2 Chronicles 34
1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of David his father, without turning aside to the right or to the left.
3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the shrines on the hills, the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images.
4 In his presence, they tore down the altars of the Baals, and he cut down the incense altars above them; he broke and crushed the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images, and scattered the dust over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
5 He burned the bones of the priests on their altars and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
6 He did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, among their surrounding ruins.
7 He tore down the altars, ground the Asherah poles and carved images to dust, and cut down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, to cleanse the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city governor, and Joah son of Jehoahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.
9 They went to Hilkiah the high priest and handed over the money brought to the house of God. The Levites who guarded the doors had collected it from Manasseh, Ephraim, all the rest of Israel, all Judah, and Benjamin; then they returned to Jerusalem.
10 They gave it to the supervisors appointed over the work at the house of the LORD, and the workers at the house of the LORD used it to inspect and repair the temple.
11 They also gave it to the carpenters and builders to buy cut stone and timber for joints and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.
12 The men carried out the work faithfully. Appointed over them to direct it were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites from the descendants of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, from the descendants of Kohath; the Levites were all skilled in musical instruments.
13 They were also in charge of the carriers and directed all the workers in each task. Some of the Levites were scribes, officials, and gatekeepers.
14 When they brought out the money that had been brought to the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the Law of the LORD, given through Moses.
15 Hilkiah spoke up and said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” Hilkiah handed the book to Shaphan.
16 Shaphan brought the book to the king and also reported to him, “Your servants are doing everything that was entrusted to them.
17 They have poured out the silver found in the house of the LORD and handed it over to the supervisors and the workers.”
18 Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book.” Then Shaphan read from it in the king’s presence.
19 When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes.
20 The king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant:
21 “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant left in Israel and Judah about the words of the book that was found. For the LORD’s fury is great; it has been poured out on us because our ancestors did not keep the word of the LORD or do everything written in this book.”
22 So Hilkiah and those whom the king had appointed went to the prophet Huldah, wife of Shallum son of Tokhath son of Hasrah, the keeper of the robes. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second Quarter. They spoke to her accordingly.
23 She said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me:
24 This is what the LORD says: “I am bringing disaster on this place and its inhabitants—all the curses written in the book that was read before the king of Judah.
25 Because they have abandoned me and burned incense to other gods, provoking me to anger with everything they have made, my fury will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.”
26 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, say this: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the words you heard:
27 Because your heart was moved and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants; because you humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes, and wept before me, I have heard you too, declares the LORD.
28 I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be laid in your tomb in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am bringing on this place and its inhabitants.”’” They took the king this reply.
29 Then the king sent word to gather all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
30 The king went up to the house of the LORD with all the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites, and all the people, from the greatest to the least. He read aloud to them all the words of the covenant book found in the house of the LORD.
31 The king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD: to follow the LORD and keep his commands, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant written in this book.
32 He had everyone found in Jerusalem and Benjamin take their place in it, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem acted in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.
33 Josiah removed all the abominations from every territory belonging to the Israelites and made everyone found in Israel serve the LORD their God. Throughout his lifetime, they did not turn away from following the LORD, the God of their ancestors.
Read and listen to this chapter in the Shalem app, free: narration, chapter video and reading progress. Get the app