CHAPTER 34
And he did
what was right
in the eyes
of the LORD
and walked
in the ways
of his father
David;
he did not
turn aside
to the right
or to the left.
In the eighth
year
of his reign,
while he
was still
young,
Josiah began
to seek
the God
of David
his forefather,
and in the twelfth
year
he began
to cleanse
Judah
and Jerusalem
of
the high places,
the Asherah poles,
the carved idols,
and the cast images.
Then in his presence
the altars
of the Baals
were torn down,
and he cut to pieces the incense altars
that
were above
them.
He shattered
the Asherah poles,
the carved idols,
and the cast images,
crushed them to dust,
and scattered
them over
the graves
of those who had sacrificed
to them.
Josiah did the same in the cities
of Manasseh,
Ephraim,
and Simeon,
as
far as Naphtali,
and on their surrounding
ruins.
He tore down
the altars
and Asherah poles,
crushed
the idols
to powder,
and cut to pieces
all
the incense altars
throughout
the land
of Israel.
Then he returned
to Jerusalem.
Now in the eighteenth
year
of his reign,
in order to cleanse
the land
and the temple,
Josiah sent
Shaphan
son
of Azaliah,
Maaseiah
the governor
of the city,
and
Joah
son
of Joahaz,
the recorder,
to repair
the temple
of the LORD
his God.
So they went
to
Hilkiah
the high
priest
and gave
him
the money
that had been brought
into the house
of God,
which
the Levites
at
the doors
had collected
from the people
of Manasseh
and Ephraim,
from all
the remnant
of Israel,
Judah,
and Benjamin,
and from the people
of Jerusalem.
They put it
into
the hands
of the supervisors
of those doing
the work
of the house
of the LORD,
who in turn gave
it
to the workmen
restoring
and repairing
the house
of the LORD.
They also gave money
to the carpenters
and builders
to buy
dressed
stone,
as well as timbers
for couplings
and beams
for the buildings
that
the kings
of Judah
had allowed to deteriorate.
And the men
did
the work
faithfully.
The Levites
overseeing them
were Jahath
and Obadiah,
descendants
of Merari,
and Zechariah
and Meshullam
descendants
of Kohath.
Other Levites,
all
skilled
with musical
instruments,
were over
the laborers
and supervised
all
who did
the work,
task
by task.
Some of the Levites
were secretaries,
officers,
and gatekeepers.
While they were bringing out
the money
that had been taken
into the house
of the LORD,
Hilkiah
the priest
found
the book
of the Law
of the LORD
given by
Moses.
And Hilkiah
said to
Shaphan
the scribe,
“I have found
the Book
of the Law
in the house
of the LORD!”
And he
gave
it
to
Shaphan.
Shaphan
took
the book
to
the king
and
reported,
“Your servants
are doing
all
that
has been placed
in their hands.
They have paid out
the money
that was found
in the house
of the LORD
and have put
it into
the hands
of the supervisors
and
workers.”
Moreover, Shaphan
the scribe
told
the king,
“Hilkiah
the priest
has given
me
a book.”
And Shaphan
read
it
in the presence
of the king.
and
commanded
Hilkiah,
Ahikam
son
of Shaphan,
Abdon
son
of Micah,
Shaphan
the scribe,
and Asaiah
the servant
of the king:
“Go
and inquire
of the LORD
for me,
and for
those remaining
in Israel
and Judah,
concerning
the words
in the book
that
that has been found.
For
great is
the wrath
of the LORD
that
has been poured out
on us
because
our fathers
have not
kept
the word
of the LORD
by doing
all
that is written
in
this
book."
So Hilkiah
and those
the king had designated
went
and spoke
to
Huldah
the prophetess,
the wife
of Shallum
son
of Tokhath,
the son
of Hasrah,
the keeper
of the wardrobe.
She
lived
in Jerusalem,
in the Second District.
And Huldah said
to them,
“This is what
the LORD,
the God
of Israel,
says:
‘Tell
the man
who
sent
you
that this is what
the LORD
says:
I am about to bring
calamity
on
this
place
and on
its people,
according to all
the curses
written
in
the book
that
has been read
in the presence
of the king
of Judah,
because
they have forsaken Me
and burned incense
to other
gods,
that
they might provoke Me to anger
with all
the works
of their hands.
My wrath
will be poured out
upon this
place
and will not
be quenched.’
But as for
the king
of Judah
who sent
you
to inquire
of the LORD,
tell him
that
this is what
the LORD,
the God
of Israel,
says:
‘As for the words
that
you heard,
because
your heart
was tender
and you humbled yourself
before
God
when you heard
His words
against
this
place
and against
its people,
and because you have humbled yourself
before Me
and you have torn
your clothes
and wept
before Me,
I
have heard you,"
declares
the LORD.
‘Now I will indeed
gather
you to
your fathers,
and you will be gathered
to
your grave
in peace.
Your eyes
will not
see
all
the calamity
that
I
will bring
on
this
place
and on
its inhabitants.'"
So they brought
her answer
back to the king.
And he
went up
to the house
of the LORD
with all
and the people
of Judah
and Jerusalem,
as well as the priests
and the Levites—
all
the people
small
and
great—
and in their hearing
he read
all
the words
of the Book
of the Covenant
that had been found
in the house
of the LORD.
So the king
stood
by
the pillar
and made
a covenant
before
the LORD
to follow
the LORD
and to keep
His commandments,
decrees,
and statutes
with all
his heart
and all
his soul,
and to carry out
the words
of this covenant
that were written
in
this
book.
Then he had everyone
in Jerusalem
and Benjamin
take a stand in agreement to it.
So all the people
of Jerusalem
carried out
the covenant
of God,
the God
of their fathers.
And Josiah
removed
all
the abominations
from all
the lands
belonging to the Israelites,
and he required everyone
in Israel
to serve
the LORD
their God.
Throughout
his reign
they did not
turn aside
from following
the LORD,
the God
of their fathers.