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2 Chronicles 33-36
New King James Version

Manasseh Reigns in Judah(A)

33 Manasseh (B)was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2 But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the (C)abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the [a]high places which Hezekiah his father had (D)broken down; he raised up altars for the Baals, and (E)made wooden images; and he worshiped (F)all [b]the host of heaven and served them. 4 He also built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, (G)“In Jerusalem shall My name be forever.” 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven (H)in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 (I)Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced (J)soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and (K)consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. 7 (L)He even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the [c]house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, (M)“In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; 8 (N)and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers—only if they are careful to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.” 9 So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.

Manasseh Restored After Repentance

10 And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not [d]listen. 11 (O)Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with [e]hooks, (P)bound him with [f]bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon. 12 Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and (Q)humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13 and prayed to Him; and He (R)received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh (S)knew that the Lord was God.

14 After this he built a wall outside the City of David on the west side of (T)Gihon, in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate; and it (U)enclosed Ophel, and he raised it to a very great height. Then he put military captains in all the fortified cities of Judah. 15 He took away (V)the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem; and he cast them out of the city. 16 He also repaired the altar of the Lord, sacrificed peace offerings and (W)thank offerings on it, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. 17 (X)Nevertheless the people still sacrificed on the [g]high places, but only to the Lord their God.

Death of Manasseh(Y)

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, his prayer to his God, and the words of (Z)the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, indeed they are written in the [h]book of the kings of Israel. 19 Also his prayer and how God received his entreaty, and all his sin and trespass, and the sites where he built [i]high places and set up wooden images and carved images, before he was humbled, indeed they are written among the sayings of [j]Hozai. 20 (AA)So Manasseh rested with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. Then his son Amon reigned in his place.

Amon’s Reign and Death(AB)

21 (AC)Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22 But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done; for Amon sacrificed to all the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and served them. 23 And he did not humble himself before the Lord, (AD)as his father Manasseh had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.

24 (AE)Then his servants conspired against him, and (AF)killed him in his own house. 25 But the people of the land executed all those who had conspired against King Amon. Then the people of the land made his son Josiah king in his place.

Josiah Reigns in Judah(AG)

34 Josiah (AH)was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still (AI)young, he began to (AJ)seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began (AK)to purge Judah and Jerusalem (AL)of the [k]high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images. 4 (AM)They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars which were above them he cut down; and the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images he broke in pieces, and made dust of them (AN)and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He also (AO)burned the bones of the priests on their (AP)altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 And so he did in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali and all around, with [l]axes. 7 When he had broken down the altars and the wooden images, had (AQ)beaten the carved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law(AR)

8 (AS)In the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the [m]temple, he sent (AT)Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the (AU)governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God. 9 When they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered (AV)the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites who kept the doors had gathered from the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all the (AW)remnant of Israel, from all Judah and Benjamin, and which they had brought back to Jerusalem. 10 Then they put it in the hand of the foremen who had the oversight of the house of the Lord; and they gave it to the workmen who worked in the house of the Lord, to repair and restore the house. 11 They gave it to the craftsmen and builders to buy hewn stone and timber for beams, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed. 12 And the men did the work faithfully. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to supervise. Others of the Levites, all of whom were skillful with instruments of music, 13 were (AX)over the burden bearers and were overseers of all who did work in any kind of service. (AY)And some of the Levites were scribes, officers, and gatekeepers.

14 Now when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest (AZ)found the Book of the Law of the Lord given by Moses. 15 Then Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the (BA)book to Shaphan. 16 So Shaphan carried the book to the king, bringing the king word, saying, “All that was committed to your servants they are doing. 17 And they have [n]gathered the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers and the workmen.” 18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.

19 Thus it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes. 20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, (BB)Ahikam the son of Shaphan, [o]Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, 21 “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for those who are left in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not (BC)kept the word of the Lord, to do according to all that is written in this book.”

22 So Hilkiah and those the king had appointed went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of [p]Tokhath, the son of [q]Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke to her to that effect.

23 Then she answered them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me, 24 “Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will (BD)bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the (BE)book which they have read before the king of Judah, 25 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. Therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place, and not be quenched.’ ” ’ 26 But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, in this manner you shall speak to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Concerning the words which you have heard— 27 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the (BF)Lord. 28 “Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.” ’ ” So they brought back word to the king.

Josiah Restores True Worship(BG)

29 (BH)Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 The king went up to the house of the Lord, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—the priests and the Levites, and all the people, great and small. And he (BI)read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the Lord. 31 Then the king (BJ)stood in (BK)his place and made a (BL)covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. 32 And he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin take a stand. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 Thus Josiah removed all the (BM)abominations from all the country that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel [r]diligently serve the Lord their God. (BN)All his days they did not depart from following the Lord God of their fathers.

Josiah Keeps the Passover(BO)

35 Now (BP)Josiah kept a Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the (BQ)fourteenth day of the first month. 2 And he set the priests in their (BR)duties and (BS)encouraged them for the service of the house of the Lord. 3 Then he said to the Levites (BT)who taught all Israel, who were holy to the Lord: (BU)“Put the holy ark (BV)in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. (BW)It shall no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and His people Israel. 4 Prepare yourselves (BX)according to your fathers’ [s]houses, according to your divisions, following the (BY)written instruction of David king of Israel and the (BZ)written instruction of Solomon his son. 5 And (CA)stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of your brethren the lay people, and according to the division of the father’s house of the Levites. 6 So slaughter the Passover offerings, (CB)consecrate yourselves, and prepare them for your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.”

7 Then Josiah (CC)gave the lay people lambs and young goats from the flock, all for Passover offerings for all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, as well as three thousand cattle; these were from the king’s (CD)possessions. 8 And his (CE)leaders gave willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand six hundred from the flock, and three hundred cattle. 9 Also (CF)Conaniah, his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave to the Levites for Passover offerings five thousand from the flock and five hundred cattle.

10 So the service was prepared, and the priests (CG)stood in their places, and the (CH)Levites in their divisions, according to the king’s command. 11 And they slaughtered the Passover offerings; and the priests (CI)sprinkled the blood with their hands, while the Levites (CJ)skinned the animals. 12 Then they removed the burnt offerings that they might give them to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of the lay people, to offer to the Lord, as it is written (CK)in the Book of Moses. And so they did with the cattle. 13 Also they (CL)roasted the Passover offerings with fire according to the ordinance; but the other holy offerings they (CM)boiled in pots, in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them quickly among all the lay people. 14 Then afterward they prepared portions for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were busy in offering burnt offerings and fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared portions for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron. 15 And the singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their places, according to the (CN)command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer. Also the gatekeepers (CO)were at each gate; they did not have to leave their position, because their brethren the Levites prepared portions for them.

16 So all the service of the Lord was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord, according to the command of King Josiah. 17 And the children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of (CP)Unleavened Bread for seven days. 18 (CQ)There had been no Passover kept in Israel like that since the days of Samuel the prophet; and none of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as Josiah kept, with the priests and the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept.

Josiah Dies in Battle(CR)

20 (CS)After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against (CT)Carchemish by the Euphrates; and Josiah went out against him. 21 But he sent messengers to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I have not come against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; for God commanded me to make haste. Refrain from meddling with God, who is with me, lest He destroy you.” 22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but (CU)disguised himself so that he might fight with him, and did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God. So he came to fight in the Valley of Megiddo.

23 And the archers shot King Josiah; and the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am severely wounded.” 24 (CV)His servants therefore took him out of that chariot and put him in the second chariot that he had, and they brought him to Jerusalem. So he died, and was buried in one of the tombs of his fathers. And (CW)all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

25 Jeremiah also (CX)lamented for (CY)Josiah. And to this day (CZ)all the singing men and the singing women speak of Josiah in their lamentations. (DA)They made it a custom in Israel; and indeed they are written in the Laments.

26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his goodness, according to what was written in the Law of the Lord, 27 and his deeds from first to last, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

The Reign and Captivity of Jehoahaz(DB)

36 Then (DC)the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem. 2 [t]Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 3 Now the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 4 Then the king of Egypt made [u]Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took [v]Jehoahaz his brother and carried him off to Egypt.

The Reign and Captivity of Jehoiakim(DD)

5 (DE)Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did (DF)evil in the sight of the Lord his God. 6 (DG)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in [w]bronze fetters to (DH)carry him off to Babylon. 7 (DI)Nebuchadnezzar also carried off some of the articles from the house of the Lord to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the abominations which he did, and what was found against him, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. Then [x]Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.

The Reign and Captivity of Jehoiachin(DJ)

9 (DK)Jehoiachin was [y]eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord. 10 At the turn of the year (DL)King Nebuchadnezzar summoned him and took him to Babylon, (DM)with the costly articles from the house of the Lord, and made (DN)Zedekiah,[z] [aa]Jehoiakim’s brother, king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah Reigns in Judah(DO)

11 (DP)Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. 12 He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and (DQ)did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. 13 And he also (DR)rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he (DS)stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord God of Israel. 14 Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the Lord which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Fall of Jerusalem(DT)

15 (DU)And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. 16 But (DV)they mocked the messengers of God, (DW)despised His words, and (DX)scoffed at His prophets, until the (DY)wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.

17 (DZ)Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who (EA)killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. 18 (EB)And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. 19 (EC)Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. 20 And (ED)those who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, (EE)where they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of (EF)Jeremiah, until the land (EG)had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate (EH)she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

The Proclamation of Cyrus(EI)

22 (EJ)Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of (EK)Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of (EL)Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,

23 (EM)Thus says Cyrus king of Persia:

All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a [ab]house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up!

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 33:3 Places for pagan worship
  2. 2 Chronicles 33:3 The gods of the Assyrians
  3. 2 Chronicles 33:7 Temple
  4. 2 Chronicles 33:10 obey
  5. 2 Chronicles 33:11 Nose hooks, 2 Kin. 19:28
  6. 2 Chronicles 33:11 chains
  7. 2 Chronicles 33:17 Places for pagan worship
  8. 2 Chronicles 33:18 Lit. words
  9. 2 Chronicles 33:19 Places for pagan worship
  10. 2 Chronicles 33:19 LXX the seers
  11. 2 Chronicles 34:3 Places for pagan worship
  12. 2 Chronicles 34:6 Lit. swords
  13. 2 Chronicles 34:8 Lit. house
  14. 2 Chronicles 34:17 Lit. poured out
  15. 2 Chronicles 34:20 Achbor the son of Michaiah, 2 Kin. 22:12
  16. 2 Chronicles 34:22 Tikvah, 2 Kin. 22:14
  17. 2 Chronicles 34:22 Harhas, 2 Kin. 22:14
  18. 2 Chronicles 34:33 Lit. serve to serve
  19. 2 Chronicles 35:4 households
  20. 2 Chronicles 36:2 MT Joahaz
  21. 2 Chronicles 36:4 Lit. his
  22. 2 Chronicles 36:4 MT Joahaz
  23. 2 Chronicles 36:6 chains
  24. 2 Chronicles 36:8 Or Jeconiah
  25. 2 Chronicles 36:9 Heb. mss., LXX, Syr. eighteen and 2 Kin. 24:8
  26. 2 Chronicles 36:10 Or Mattaniah
  27. 2 Chronicles 36:10 Lit. his brother, 2 Kin. 24:17
  28. 2 Chronicles 36:23 Temple
Listen to 2 Chronicles 33-36
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2 Chronicles 33-36
New International Version

Manasseh King of Judah(A)(B)

33 Manasseh(C) was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord,(D) following the detestable(E) practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles.(F) He bowed down(G) to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 4 He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “My Name(H) will remain in Jerusalem forever.” 5 In both courts of the temple of the Lord,(I) he built altars to all the starry hosts. 6 He sacrificed his children(J) in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums(K) and spiritists.(L) He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

7 He took the image he had made and put it in God’s temple,(M) of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. 8 I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land(N) I assigned to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and regulations given through Moses.” 9 But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.(O)

10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. 11 So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner,(P) put a hook(Q) in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles(R) and took him to Babylon. 12 In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled(S) himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. 13 And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.

14 Afterward he rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David, west of the Gihon(T) spring in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate(U) and encircling the hill of Ophel;(V) he also made it much higher. He stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah.

15 He got rid of the foreign gods and removed(W) the image from the temple of the Lord, as well as all the altars he had built on the temple hill and in Jerusalem; and he threw them out of the city. 16 Then he restored the altar of the Lord and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thank offerings(X) on it, and told Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel. 17 The people, however, continued to sacrifice at the high places, but only to the Lord their God.

18 The other events of Manasseh’s reign, including his prayer to his God and the words the seers spoke to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, are written in the annals of the kings of Israel.[a] 19 His prayer and how God was moved by his entreaty, as well as all his sins and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled(Y) himself—all these are written in the records of the seers.[b](Z) 20 Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried(AA) in his palace. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.

Amon King of Judah(AB)

21 Amon(AC) was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. 22 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made. 23 But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble(AD) himself before the Lord; Amon increased his guilt.

24 Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace. 25 Then the people(AE) of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.

Josiah’s Reforms(AF)(AG)(AH)

34 Josiah(AI) was eight years old when he became king,(AJ) and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David,(AK) not turning aside to the right or to the left.

3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God(AL) of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols. 4 Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles(AM) and the idols. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.(AN) 5 He burned(AO) the bones of the priests on their altars, and so he purged Judah and Jerusalem. 6 In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, 7 he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder(AP) and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

8 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.

9 They went to Hilkiah(AQ) the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the gatekeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 Then they entrusted it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the Lord’s temple. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple. 11 They also gave money(AR) to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.(AS)

12 The workers labored faithfully.(AT) Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites—all who were skilled in playing musical instruments—(AU) 13 had charge of the laborers(AV) and supervised all the workers from job to job. Some of the Levites were secretaries, scribes and gatekeepers.

The Book of the Law Found(AW)(AX)

14 While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law(AY) in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan.

16 Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. 17 They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.” 18 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the Law,(AZ) he tore(BA) his robes. 20 He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan(BB), Abdon son of Micah,[c] Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: 21 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out(BC) on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”

22 Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him[d] went to speak to the prophet(BD) Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath,[e] the son of Hasrah,[f] keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.

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 going to bring disaster(BE) on this place and its people(BF)—all the curses(BG) written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah. 25 Because they have forsaken me(BH) and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all that their hands have made,[g] my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’ 26 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: 27 Because your heart was responsive(BI) and you humbled(BJ) yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. 28 Now I will gather you to your ancestors,(BK) and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.’”(BL)

So they took her answer back to the king.

29 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 He went up to the temple of the Lord(BM) with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. 31 The king stood by his pillar(BN) and renewed the covenant(BO) in the presence of the Lord—to follow(BP) the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.

32 Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

33 Josiah removed all the detestable(BQ) idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

Josiah Celebrates the Passover(BR)

35 Josiah celebrated the Passover(BS) to the Lord in Jerusalem, and the Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 He appointed the priests to their duties and encouraged them in the service of the Lord’s temple. 3 He said to the Levites, who instructed(BT) all Israel and who had been consecrated to the Lord: “Put the sacred ark in the temple that Solomon son of David king of Israel built. It is not to be carried about on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel. 4 Prepare yourselves by families in your divisions,(BU) according to the instructions written by David king of Israel and by his son Solomon.

5 “Stand in the holy place with a group of Levites for each subdivision of the families of your fellow Israelites, the lay people. 6 Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves(BV) and prepare the lambs for your fellow Israelites, doing what the Lord commanded through Moses.”

7 Josiah provided for all the lay people who were there a total of thirty thousand lambs and goats for the Passover offerings,(BW) and also three thousand cattle—all from the king’s own possessions.(BX)

8 His officials also contributed(BY) voluntarily to the people and the priests and Levites. Hilkiah,(BZ) Zechariah and Jehiel, the officials in charge of God’s temple, gave the priests twenty-six hundred Passover offerings and three hundred cattle. 9 Also Konaniah(CA) along with Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel and Jozabad,(CB) the leaders of the Levites, provided five thousand Passover offerings and five hundred head of cattle for the Levites.

10 The service was arranged and the priests stood in their places with the Levites in their divisions(CC) as the king had ordered.(CD) 11 The Passover lambs were slaughtered,(CE) and the priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them, while the Levites skinned the animals. 12 They set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the subdivisions of the families of the people to offer to the Lord, as it is written in the Book of Moses. They did the same with the cattle. 13 They roasted the Passover animals over the fire as prescribed,(CF) and boiled the holy offerings in pots, caldrons and pans and served them quickly to all the people. 14 After this, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fat portions(CG) until nightfall. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the Aaronic priests.

15 The musicians,(CH) the descendants of Asaph, were in the places prescribed by David, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun the king’s seer. The gatekeepers at each gate did not need to leave their posts, because their fellow Levites made the preparations for them.

16 So at that time the entire service of the Lord was carried out for the celebration of the Passover and the offering of burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord, as King Josiah had ordered. 17 The Israelites who were present celebrated the Passover at that time and observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. 18 The Passover had not been observed like this in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel; and none of the kings of Israel had ever celebrated such a Passover as did Josiah, with the priests, the Levites and all Judah and Israel who were there with the people of Jerusalem. 19 This Passover was celebrated in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign.

The Death of Josiah(CI)

20 After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Necho king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish(CJ) on the Euphrates,(CK) and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. 21 But Necho sent messengers to him, saying, “What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told(CL) me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.”

22 Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised(CM) himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.

23 Archers(CN) shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, “Take me away; I am badly wounded.” 24 So they took him out of his chariot, put him in his other chariot and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.

25 Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers commemorate Josiah in the laments.(CO) These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments.(CP)

26 The other events of Josiah’s reign and his acts of devotion in accordance with what is written in the Law of the Lord— 27 all the events, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 36 1 And the people(CQ) of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father.

Jehoahaz King of Judah(CR)

2 Jehoahaz[h] was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. 3 The king of Egypt dethroned him in Jerusalem and imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents[i] of silver and a talent[j] of gold. 4 The king of Egypt made Eliakim, a brother of Jehoahaz, king over Judah and Jerusalem and changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But Necho(CS) took Eliakim’s brother Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt.(CT)

Jehoiakim King of Judah(CU)

5 Jehoiakim(CV) was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God. 6 Nebuchadnezzar(CW) king of Babylon attacked him and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.(CX) 7 Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon articles from the temple of the Lord and put them in his temple[k] there.(CY)

8 The other events of Jehoiakim’s reign, the detestable things he did and all that was found against him, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son succeeded him as king.

Jehoiachin King of Judah(CZ)

9 Jehoiachin(DA) was eighteen[l] years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. 10 In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and brought him to Babylon,(DB) together with articles of value from the temple of the Lord, and he made Jehoiachin’s uncle,[m] Zedekiah, king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah King of Judah(DC)

11 Zedekiah(DD) was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. 12 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord(DE) his God and did not humble(DF) himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord. 13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath(DG) in God’s name. He became stiff-necked(DH) and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel. 14 Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful,(DI) following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Fall of Jerusalem(DJ)(DK)

15 The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers(DL) again and again,(DM) because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed(DN) at his prophets until the wrath(DO) of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.(DP) 17 He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians,[n](DQ) who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men(DR) or young women, the elderly or the infirm.(DS) God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.(DT) 18 He carried to Babylon all the articles(DU) from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. 19 They set fire(DV) to God’s temple(DW) and broke down the wall(DX) of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed(DY) everything of value there.(DZ)

20 He carried into exile(EA) to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants(EB) to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. 21 The land enjoyed its sabbath rests;(EC) all the time of its desolation it rested,(ED) until the seventy years(EE) were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.

22 In the first year of Cyrus(EF) king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

23 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed(EG) me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord their God be with them.’”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 33:18 That is, Judah, as frequently in 2 Chronicles
  2. 2 Chronicles 33:19 One Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts of Hozai
  3. 2 Chronicles 34:20 Also called Akbor son of Micaiah
  4. 2 Chronicles 34:22 One Hebrew manuscript, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts do not have had sent with him.
  5. 2 Chronicles 34:22 Also called Tikvah
  6. 2 Chronicles 34:22 Also called Harhas
  7. 2 Chronicles 34:25 Or by everything they have done
  8. 2 Chronicles 36:2 Hebrew Joahaz, a variant of Jehoahaz; also in verse 4
  9. 2 Chronicles 36:3 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
  10. 2 Chronicles 36:3 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
  11. 2 Chronicles 36:7 Or palace
  12. 2 Chronicles 36:9 One Hebrew manuscript, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 2 Kings 24:8); most Hebrew manuscripts eight
  13. 2 Chronicles 36:10 Hebrew brother, that is, relative (see 2 Kings 24:17)
  14. 2 Chronicles 36:17 Or Chaldeans
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