Josiah in the Bible

Meaning: the Lord burns; the fire of the Lord

Exact Match

And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.

And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,

Shaphan the scribe reported to King Josiah, brought up the matter to him, and told him, "Your servants have distributed the money that was found in the Temple by giving it to the workmen who supervise the LORD's Temple."

“Therefore, behold, [King Josiah,] I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be taken to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the evil (catastrophe) which I will bring on this place.”’” So they brought back word to the king. Cross references: 2 Kings 22:4 : 2 Kin 12:4 end of crossrefs

King Josiah sent word and they brought to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

Josiah brought out the Asherah from the house of the Lord to the Brook Kidron outside Jerusalem, and burned it there, and ground it to dust, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people [who had sacrificed to it].

Then Josiah brought all the [idolatrous] priests from the cities of Judah, and desecrated the high places where the priests had burned incense [to idols], from Geba to Beersheba, [that is, north to south]; and he tore down the high places of the gates which were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the city gate.

Josiah also defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of Ben-hinnom (son of Hinnom), so that no man could make his son or his daughter pass through the fire [as a burnt offering] for Molech.

Moreover, the altar which [was] in Bethel, the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin, had built, even that altar and the high place, [Josiah] tore down. Then he burned down the high place and crushed [the] pole of Asherah worship to dust and burned it with fire.

And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.

Then Josiah said, “What is this monument (gravestone) that I see?” The men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done to the altar of Bethel.”

So Josiah said, "Let him rest and let no man move his bones." So they left his bones undisturbed with the bones of the prophet who had come from Samaria.

And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.

But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem.

Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.

Before him there was no king like Josiah who turned to the Lord with all his heart and all his soul and all his might, in accordance with all the Law of Moses; nor did anyone like him arise after him.

Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.

And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's stead.

The people of the land took Josiah's son Jehoahaz, anointed him, and installed him as king in his father's place. Jehoahaz was 23 years old when he became king. He reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal. She was the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.

And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum.

But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.

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

In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a youth, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David, and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images.

Then Josiah burned the bones of the [pagan] priests on their altars and purged and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, when he had purged the land and the [Lord’s] house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder (secretary), to repair the house of the Lord his God.

But you shall say the following to King Josiah of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord: ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel, concerning the words which you have heard,

And 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.

Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king's substance.

So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah.

And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept.

After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.

But Neco sent messengers to Josiah, saying, “What business do we have with each other, O King of Judah? I am not coming against you today, but against the house with which I am at war, and God has ordered me to hurry. Stop for your own sake from interfering with God who is with me, so that He will not destroy you.”

Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.

And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.

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, and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.

Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to that which was written in the law of the LORD,

Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem.

To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.

The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

Yet in spite of all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to Me with her whole heart, but rather in [blatant] deception [she merely pretended obedience to King Josiah’s reforms],” declares the Lord.

For thus saith the LORD touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his father, which went forth out of this place; He shall not return thither any more:


“Do you think that you become a king because you have much more cedar [in your palace than Solomon]?
Did not your father [Josiah], as he ate and drank,
Do just and righteous acts [being upright and in right standing with God]?
Then all was well with him.

Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah lord! or, Ah his glory!

The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;

From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying,

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,

And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.

And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.

And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.

The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,

Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaohnecho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah.

The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;

In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of [the city of] Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddo [over beloved King Josiah].

Thematic Bible



Because, tender, was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before Yahweh when thou heardest what I had spoken against this place and against the inhabitants thereof - that they should become a desolation and a curse, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, therefore also, I, have hearkened - declareth Yahweh.


Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the entrance-hall, to bring forth, out of the temple of Yahweh, all the vessels that had been made for Baal and for the Sacred Stem, and for all the army of the heavens, - and he burned them up outside Jerusalem, in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel;


and, the altars which were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, also the altars which Manasseh had made, in the two courts of the house of Yahweh, did the king break down, - and hurried away from thence, and cast out the powder of them into the Kidron ravine;

and he brought forth the Sacred Stem out of the house of Yahweh, outside Jerusalem, into the Kidron ravine, and burned it in the Kidron ravine, and crushed it to powder, - and cast the powder upon the graves of the sons of the people;


Eight years old, was Josiah when he begun to reign, - and, thirty-one years, reigned he in Jerusalem. And he did that which was right, in the eyes of Yahweh, - and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left. And, in the eighth year of his reign, he, being yet a boy, he began to seek unto the God of David his father,-and, in the twelfth year, he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, from the high places and the Sacred Stems, and the carved images and the molten images.


Because, tender, was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before Yahweh when thou heardest what I had spoken against this place and against the inhabitants thereof - that they should become a desolation and a curse, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, therefore also, I, have hearkened - declareth Yahweh.


And the king took his stand by the pillar, and solemnised a covenant before Yahweh - to follow Yahweh, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all their heart and with all their soul, to confirm the words of this covenant, written in this book. And all the people took their stand in the covenant.


Because, tender, was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before Yahweh when thou heardest what I had spoken against this place and against the inhabitants thereof - that they should become a desolation and a curse, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, therefore also, I, have hearkened - declareth Yahweh.


And, in the eighth year of his reign, he, being yet a boy, he began to seek unto the God of David his father,-and, in the twelfth year, he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, from the high places and the Sacred Stems, and the carved images and the molten images.

and he brake in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Sacred Stems, - and filled their place with human bones:

And, when he had thrown down the altars and the Sacred Stems, and, the images, he had beaten to powder, and, the sun-pillars, he had hewn down throughout all the land of Israel, then returned he to Jerusalem.

And, in the eighth year of his reign, he, being yet a boy, he began to seek unto the God of David his father,-and, in the twelfth year, he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, from the high places and the Sacred Stems, and the carved images and the molten images. And they threw down before him, the altars of the Baalim, and, the sun-pillars which were on high above them, he hewed down, - and, the Sacred Stems and the carved images and the molten images, brake he in pieces and ground to dust, and tossed over the face of the graves, of them who had been sacrificing unto them.


And, in the eighth year of his reign, he, being yet a boy, he began to seek unto the God of David his father,-and, in the twelfth year, he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, from the high places and the Sacred Stems, and the carved images and the molten images.

and be brought in all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where, the priests, had burned incense, from Geba unto Beer-sheba, - and brake down the high places of the gates, that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua, the governor of the city, which were on one's left hand, in the gate of the city;


Because tender was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, and didst humble thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me, therefore, I also, have heard, is the declaration of Yahweh.


Because tender was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, and didst humble thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me, therefore, I also, have heard, is the declaration of Yahweh.


Because tender was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, and didst humble thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me, therefore, I also, have heard, is the declaration of Yahweh.


Because tender was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, and didst humble thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me, therefore, I also, have heard, is the declaration of Yahweh.


Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the entrance-hall, to bring forth, out of the temple of Yahweh, all the vessels that had been made for Baal and for the Sacred Stem, and for all the army of the heavens, - and he burned them up outside Jerusalem, in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel; and he put down the idol-priests, whom the kings of Judah had appointed, so that incense might be burned in the high places, in the cities of Judah, and round about Jerusalem, - them also that burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the constellations, and to all the army of the heavens; and he brought forth the Sacred Stem out of the house of Yahweh, outside Jerusalem, into the Kidron ravine, and burned it in the Kidron ravine, and crushed it to powder, - and cast the powder upon the graves of the sons of the people; read more.
and he brake down the houses of the male devotees, which were in the house of Yahweh, - where the women did weave houses to the Sacred Stem; and be brought in all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where, the priests, had burned incense, from Geba unto Beer-sheba, - and brake down the high places of the gates, that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua, the governor of the city, which were on one's left hand, in the gate of the city; howbeit, the priests of the high places came not up unto the altar of Yahweh, in Jerusalem, save only that they did eat unleavened bread in the midst of their brethren; and he defiled Topheth, which was in the valley of the son of Hinnom, - so that no man might cause his son or his daughter to pass through the fire unto Molech; and he did away with the horses, which the kings of Judah had devoted to the sun, at the entrance of the house of Yahweh, near the chamber of Nathan-melech the courtier, which was in the suburbs, also, the chariots of the sun, burned he with fire; and, the altars which were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, also the altars which Manasseh had made, in the two courts of the house of Yahweh, did the king break down, - and hurried away from thence, and cast out the powder of them into the Kidron ravine; and, the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of destruction, which Solomon king of Israel had built unto Ashtoreth - the abomination of the Zidonians, and unto Chemosh - the abomination of the Moabites, and unto Milcom - the disgusting thing of the sons of Ammon, did the king defile; and he brake in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Sacred Stems, - and filled their place with human bones: moreover also, the altar that was in Bethel, the high place which Jeroboam son of Nebat made, wherewith he caused, Israel, to sin, - even that altar, and the high place, brake he down, - and burned the high place, crushing it to powder, and burned a Sacred Stem. And, when Josiah turned, and saw the graves which were there, in the mount, he sent and took the bones out of the graves, and burned upon the altar, and defiled it, - according to the word of Yahweh, which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. Then said he - What is yonder erection, which I do see? And the men of the city said unto him - The grave of the man of God, who came in out of Judah, and proclaimed these things, which thou hast done, concerning the altar of Bethel. And he said - Let him rest, let, no man, disturb his bones. So they let his bones rest, with the bones of the prophet who came in out of Samaria. Moreover also, all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made, so as to provoke Yahweh to anger, did Josiah remove, - and he did to them according to all the doings which he had done in Bethel; and he sacrificed all the priests of the high places, who were there, by the altars, and burned human bones thereupon, - and returned to Jerusalem.


and he put down the idol-priests, whom the kings of Judah had appointed, so that incense might be burned in the high places, in the cities of Judah, and round about Jerusalem, - them also that burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the constellations, and to all the army of the heavens;



But, of the poorest of the land, did the chief of the royal executioners, leave, for vine-dressers and for husbandmen.

But, as for the people who were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon left remaining, he set over them Gedaliah, son of Ahikam son of Shaphan. And, when all the generals of the forces, they and the men, heard that the king of Babylon had given oversight unto Gedaliah, then came they in unto Gedaliah, at Mizpah, - even Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and Johanan son of Kareah, and Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of a Maacathite, they and their men.

But of the poor people, who had, nothing, did Nebuzaradan chief of the royal executioners, leave remaining in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and ploughed fields on the same day.

Now, when all the captains of the forces which were in the field - they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had set Gedaliah son of Ahikam in charge over the land, - and that he had committed to him men and women and children, and the poor of the land of those who had not been carried away captive to Babylon, then came they in unto Gedaliah in Mizpah, - both Ishmael son of Nethaniah and Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah, and Seraiah son of Tanhumeth and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite and Jezaniah son of the Maachathite, they and their men. Then Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan swats unto them, and to their men saying, Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans, - dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon that it may be well with you. read more.
But as for me, behold me! remaining in Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans who may come unto us, Ye, however, gather ye wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your reties which ye have seized. Likewise also, all the Jews, who were in Moab and among the sons of Ammon and in Edom and who were in any of the lands, when they heard that the king of Babylon had granted a remnant to Judah, and that he had set in charge over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, yea, then returned all the Jews out of all the places whither they had been driven, and came into the land of Judah unto Gedaliah, in Mizpah, - and gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.

But, others of the poor of the land, did Nebuzaradan chief of the royal executioners leave, for vinedressers and for husbandmen.


And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, his relative, king in his stead, - and changed his name to Zedekiah. Twenty-one years old, was Zedekiah when he began to reign, and, eleven years, reigned he in Jerusalem, - and, his mother's name, was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - according to all that, Jehoiakim, had done. read more.
For, it was because the anger of Yahweh had come against Jerusalem, and against Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled, against the king of Babylon.

Twenty-one years old, was Zedekiah when he began to reign, - and, eleven years, reigned he in Jerusalem. And he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh his God,-he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, from the mouth of Yahweh. Moreover also - against King Nebuchadnezzar, he rebelled, who had made him swear by God,-and he stiffened his neck, and emboldened his heart, from turning unto Yahweh, God of Israel. read more.
Also, all the rulers of the priests and of the people, abounded in committing treachery, according to all the abominable ways of the nations, - and polluted the house of Yahweh, which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. And, though Yahweh God of their fathers sent unto them through his messengers, zealously sending them, - because he had compassion upon his people and upon his habitation, yet became they mockers of the messengers of God, and despisers of his words, and mimics of his prophets, - until the mounting up of the wrath of Yahweh against his people, until there was no healing. So he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who slew their young men with the sword, in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or virgin, elder or ancient,-all, delivered he into his hand. And, all the utensils of the house of God, both great and small, and the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king and of his rulers, the whole, carried he to Babylon; and they burned the house of God, and threw down the wall of Jerusalem, - and, all the palaces thereof, burned they with fire, and, all the precious vessels thereof, he destroyed; and he exiled the remnant left from the sword, into Babylon, - where they became his and his sons, as servants, until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: to fulfil the word of God, by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had paid off her sabbaths, - all the days of her lying desolate, she kept sabbath, to fulfil seventy years.


And, Rehoboam, son of Solomon, reigned in Judah, - forty-one years old, was Rehoboam when he began to reign, and seventeen years, reigned he in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen to put his Name there, out of all the tribes of Israel, and, his mother's name, was Naamah, the Ammonitess. And Judah did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - and provoked him to jealousy, above all that their fathers had done, with their sins which they committed. And, they also, built for themselves high places and pillars, and Sacred Stems, - upon every high hill, and under every green tree. read more.
Moreover also, there were, male devotees, in the land, - they did according to all the abominable practices of the nations, which Yahweh dispossessed from before the sons of Israel. And it came to pass, in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem; and took away the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the house of the king, yea, the whole, took he away, - and took away all the bucklers of gold, which, Solomon, had made. So King Rehoboam made, in their stead, bucklers of bronze, - and committed them unto the hand of the captains of the runners, who kept guard at the entrance of the house of the king. And so it was, whensoever the king went into the house of Yahweh, the runners bare them, and then brought them back into the chamber of the runners. Now, the rest of the story of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are, they, not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was, war, between Rehoboam and Jeroboam, continually. So then Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and, the name of his mother, was Naamah the Ammonitess, - and, Abijah his son, reigned, in his stead.


Then the king sent, - and there were gathered unto him, all the elders of Judah, and Jerusalem; and the king went up to the house of Yahweh, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great, - and he read in their ears, all the words of the book of the covenant, which had been found in the house of Yahweh. And the king took his stand by the pillar, and solemnised a covenant before Yahweh - to follow Yahweh, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all their heart and with all their soul, to confirm the words of this covenant, written in this book. And all the people took their stand in the covenant. read more.
Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the entrance-hall, to bring forth, out of the temple of Yahweh, all the vessels that had been made for Baal and for the Sacred Stem, and for all the army of the heavens, - and he burned them up outside Jerusalem, in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel; and he put down the idol-priests, whom the kings of Judah had appointed, so that incense might be burned in the high places, in the cities of Judah, and round about Jerusalem, - them also that burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the constellations, and to all the army of the heavens; and he brought forth the Sacred Stem out of the house of Yahweh, outside Jerusalem, into the Kidron ravine, and burned it in the Kidron ravine, and crushed it to powder, - and cast the powder upon the graves of the sons of the people; and he brake down the houses of the male devotees, which were in the house of Yahweh, - where the women did weave houses to the Sacred Stem; and be brought in all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where, the priests, had burned incense, from Geba unto Beer-sheba, - and brake down the high places of the gates, that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua, the governor of the city, which were on one's left hand, in the gate of the city; howbeit, the priests of the high places came not up unto the altar of Yahweh, in Jerusalem, save only that they did eat unleavened bread in the midst of their brethren; and he defiled Topheth, which was in the valley of the son of Hinnom, - so that no man might cause his son or his daughter to pass through the fire unto Molech; and he did away with the horses, which the kings of Judah had devoted to the sun, at the entrance of the house of Yahweh, near the chamber of Nathan-melech the courtier, which was in the suburbs, also, the chariots of the sun, burned he with fire; and, the altars which were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, also the altars which Manasseh had made, in the two courts of the house of Yahweh, did the king break down, - and hurried away from thence, and cast out the powder of them into the Kidron ravine; and, the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of destruction, which Solomon king of Israel had built unto Ashtoreth - the abomination of the Zidonians, and unto Chemosh - the abomination of the Moabites, and unto Milcom - the disgusting thing of the sons of Ammon, did the king defile; and he brake in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Sacred Stems, - and filled their place with human bones: moreover also, the altar that was in Bethel, the high place which Jeroboam son of Nebat made, wherewith he caused, Israel, to sin, - even that altar, and the high place, brake he down, - and burned the high place, crushing it to powder, and burned a Sacred Stem. And, when Josiah turned, and saw the graves which were there, in the mount, he sent and took the bones out of the graves, and burned upon the altar, and defiled it, - according to the word of Yahweh, which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. Then said he - What is yonder erection, which I do see? And the men of the city said unto him - The grave of the man of God, who came in out of Judah, and proclaimed these things, which thou hast done, concerning the altar of Bethel. And he said - Let him rest, let, no man, disturb his bones. So they let his bones rest, with the bones of the prophet who came in out of Samaria. Moreover also, all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made, so as to provoke Yahweh to anger, did Josiah remove, - and he did to them according to all the doings which he had done in Bethel; and he sacrificed all the priests of the high places, who were there, by the altars, and burned human bones thereupon, - and returned to Jerusalem. Then did the king command all the people, saying, Keep ye a passover unto Yahweh, your God, - such as is written in this book of the covenant. Surely there had not been held such a passover as this, from the days of the Judges who judged Israel, - nor all the days of the kings of Israel, and the kings of Judah; save only, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, when this passover was held unto Yahweh, in Jerusalem. Moreover also, them who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the household gods, and the manufactured gods, and the abominations which were to be seen in the land of Judah, and in Jerusalem, did Josiah consume, - that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of Yahweh. And, like him, was no king, before him, who turned unto Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses, - neither, after him, arose one, like him. Howbeit, Yahweh turned not away from the glow of his great anger, wherewith his anger glowed against Judah - because of all the provocations wherewith, Manasseh, had provoked him. So Yahweh said: Even Judah, will I remove from my presence, as I have removed Israel, - and will reject this city, which I had chosen, even Jerusalem, and the house as to which I had said, My Name, shall be, there. Now, the rest of the story of Josiah, and all that he did, are, they, not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? In his days, came up Pharaoh-necoh king of Egypt, against the king of Assyria, unto the river Euphrates, - and, when King Josiah went against him, he slew him at Megiddo, as soon as he saw him. And his servants conveyed him in a chariot, dead, from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre, - and the people of the land took Jehoahaz, son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made, him, king, in his father's stead.


Eight years old, was Josiah when he began to reign, and, thirty-one years, reigned he in Jerusalem, - and, this mother's name, was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah, of Bozkath.

Then the people of the land smote all who had conspired against King Amon, - and the people of the land made, Josiah his son, king, in his stead. Now, the rest of the story of Amon, what he did, is, it, not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And he was buried in his grave, in the garden of Uzza, - and, Josiah his son, reigned, in his stead.

Amon his son, Josiah his son.

But the people of the land smote all the conspirators against King Amon, - and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.


After all this - when Josiah had prepared the house, Neco king of Egypt came up,-to fight against Carchemish, by Euphrates, and Josiah went forth against him. But he sent unto him messengers, saying - What have I to do with thee, O king of Judah? not against thee, have I come this day, but against the house wherewith I have war, and, God, hath given word to speed me, - cease thou from provoking God who is with me, lest he destroy thee. Howbeit Josiah turned not his face from him, for, to fight against him, he had disguised himself, and he hearkened not unto the words of Neco, from the mouth of God, - so he came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. read more.
And the archers shot at King Josiah, - and the king said unto his servants, Take me away, for I am sore wounded. So his servants took him away out of the war-chariot, and conveyed him in a second chariot which he had, and carried him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in the sepulchres of his fathers, - and, all Judah and Jerusalem, were mourning over Josiah.

In his days, came up Pharaoh-necoh king of Egypt, against the king of Assyria, unto the river Euphrates, - and, when King Josiah went against him, he slew him at Megiddo, as soon as he saw him. And his servants conveyed him in a chariot, dead, from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre, - and the people of the land took Jehoahaz, son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made, him, king, in his father's stead.


Then said Hilkiah the high priest, unto Shaphan the scribe - The book of the law, have I found, in the house of Yahweh. So Hilkiah delivered the book unto Shaphan, and he read it. Then came Shaphan the scribe unto the king, and brought the king word again, - and said - Thy servants have poured out the silver that was found in the house, and have delivered it unto the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh. Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying - A book, hath Hilkiah the priest delivered unto me. And Shaphan read it before the king. read more.
And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Achbor son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying: Go ye - enquire of Yahweh, for me and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book which hath been found, - for, great, is the wrath of Yahweh, in that it hath fired up against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according to all which is written concerning us. So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas keeper of the vestments, she having her dwelling in Jerusalem, in the new city, - and they spake unto her. And she said unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Say ye unto the man who hath sent you unto me: Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! about to bring calamity upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, - all the words of the book, which, the king of Judah, hath read: Because they have forsaken me, and burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger, with all the workmanship of their hands; and so my wrath shall fire up against this place, and shall not be quenched: But, unto the king of Judah, who hath sent you to enquire of Yahweh, thus, shall ye say unto him, - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard: Because, tender, was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before Yahweh when thou heardest what I had spoken against this place and against the inhabitants thereof - that they should become a desolation and a curse, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, therefore also, I, have hearkened - declareth Yahweh. For this cause, behold me! about to gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy graves, in peace, and so thine eyes shall not look upon all the misfortune which I am about to bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

Now, as they were taking out the silver which had been brought into the house of Yahweh, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of Yahweh, by the hand of Moses. Then spake up Hilkiah, and said unto Shaphan the scribe, The Book of the Law, have I found, in the house of Yahweh, - and Hilkiah gave the book unto Shaphan. Then Shaphan took in the book unto the king, and returned yet further unto the king a message, saying, - All that was delivered into the hand of thy servants, they are doing; read more.
and they have poured out the silver, that was found in the house of Yahweh, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the doers of the work. Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, A book, hath Hilkiah the priest given to me. And Shaphan, read therein, before the king. And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. Then did the king command Hilkiah - and Ahikam son of Shaphan - and Abdon son of Micah - and Shaphan the scribe - and Asaiah servant of the king, saying: Go, enquire of Yahweh for me, and for the remnant in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book which hath been found, - for great is the wrath of Yahweh, which hath been poured out upon us, because our fathers, kept not, the word of Yahweh, to do according to all that is written in this book. So Hilkiah and they whom the king had named went into Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tokhath son of Hasrah keeper of the wardrobe, she, having her dwelling in Jerusalem, in the new city, - and they spake unto her accordingly. And she said unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh God of Israel, - Say ye unto the man who hath sent you unto me: Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me bringing in calamity 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: Because they have forsaken me, and burned incense unto other gods, so as to provoke me to anger, with all the works of their hands, therefore hath my wrath been poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched. But, unto the king of Judah, who hath sent you to enquire of Yahweh, thus, shall ye say unto him, - Thus, saith Yahweh God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard: Because tender was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, and didst humble thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me, therefore, I also, have heard, is the declaration of Yahweh. Behold me! gathering thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy sepulchres in peace, and thine eyes shall not look upon all the calamity which, I, am bringing in upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof. And they returned, unto the king, the message. Then the king sent, - and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up to the house of Yahweh - and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem - and the priests and the Levites, and all the people, from the great even unto the small, - and he read in their ears, all the words of the book of the covenant, which had been found in the house of Yahweh. And the king stood in his place, and solemnised the covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, 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 that are written in this book. And he caused to take a stand, all that were present in Jerusalem, and Benjamin, - and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. And Josiah removed all the abominations, out of all the lands which belonged to the sons of Israel, and caused all that were present in Jerusalem to serve, yea to serve, Yahweh their God, - all his days, turned they not aside from following Yahweh, God of their fathers.


Then did the king command all the people, saying, Keep ye a passover unto Yahweh, your God, - such as is written in this book of the covenant. Surely there had not been held such a passover as this, from the days of the Judges who judged Israel, - nor all the days of the kings of Israel, and the kings of Judah; save only, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, when this passover was held unto Yahweh, in Jerusalem.

And Josiah kept, in Jerusalem, a passover unto Yahweh, - and they slaughtered the passover, on the fourteenth of the first month. And he set the priests over their charges, - and encouraged them unto the service of the house of Yahweh; and said to the Levites who gave instruction to all Israel as to the things which were hallowed unto Yahweh, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon son of David king of Israel did build, it is not yours as a burden on the shoulder, - Now, serve ye Yahweh your God, and his people Israel; read more.
and prepare yourselves by your ancestral houses, according to your courses, - by the writing of David king of Israel, and by what hath been written by Solomon his son; and stand ye in the holy place, by the divisions of the ancestral house, for your brethren, the sons of the people, and the partitioning of an ancestral house, for the Levites. So slaughter ye the passover, - and hallow yourselves, and prepare for your brethren, that they may do according to the word of Yahweh, by the hand of Moses. And Josiah presented to the sons of the people - of flocks, young sheep and the young of the goats, the whole for the passover offerings, for all present, to the number of thirty thousand, and, of bullocks, three thousand, - these, out of the substance of the king. And, his rulers, willingly, to the people and to the priests and to the Levites, presented, - Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, chief rulers of the house of God, unto the priests, did give, for passover offerings, two thousand and six hundred, and, of bullocks, three hundred; and, Conaniah, and Shemaiah and Nethanel his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, rulers of the Levites, presented to the Levites, for passover offerings, five thousand, and, of bullocks, five hundred. Thus was the service prepared, - and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the commandment of the king. So they slaughtered the passover, and the priests dashed the blood received at their hand, and the Levites were flaying the offerings . Then they removed the ascending-sacrifice, that they might give them - by the divisions of each ancestral house - unto the sons of the people, to offer unto Yahweh, as it is written in the Book of Moses, - and, in like manner, with the bullocks. And they cooked the passover with fire, according to the regulation, - but, the hallowed things, cooked they in cauldrons and in pots and in bowls, and then took quickly, unto all the sons of the people. And, afterwards, prepared they for themselves and for the priests, because, the priests, the sons of Aaron, had been engaged in offering up the ascending-sacrifice and the fat pieces, until night, - the Levites, therefore prepared for themselves, and for the priests, the sons of Aaron. the singers also, the sons of Asaph, were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the seer of the king, and, the doorkeepers, were at the several doors, - there was no need for them to remove from their service, for, their brethren the Levites, prepared for them. Thus was all the service of Yahweh prepared on that day; to keep the passover, and to offer up the ascending-sacrifice, upon the altar of Yahweh, - according to the commandment of King Josiah. So the sons of Israel who were present kept the passover at that time, - and the festival of unleavened cakes, seven days. And there had not been kept, a passover like it, in Israel, since the days of Samuel the prophet, - yea, none of the kings of Israel, had kept such a passover as was kept by Josiah and the priests and the Levites and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah, was kept this passover.


And it came to pass, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Yahweh, saying - Go up unto Hilkiah, the high priest, that he pour out the silver that hath been brought into the house of Yahweh, - which the keepers of the entrance-hall have gathered from the people, that they may give it into the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh, that they may give it to the doers of the work, who are in the house of Yahweh, to repair the breaches of the house; read more.
to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, - and to buy timber, and hewn stones, for repairing the house. Howbeit there used to be no reckoning made with them, as to the silver that was given into their hand, - because, with faithfulness, were they dealing.

Eight years old, was Josiah when he begun to reign, - and, thirty-one years, reigned he in Jerusalem. And he did that which was right, in the eyes of Yahweh, - and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left. And, in the eighth year of his reign, he, being yet a boy, he began to seek unto the God of David his father,-and, in the twelfth year, he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, from the high places and the Sacred Stems, and the carved images and the molten images. read more.
And they threw down before him, the altars of the Baalim, and, the sun-pillars which were on high above them, he hewed down, - and, the Sacred Stems and the carved images and the molten images, brake he in pieces and ground to dust, and tossed over the face of the graves, of them who had been sacrificing unto them.


And the king took his stand by the pillar, and solemnised a covenant before Yahweh - to follow Yahweh, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all their heart and with all their soul, to confirm the words of this covenant, written in this book. And all the people took their stand in the covenant. Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the entrance-hall, to bring forth, out of the temple of Yahweh, all the vessels that had been made for Baal and for the Sacred Stem, and for all the army of the heavens, - and he burned them up outside Jerusalem, in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel; and he put down the idol-priests, whom the kings of Judah had appointed, so that incense might be burned in the high places, in the cities of Judah, and round about Jerusalem, - them also that burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the constellations, and to all the army of the heavens; read more.
and he brought forth the Sacred Stem out of the house of Yahweh, outside Jerusalem, into the Kidron ravine, and burned it in the Kidron ravine, and crushed it to powder, - and cast the powder upon the graves of the sons of the people; and he brake down the houses of the male devotees, which were in the house of Yahweh, - where the women did weave houses to the Sacred Stem; and be brought in all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where, the priests, had burned incense, from Geba unto Beer-sheba, - and brake down the high places of the gates, that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua, the governor of the city, which were on one's left hand, in the gate of the city; howbeit, the priests of the high places came not up unto the altar of Yahweh, in Jerusalem, save only that they did eat unleavened bread in the midst of their brethren; and he defiled Topheth, which was in the valley of the son of Hinnom, - so that no man might cause his son or his daughter to pass through the fire unto Molech; and he did away with the horses, which the kings of Judah had devoted to the sun, at the entrance of the house of Yahweh, near the chamber of Nathan-melech the courtier, which was in the suburbs, also, the chariots of the sun, burned he with fire; and, the altars which were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, also the altars which Manasseh had made, in the two courts of the house of Yahweh, did the king break down, - and hurried away from thence, and cast out the powder of them into the Kidron ravine; and, the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of destruction, which Solomon king of Israel had built unto Ashtoreth - the abomination of the Zidonians, and unto Chemosh - the abomination of the Moabites, and unto Milcom - the disgusting thing of the sons of Ammon, did the king defile; and he brake in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Sacred Stems, - and filled their place with human bones: moreover also, the altar that was in Bethel, the high place which Jeroboam son of Nebat made, wherewith he caused, Israel, to sin, - even that altar, and the high place, brake he down, - and burned the high place, crushing it to powder, and burned a Sacred Stem. And, when Josiah turned, and saw the graves which were there, in the mount, he sent and took the bones out of the graves, and burned upon the altar, and defiled it, - according to the word of Yahweh, which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. Then said he - What is yonder erection, which I do see? And the men of the city said unto him - The grave of the man of God, who came in out of Judah, and proclaimed these things, which thou hast done, concerning the altar of Bethel. And he said - Let him rest, let, no man, disturb his bones. So they let his bones rest, with the bones of the prophet who came in out of Samaria. Moreover also, all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made, so as to provoke Yahweh to anger, did Josiah remove, - and he did to them according to all the doings which he had done in Bethel; and he sacrificed all the priests of the high places, who were there, by the altars, and burned human bones thereupon, - and returned to Jerusalem.

Moreover also, them who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the household gods, and the manufactured gods, and the abominations which were to be seen in the land of Judah, and in Jerusalem, did Josiah consume, - that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of Yahweh. And, like him, was no king, before him, who turned unto Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses, - neither, after him, arose one, like him.


And Hezekiah begat Manasseh, and Manasseh begat Amon, and Amon begat Josiah; And Josiah begat Jechoniah, and his brethren, - upon the removal to Babylon.


And lo! a man of God, came in out of Judah, by the word of Yahweh, unto Bethel, - as Jeroboam was standing by the altar, to make a perfume. And he made proclamation against the altar, by the word of Yahweh, and said, O altar! altar! Thus, saith Yahweh, - Lo! a son to be born unto the house of David, Josiah his name, who shall sacrifice upon thee the priests of the high-places, who are making a perfume upon thee, and, human bones, shall be burned upon thee; and he shall give, on that day, a sign, saying, This, is the sign of which Yahweh hath spoken, - Lo! the altar, is to be rent, and the ashes that are upon thee shall be, poured out!


And Hezekiah begat Manasseh, and Manasseh begat Amon, and Amon begat Josiah; And Josiah begat Jechoniah, and his brethren, - upon the removal to Babylon.


And Jeremiah chanted a dirge over Josiah, and all the singing men and singing women in their dirges have spoken concerning Josiah, until this day, and they appointed them by statute for Israel, - and, there they are, written among the dirges.


Take of them of the exile, of Heldai, and of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, - then shalt, thou thyself, enter, on that day, yea thou shalt enter the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah, with them who have come in out of Babylon;


Shalt thou reign, because, thou, art eager to excel in cedar? Thy father, did lie not eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness, And, then, it was well with him?


Eight years old, was Josiah when he began to reign, and, thirty-one years, reigned he in Jerusalem, - and, this mother's name, was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah, of Bozkath. And he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, - and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left. And it came to pass, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Yahweh, saying - read more.
Go up unto Hilkiah, the high priest, that he pour out the silver that hath been brought into the house of Yahweh, - which the keepers of the entrance-hall have gathered from the people, that they may give it into the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh, that they may give it to the doers of the work, who are in the house of Yahweh, to repair the breaches of the house; to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, - and to buy timber, and hewn stones, for repairing the house. Howbeit there used to be no reckoning made with them, as to the silver that was given into their hand, - because, with faithfulness, were they dealing. Then said Hilkiah the high priest, unto Shaphan the scribe - The book of the law, have I found, in the house of Yahweh. So Hilkiah delivered the book unto Shaphan, and he read it. Then came Shaphan the scribe unto the king, and brought the king word again, - and said - Thy servants have poured out the silver that was found in the house, and have delivered it unto the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh. Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying - A book, hath Hilkiah the priest delivered unto me. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Achbor son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying: Go ye - enquire of Yahweh, for me and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book which hath been found, - for, great, is the wrath of Yahweh, in that it hath fired up against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according to all which is written concerning us. So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas keeper of the vestments, she having her dwelling in Jerusalem, in the new city, - and they spake unto her. And she said unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Say ye unto the man who hath sent you unto me: Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! about to bring calamity upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, - all the words of the book, which, the king of Judah, hath read: Because they have forsaken me, and burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger, with all the workmanship of their hands; and so my wrath shall fire up against this place, and shall not be quenched: But, unto the king of Judah, who hath sent you to enquire of Yahweh, thus, shall ye say unto him, - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard: Because, tender, was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before Yahweh when thou heardest what I had spoken against this place and against the inhabitants thereof - that they should become a desolation and a curse, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, therefore also, I, have hearkened - declareth Yahweh. For this cause, behold me! about to gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy graves, in peace, and so thine eyes shall not look upon all the misfortune which I am about to bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again. Then the king sent, - and there were gathered unto him, all the elders of Judah, and Jerusalem; and the king went up to the house of Yahweh, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great, - and he read in their ears, all the words of the book of the covenant, which had been found in the house of Yahweh. And the king took his stand by the pillar, and solemnised a covenant before Yahweh - to follow Yahweh, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all their heart and with all their soul, to confirm the words of this covenant, written in this book. And all the people took their stand in the covenant. Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the entrance-hall, to bring forth, out of the temple of Yahweh, all the vessels that had been made for Baal and for the Sacred Stem, and for all the army of the heavens, - and he burned them up outside Jerusalem, in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel; and he put down the idol-priests, whom the kings of Judah had appointed, so that incense might be burned in the high places, in the cities of Judah, and round about Jerusalem, - them also that burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the constellations, and to all the army of the heavens; and he brought forth the Sacred Stem out of the house of Yahweh, outside Jerusalem, into the Kidron ravine, and burned it in the Kidron ravine, and crushed it to powder, - and cast the powder upon the graves of the sons of the people; and he brake down the houses of the male devotees, which were in the house of Yahweh, - where the women did weave houses to the Sacred Stem; and be brought in all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where, the priests, had burned incense, from Geba unto Beer-sheba, - and brake down the high places of the gates, that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua, the governor of the city, which were on one's left hand, in the gate of the city; howbeit, the priests of the high places came not up unto the altar of Yahweh, in Jerusalem, save only that they did eat unleavened bread in the midst of their brethren; and he defiled Topheth, which was in the valley of the son of Hinnom, - so that no man might cause his son or his daughter to pass through the fire unto Molech; and he did away with the horses, which the kings of Judah had devoted to the sun, at the entrance of the house of Yahweh, near the chamber of Nathan-melech the courtier, which was in the suburbs, also, the chariots of the sun, burned he with fire; and, the altars which were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, also the altars which Manasseh had made, in the two courts of the house of Yahweh, did the king break down, - and hurried away from thence, and cast out the powder of them into the Kidron ravine; and, the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of destruction, which Solomon king of Israel had built unto Ashtoreth - the abomination of the Zidonians, and unto Chemosh - the abomination of the Moabites, and unto Milcom - the disgusting thing of the sons of Ammon, did the king defile; and he brake in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Sacred Stems, - and filled their place with human bones: moreover also, the altar that was in Bethel, the high place which Jeroboam son of Nebat made, wherewith he caused, Israel, to sin, - even that altar, and the high place, brake he down, - and burned the high place, crushing it to powder, and burned a Sacred Stem. And, when Josiah turned, and saw the graves which were there, in the mount, he sent and took the bones out of the graves, and burned upon the altar, and defiled it, - according to the word of Yahweh, which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. Then said he - What is yonder erection, which I do see? And the men of the city said unto him - The grave of the man of God, who came in out of Judah, and proclaimed these things, which thou hast done, concerning the altar of Bethel. And he said - Let him rest, let, no man, disturb his bones. So they let his bones rest, with the bones of the prophet who came in out of Samaria. Moreover also, all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made, so as to provoke Yahweh to anger, did Josiah remove, - and he did to them according to all the doings which he had done in Bethel; and he sacrificed all the priests of the high places, who were there, by the altars, and burned human bones thereupon, - and returned to Jerusalem. Then did the king command all the people, saying, Keep ye a passover unto Yahweh, your God, - such as is written in this book of the covenant. Surely there had not been held such a passover as this, from the days of the Judges who judged Israel, - nor all the days of the kings of Israel, and the kings of Judah; save only, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, when this passover was held unto Yahweh, in Jerusalem. Moreover also, them who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the household gods, and the manufactured gods, and the abominations which were to be seen in the land of Judah, and in Jerusalem, did Josiah consume, - that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of Yahweh. And, like him, was no king, before him, who turned unto Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses, - neither, after him, arose one, like him. Howbeit, Yahweh turned not away from the glow of his great anger, wherewith his anger glowed against Judah - because of all the provocations wherewith, Manasseh, had provoked him. So Yahweh said: Even Judah, will I remove from my presence, as I have removed Israel, - and will reject this city, which I had chosen, even Jerusalem, and the house as to which I had said, My Name, shall be, there. Now, the rest of the story of Josiah, and all that he did, are, they, not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? In his days, came up Pharaoh-necoh king of Egypt, against the king of Assyria, unto the river Euphrates, - and, when King Josiah went against him, he slew him at Megiddo, as soon as he saw him. And his servants conveyed him in a chariot, dead, from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre, - and the people of the land took Jehoahaz, son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made, him, king, in his father's stead.


And he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, - and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left.


And Josiah kept, in Jerusalem, a passover unto Yahweh, - and they slaughtered the passover, on the fourteenth of the first month. And he set the priests over their charges, - and encouraged them unto the service of the house of Yahweh; and said to the Levites who gave instruction to all Israel as to the things which were hallowed unto Yahweh, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon son of David king of Israel did build, it is not yours as a burden on the shoulder, - Now, serve ye Yahweh your God, and his people Israel; read more.
and prepare yourselves by your ancestral houses, according to your courses, - by the writing of David king of Israel, and by what hath been written by Solomon his son; and stand ye in the holy place, by the divisions of the ancestral house, for your brethren, the sons of the people, and the partitioning of an ancestral house, for the Levites. So slaughter ye the passover, - and hallow yourselves, and prepare for your brethren, that they may do according to the word of Yahweh, by the hand of Moses. And Josiah presented to the sons of the people - of flocks, young sheep and the young of the goats, the whole for the passover offerings, for all present, to the number of thirty thousand, and, of bullocks, three thousand, - these, out of the substance of the king. And, his rulers, willingly, to the people and to the priests and to the Levites, presented, - Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, chief rulers of the house of God, unto the priests, did give, for passover offerings, two thousand and six hundred, and, of bullocks, three hundred; and, Conaniah, and Shemaiah and Nethanel his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, rulers of the Levites, presented to the Levites, for passover offerings, five thousand, and, of bullocks, five hundred. Thus was the service prepared, - and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the commandment of the king. So they slaughtered the passover, and the priests dashed the blood received at their hand, and the Levites were flaying the offerings . Then they removed the ascending-sacrifice, that they might give them - by the divisions of each ancestral house - unto the sons of the people, to offer unto Yahweh, as it is written in the Book of Moses, - and, in like manner, with the bullocks. And they cooked the passover with fire, according to the regulation, - but, the hallowed things, cooked they in cauldrons and in pots and in bowls, and then took quickly, unto all the sons of the people. And, afterwards, prepared they for themselves and for the priests, because, the priests, the sons of Aaron, had been engaged in offering up the ascending-sacrifice and the fat pieces, until night, - the Levites, therefore prepared for themselves, and for the priests, the sons of Aaron. the singers also, the sons of Asaph, were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the seer of the king, and, the doorkeepers, were at the several doors, - there was no need for them to remove from their service, for, their brethren the Levites, prepared for them. Thus was all the service of Yahweh prepared on that day; to keep the passover, and to offer up the ascending-sacrifice, upon the altar of Yahweh, - according to the commandment of King Josiah. So the sons of Israel who were present kept the passover at that time, - and the festival of unleavened cakes, seven days. And there had not been kept, a passover like it, in Israel, since the days of Samuel the prophet, - yea, none of the kings of Israel, had kept such a passover as was kept by Josiah and the priests and the Levites and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah, was kept this passover.

And it came to pass, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Yahweh, saying - Go up unto Hilkiah, the high priest, that he pour out the silver that hath been brought into the house of Yahweh, - which the keepers of the entrance-hall have gathered from the people, that they may give it into the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh, that they may give it to the doers of the work, who are in the house of Yahweh, to repair the breaches of the house; read more.
to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, - and to buy timber, and hewn stones, for repairing the house.

And, in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purified the land and the house, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city and Joah son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of Yahweh his God. So they went in unto Hilkiah the high priest, and delivered the silver that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites who kept the entrance-hall had collected from the hand of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin, - and returned to Jerusalem. And the overseers in the house of Yahweh, delivered it into the hand of the doer of the work, - yea they delivered it to the doers of the work, because they were working in the house of Yahweh, in searching and repairing the house: read more.
yea they delivered it to the artificers and to the builders, to buy carved stones and timbers for the joinings, - and to build up the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed. Now, the men, were working faithfully in the work, and over them as overseers, were - Jahath and Obadiah, Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to preside, - and Levites, all who had understanding in instruments of song; also over the burden-bearers, and such as took the lead, for everyone who was working in any manner of service, - and, of the Levites, were scribes and officers and doorkeepers.


And he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, - and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left.

Moreover also, them who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the household gods, and the manufactured gods, and the abominations which were to be seen in the land of Judah, and in Jerusalem, did Josiah consume, - that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of Yahweh. And, like him, was no king, before him, who turned unto Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses, - neither, after him, arose one, like him.


And he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, - and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left.


Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the entrance-hall, to bring forth, out of the temple of Yahweh, all the vessels that had been made for Baal and for the Sacred Stem, and for all the army of the heavens, - and he burned them up outside Jerusalem, in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel;



Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the entrance-hall, to bring forth, out of the temple of Yahweh, all the vessels that had been made for Baal and for the Sacred Stem, and for all the army of the heavens, - and he burned them up outside Jerusalem, in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel;


Then the king sent, - and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up to the house of Yahweh - and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem - and the priests and the Levites, and all the people, from the great even unto the small, - and he read in their ears, all the words of the book of the covenant, which had been found in the house of Yahweh. And the king stood in his place, and solemnised the covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, 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 that are written in this book. read more.
And he caused to take a stand, all that were present in Jerusalem, and Benjamin, - and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. And Josiah removed all the abominations, out of all the lands which belonged to the sons of Israel, and caused all that were present in Jerusalem to serve, yea to serve, Yahweh their God, - all his days, turned they not aside from following Yahweh, God of their fathers.

And, in the eighth year of his reign, he, being yet a boy, he began to seek unto the God of David his father,-and, in the twelfth year, he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, from the high places and the Sacred Stems, and the carved images and the molten images. And they threw down before him, the altars of the Baalim, and, the sun-pillars which were on high above them, he hewed down, - and, the Sacred Stems and the carved images and the molten images, brake he in pieces and ground to dust, and tossed over the face of the graves, of them who had been sacrificing unto them. And, the bones of the priests, burned he upon their altars, - and so purified Judah and Jerusalem: read more.
also throughout the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even as far as Naphtali, - searched he their houses, round about. And, when he had thrown down the altars and the Sacred Stems, and, the images, he had beaten to powder, and, the sun-pillars, he had hewn down throughout all the land of Israel, then returned he to Jerusalem.


and he sacrificed all the priests of the high places, who were there, by the altars, and burned human bones thereupon, - and returned to Jerusalem.


Because, tender, was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before Yahweh when thou heardest what I had spoken against this place and against the inhabitants thereof - that they should become a desolation and a curse, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, therefore also, I, have hearkened - declareth Yahweh.




And, in the eighth year of his reign, he, being yet a boy, he began to seek unto the God of David his father,-and, in the twelfth year, he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, from the high places and the Sacred Stems, and the carved images and the molten images.


And, in the eighth year of his reign, he, being yet a boy, he began to seek unto the God of David his father,-and, in the twelfth year, he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, from the high places and the Sacred Stems, and the carved images and the molten images.


Howbeit Josiah turned not his face from him, for, to fight against him, he had disguised himself, and he hearkened not unto the words of Neco, from the mouth of God, - so he came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.


Howbeit Josiah turned not his face from him, for, to fight against him, he had disguised himself, and he hearkened not unto the words of Neco, from the mouth of God, - so he came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.


And he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, - and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left.


For, thou, art my hope, My Lord, Yahweh, My confidence from my youthful days:

Eight years old, was Josiah when he begun to reign, - and, thirty-one years, reigned he in Jerusalem. And he did that which was right, in the eyes of Yahweh, - and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left. And, in the eighth year of his reign, he, being yet a boy, he began to seek unto the God of David his father,-and, in the twelfth year, he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, from the high places and the Sacred Stems, and the carved images and the molten images.


Moreover also, all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made, so as to provoke Yahweh to anger, did Josiah remove, - and he did to them according to all the doings which he had done in Bethel; and he sacrificed all the priests of the high places, who were there, by the altars, and burned human bones thereupon, - and returned to Jerusalem. Then did the king command all the people, saying, Keep ye a passover unto Yahweh, your God, - such as is written in this book of the covenant. read more.
Surely there had not been held such a passover as this, from the days of the Judges who judged Israel, - nor all the days of the kings of Israel, and the kings of Judah; save only, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, when this passover was held unto Yahweh, in Jerusalem. Moreover also, them who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the household gods, and the manufactured gods, and the abominations which were to be seen in the land of Judah, and in Jerusalem, did Josiah consume, - that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of Yahweh. And, like him, was no king, before him, who turned unto Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses, - neither, after him, arose one, like him.


References

Hastings

Easton

American

Fausets

Morish

Smith

Watsons