2 Chronicles 34

King James Version

Full text for 2 Chronicles Chapter 34

1¶ Josiah [was] eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.

2And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined [neither] to the right hand, nor to the left.

3For 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, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.

4And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that [were] on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust [of them], and strowed [it] upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.

5And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

6And [so did he] in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.

7And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

8¶ Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.

9And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.

10And they put [it] in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house:

11Even to the artificers and builders gave they [it], to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.

12And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them [were] Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set [it] forward; and [other of] the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick.

13Also [they were] over the bearers of burdens, and [were] overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites [there were] scribes, and officers, and porters.

14¶ And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD [given] by Moses.

15And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

16And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do [it].

17And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.

18Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

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

20And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,

21Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great [is] the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book.

22And Hilkiah, and [they] that the king [had appointed], went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that [effect].

23And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me,

24Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil 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:

25Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.

26And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel [concerning] the words which thou hast heard;

27Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard [thee] also, saith the LORD.

28Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.

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

30And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.

31And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, 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 which are written in this book.

32And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand [to it]. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

33And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that [pertained] to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, [even] to serve the LORD their God. [And] all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

King Josiah began his righteous reign at eight years old, diligently seeking the LORD and initiating extensive religious reforms throughout Judah and Israel. During the Temple's repair in his eighteenth year, the Book of the Law was discovered, profoundly impacting Josiah, who rent his clothes in repentance. He then sought the LORD through Huldah the prophetess, who confirmed impending judgment but promised Josiah peace in his lifetime due to his humility. Subsequently, Josiah gathered the people, read the law, and led them in a national covenant renewal to serve the LORD faithfully.

Medium Summary

King Josiah, reigning for thirty-one years, consistently did what was right in the sight of the LORD, following the ways of David. Early in his rule, he commenced a comprehensive purge of idolatry, destroying high places, groves, and images throughout Judah and extending his reforms into the northern territories. In his eighteenth year, Josiah initiated repairs on the Temple, during which Hilkiah the high priest discovered the Book of the Law of Moses. Upon hearing its words, Josiah rent his clothes in repentance and sent officials to inquire of the LORD through Huldah the prophetess. Huldah confirmed impending judgment for the nation's apostasy but promised Josiah peace in his lifetime due to his humility. Consequently, Josiah assembled the people, read the covenant book to them, and led them in a renewed commitment to obey the LORD's commands, ensuring the nation served God throughout his reign.

Long Summary

King Josiah began his reign at the age of eight, ruling for thirty-one years in Jerusalem, and consistently performed what was right in the sight of the LORD, walking in the righteous path of his ancestor David. In his eighth year, while still young, he began to earnestly seek God, and by his twelfth year, he initiated a comprehensive religious reformation. He meticulously purged Judah and Jerusalem, along with the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and Naphtali, from all forms of idolatry, including high places, groves, carved images, and molten images, grinding them to dust and scattering them. In his eighteenth year, after cleansing the land and the Temple, Josiah dispatched Shaphan, Maaseiah, and Joah to oversee the repair of the house of the LORD. During these repairs, Hilkiah the high priest discovered the Book of the Law of the LORD, which he then delivered to Shaphan. Upon hearing the words of the law read before him, King Josiah was deeply moved, tearing his clothes in repentance and fear, recognizing the great wrath of the LORD upon them due to their fathers' disobedience. He immediately sent Hilkiah and other officials to inquire of the LORD through Huldah the prophetess. Huldah confirmed that great evil and curses would come upon Jerusalem and its inhabitants because they had forsaken God and provoked Him with idolatry. However, she also conveyed the LORD's promise to Josiah that because his heart was tender and he humbled himself, he would be gathered to his grave in peace and would not witness the impending calamity. Following this, Josiah gathered all the elders, priests, Levites, and people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Temple. There, he publicly read the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found. Standing before the assembly, Josiah made a solemn covenant with the LORD to walk after Him and to keep His commandments, testimonies, and statutes with all his heart and soul, and he compelled all present to stand to this covenant. Throughout his reign, Josiah continued to remove all abominations from the land of Israel, ensuring that the people served the LORD their God and did not depart from following Him.

Core Concepts

  • Righteous KingshipJosiah, beginning his reign at eight, is depicted as a king who consistently did what was right in the sight of the LORD, walking in the ways of David and not deviating. This sets the tone for his extensive reforms and faithful leadership.
  • Religious ReformationA significant portion of the chapter details Josiah's systematic destruction of idolatrous practices and objects throughout Judah and Israel, including high places, groves, and various images, symbolizing a return to exclusive worship of the LORD.
  • Sanctuary RepairJosiah initiated a project to repair and restore the dilapidated House of the LORD, demonstrating his commitment to the proper worship of God and providing the context for the pivotal discovery of the Book of the Law.
  • Rediscovery of ScriptureDuring the Temple repairs, Hilkiah the high priest found 'the book of the law of the LORD by Moses,' a momentous event that profoundly impacted Josiah and led to a national spiritual awakening.
  • Divine Judgment and MercyJosiah's humble response to the law's words, tearing his clothes in repentance, led to an inquiry through Huldah the prophetess, who confirmed God's impending judgment on the nation for its apostasy but promised Josiah peace due to his personal humility.
  • National CovenantFollowing the discovery and reading of the law, Josiah led the entire nation in a solemn covenant renewal, committing themselves to obey the LORD's commandments with all their heart and soul, reinforcing their relationship with God.
  • Enduring FaithfulnessThe chapter concludes by noting that throughout Josiah's reign, the people of Israel did not depart from serving the LORD their God, indicating the lasting impact of his reforms and the renewed covenant.