this scroll that has been found. Because [it is clear that] Yahweh is very angry with us because our ancestors disobeyed what Yahweh said; they did not obey the laws that are written on this scroll.”
22 Ya mere, Hilkaya na ndị ahụ eze zipụrụ ya na ha, jekwuuru Hulda, onye amụma nwanyị, onye bụ nwunye Shalum, nwa Tokhat, nwa Hasra. Onye nlekọta ebe a na-edebe uwe. Hulda na-ebi na mpaghara Jerusalem e wuru ọhụrụ.
So Hilkiah and the others went to talk with a woman whose name was Huldah, who was a prophetess who lived in the newer part of Jerusalem. Her husband Shallum who was the son of Tikvah, took care of the robes that were worn [in the temple].
23 Ọ sịrị ha, “Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke nke Izrel, kwuru: Gwanụ nwoke ahụ ziri unu ka unu bịakwutem, sị
[When they told her what the king had said, ] she said to them, “This is what Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], says: ‘Go back and tell the king who sent you
24 ‘Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu: Ana m aga iweta mbibi ga-adakwasị ebe a na ndị niile bi nʼime ya, ọbụbụ ọnụ niile e dere nʼime akwụkwọ a, bụ nke a gụpụtara nʼihu eze Juda.
that this is what Yahweh says: “Listen to this carefully. I am going to cause a disaster to strike Jerusalem and all the people who live here. I will cause them to experience the curses that were written in the scroll that was read to the king of Judah.
25 Nʼihi na ha ajụla m, gbakụta m azụ, chụọ aja nsure ọkụ na-esi isi ụtọ nye chi ndị ọzọ, kpasuo m iwe site na ihe niile nke aka ha mepụtara, a ga-awụkwasị iwe m nʼebe a, ọ gaghị akwụsịkwa.’
I will do that because they have rejected me, and they burn incense to [honor] other gods. They have caused me to become very angry because of all the idols that they have made (OR, because of all the wicked things that they have done), [and my anger is like] a fire that will not be extinguished.
26 Gwanụ eze Juda, onye ahụ zitere unu ịjụta ase site nʼọnụ Onyenwe anyị sị ya, ‘Ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel na-ekwu banyere okwu ndị ahụ ị nụrụ.
The king of Judah sent you to ask what I, Yahweh, want. Go and tell him that this is what I, Yahweh, the God whom you Israelis worship, say about what you read:
27 Nʼihi na o wutere gị nʼobi, na i wedakwara onwe gị nʼala nʼihu Chineke, mgbe ị nụrụ ihe o kwuru megide ebe a na ndị bi nʼime ya, nʼihi na i wedara onwe gị nʼala nʼihu m, ma dọwaakwa uwe gị, bekwaa akwa nʼihu m. Mụ onwe m anụla, otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
“Because you heeded [what was written in the scroll], and you humbled yourself when you heard what I said to warn [about what would happen to] this city and the people who live here, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you.
28 Ugbu a, aga m achịkọta gị nye nna nna gị ha, a ga-eli gị nʼudo. Anya gị agaghị ahụ mbibi nke m ga-eme ka ọ bịakwasị ebe a na ndị bi nʼime ya.’” Ha laghachiri inye eze ọsịsa ya.
So I will allow you to die and be buried peacefully. I will cause a great disaster to strike this place and the people who live here, but you will not [be alive to] see it.”’” So they reported her reply to the king.
29 Mgbe ahụ, eze kpọrọ ndị okenye Juda na Jerusalem niile.
Then the king summoned all the elders of Jerusalem and [other places in] Judea.
30 Ọ gara nʼụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị, ya na ndị ikom Juda niile, ndị niile bi na Jerusalem, na ndị nchụaja, na ndị Livayị, na ndị mmadụ niile, site nʼonye nta ruo na onye ukwu. Ọ gụpụtara na ntị onye ọbụla okwu niile si nʼakwụkwọ ọgbụgba ndụ ahụ, bụ nke achọtara nʼime ụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị.
They went up together to the temple with the leaders of Judah and many other people of Jerusalem and the priests and other descendants of Levi, from the least important to the most important ones. And while they listened, the king read to them everything that was in the scroll containing God’s laws that had been found in the temple.
31 Eze guzoro nʼakụkụ ogidi, kwee nkwa nʼihu Onyenwe anyị, ịgbaso Onyenwe anyị, na idebe iwu ya na ụkpụrụ ya niile, na iji obi ya niile, na mkpụrụobi ya niile rube isi nʼokwu ọgbụgba ndụ ahụ e dere nʼakwụkwọ ahụ.
Then the king stood next to the pillar [at the entrance to the temple, where kings stood when they announced something important], and while Yahweh was listening, he repeated his promise to very sincerely and completely obey Yahweh and all his commands and regulations and decrees that were written on the scroll.
32 O mekwara ka ndị niile nọ na Jerusalem na Benjamin kwee Onyenwe anyị otu nkwa ahụ. Ndị niile bi na Jerusalem mezukwara ihe ndị a dịka ọgbụgba ndụ Chineke, bụ Chineke nna nna ha si dị.
Then the king said that everyone who lived in Jerusalem and from [the tribe of] Benjamin should promise that they also would obey those laws. And they did that, agreeing that they would keep the agreement that God, whom their ancestors had worshiped, had made with them.
33 Josaya sitere nʼala niile bụ nke ndị Izrel wezuga ihe arụ niile bụ arụsị, o mere ndị niile nọ nʼIzrel nʼoge ahụ ka ha fee Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke ha. Nʼụbọchị ndụ ya niile, ha esiteghị nʼiso Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke nke nna nna wezuga onwe ha.
Josiah [instructed his workers to] remove all the detestable idols from everywhere in the land of the Israeli people, and he commanded that all the people from Israel who were there should worship [only] Yahweh their God. And as long as Josiah was alive, the people did what was pleasing to Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].
