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.

Verse ConceptsDivine ManifestationsSanctity Of LifeBirths ForetoldDuplicating WordsBonesBurning Idolatrous ThingsMan Of God

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.

Verse ConceptsTrapKings Of All Israel Or Judah

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.

Verse Concepts30 To 40 YearsAge When CrownedMothers Of KingsGrandmothers

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."

Verse ConceptsWages

“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

Verse ConceptsDeath In PeaceGathered To One's People

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

Verse Conceptselders, as community leadersAssembling LeadersThe Elders Gathered

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].

Verse ConceptsTombsBurning Idolatrous Things

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.

Verse ConceptsGatesGovernorsHigh Places

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.

Verse ConceptsFalse GodsChild sacrificeHuman SacrificesPolluting The Landdrums

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.

Verse ConceptsGrindingAltars, Pagan

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.

Verse ConceptsTombsWord Of GodBonesBurning Idolatrous Things

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.”

Verse ConceptsBurial Of Unnamed People

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.

Verse ConceptsUnnamed Prophets Of The Lord

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.

Verse ConceptsSamaritansreuniting

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.

Verse ConceptsAbolitionHousehold GodsMediumsSpiritismFortunetellingSpiritism AvoidedAbandoning IdolsThe Law Given To IsraelOccultismwitchespsychics

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.

Verse ConceptsCommitment, to GodConsecration, Examples OfWhole HeartednessUnique IndividualsTaking The Law To HeartGuidance And Strength

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?

Verse ConceptsHistorical Booksaccomplishments

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.

Verse ConceptsKingsRivers And StreamsKilling KingsRiver Euphrates

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.

Verse ConceptsProphecy, Fulfilment Of OtAnointing KingsCorpses Of Other PeopleKings Of All Israel Or Judah

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.

Verse ConceptsTwo To Four MonthsAge When CrownedMothers Of Kings

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.

Verse ConceptsKings ExiledPeople Renaming PeopleKings Of All Israel Or Judah

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

Verse ConceptsFirstborn Sons

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.

Verse Concepts30 To 40 YearsKings of judahteenager

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.

Verse ConceptsChildren, Good Examples OfPurgingYouthful Devotionteenager

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

Verse ConceptsBonesBurning People

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.

Verse ConceptsPurification

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.

Verse ConceptsAbolitionReformation

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

Verse ConceptsYearsThe Number Fourteen

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.

Verse ConceptsThree Thousand And UpThirty Thousand And Up

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.

Verse ConceptsThe Altar Of The Lord

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.

Verse ConceptsempiresRivers And StreamsRiver Euphrates

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.”

Verse ConceptsConfrontationResistanceHasteWhat Have We In Common?

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.

Verse ConceptsArchers, Men Shot By

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.

Verse ConceptsBereavement, Expression OfLamentingSongsTraditionsWritingBooksMournersanniversary

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

Verse ConceptsFaithfulness, Examples OfLoyalty

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.

Verse ConceptsLordship, Human And DivineProphecy, Inspiration Of OtTimes Of People

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.

Verse ConceptsMonth 5Exile Of Judah To BabylonYears Of ZedekiahTimes Of People

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.

Verse ConceptsLicentiousnessSpiritual HarlotryHarlotsWantonnessSacrificing On The High PlacesTimes Of PeopleWorship At Trees

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.

Verse ConceptsNot Whole HeartedPretenceRepentance, Nature OfHalf HeartednessNot Returning To GodRelated Nations

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:

Verse ConceptsNo return from exileKings Of All Israel Or JudahKings of judah


“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.

Verse ConceptsCedar WoodEating And DrinkingUnsuitable Rule

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!

Verse ConceptsNot Mourning

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;

Verse ConceptsKings of judah

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.

Verse ConceptsListeningWord Of God20 To 30 YearsThose Who Rose EarlySaying Repeatedly

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,

Verse ConceptsYears Of Zedekiah

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

Verse ConceptsTimes Of People

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.

Verse ConceptsCommunicationBooksScrollsBooks Of ProphecyInspiration

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.

Verse ConceptsFasting, Nature OfRepentance, Examples OfMonth 9Fasting

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.

Verse ConceptsMaking KingsKings Of All Israel Or JudahKings 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,

Verse ConceptsProphecy, Methods Of OtBooks Of Prophecy

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;

Verse ConceptsReturn From BabylonThose who returned from exile

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].

Verse ConceptsMegiddoMourning Due To Catastropheanniversary

Thematic Bible



You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of Jehovah when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. I said that those who live here would be destroyed and cursed. You also tore your clothes in distress and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you,' declares Jehovah.


Then the king ordered the high priest Hilkiah, the priests who served under Hilkiah, and the doorkeepers to remove from Jehovah's Temple all utensils that had been made for Baal, Asherah, and the entire army of heaven. Josiah burned the utensils outside Jerusalem. It was in an open field near the Kidron Brook. Then he carried their ashes to Bethel.


The altars the kings of Judah built on the palace roof above King Ahaz' quarters, King Josiah tore down, along with the altars put up by King Manasseh in the two courtyards of the Temple. He smashed the altars to bits and threw them into Kidron Valley.

He removed the pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah from the temple. He took it to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem. There he burned it in the Kidron Valley, ground it to dust, and threw its ashes on the tombs of the common people.


Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He was king for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. He did what Jehovah considered right. He lived in the ways of his ancestor David and never stopped living this way. It was the eighth year of his reign. He was still a boy when he dedicated his life to service of the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year as king he purged Judah and Jerusalem by destroying the illegal places of worship, poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, carved idols, and metal idols.


You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of Jehovah when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. I said that those who live here would be destroyed and cursed. You also tore your clothes in distress and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you,' declares Jehovah.


The king stood beside the pillar and made a promise to Jehovah that he would follow Jehovah and obey his commands, instructions, and laws with all his heart and mind. He confirmed the terms of the promise written in this book. All the people joined in the promise.


You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of Jehovah when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. I said that those who live here would be destroyed and cursed. You also tore your clothes in distress and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you,' declares Jehovah.


It was the eighth year of his reign. He was still a boy when he dedicated his life to service of the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year as king he purged Judah and Jerusalem by destroying the illegal places of worship, poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, carved idols, and metal idols.

Josiah crushed the sacred stones. He cut down the poles dedicated to Asherah. And he filled their places with human bones.

Then he tore down the altars, beat the Asherah poles and idols into powder, and cut down all the incense altars everywhere in Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

It was the eighth year of his reign. He was still a boy when he dedicated his life to service of the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year as king he purged Judah and Jerusalem by destroying the illegal places of worship, poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, carved idols, and metal idols. He tore down the altars of the Baal gods. He cut down the incense altars that were above them. He destroyed the Asherah poles, carved idols, and metal idols. He ground them into powder and scattered the powder over the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them.


It was the eighth year of his reign. He was still a boy when he dedicated his life to service of the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year as king he purged Judah and Jerusalem by destroying the illegal places of worship, poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, carved idols, and metal idols.

He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah from Geba to Beersheba and made the places where those priests sacrificed unclean. He tore down the worship site at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the gate named after the mayor of the city. The worship site was to the left of anyone going through the city gate.


You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of God when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. You humbled yourself, tore your clothes in distress, and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you, proclaims Jehovah.


You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of God when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. You humbled yourself, tore your clothes in distress, and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you, proclaims Jehovah.


You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of God when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. You humbled yourself, tore your clothes in distress, and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you, proclaims Jehovah.


You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of God when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. You humbled yourself, tore your clothes in distress, and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you, proclaims Jehovah.


Then the king ordered the high priest Hilkiah, the priests who served under Hilkiah, and the doorkeepers to remove from Jehovah's Temple all utensils that had been made for Baal, Asherah, and the entire army of heaven. Josiah burned the utensils outside Jerusalem. It was in an open field near the Kidron Brook. Then he carried their ashes to Bethel. He got rid of the pagan priests. The kings of Judah appointed them to sacrifice at the illegal places of worship in the cities of Judah and all around Jerusalem. They had been sacrificing to Baal, the sun god, the moon god, the constellations of the zodiac (Mazzalohth Constellation-Job 38:32), and the entire army of heaven. He removed the pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah from the temple. He took it to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem. There he burned it in the Kidron Valley, ground it to dust, and threw its ashes on the tombs of the common people. read more.
He tore down the houses of the male temple (cult) prostitutes who were in Jehovah's Temple. This is where women did weaving for Asherah. He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah from Geba to Beersheba and made the places where those priests sacrificed unclean. He tore down the worship site at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the gate named after the mayor of the city. The worship site was to the left of anyone going through the city gate. The priests of the illegal worship sites had never gone to Jehovah's altar in Jerusalem. Instead, they ate their unleavened bread among the other worshipers. Josiah also made Topheth in the valley of Ben Hinnom unclean so that people would never again sacrifice their sons or daughters by burning them to the god Molech. He also removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the worship of the sun. He burned the chariots used in this worship. The altars the kings of Judah built on the palace roof above King Ahaz' quarters, King Josiah tore down, along with the altars put up by King Manasseh in the two courtyards of the Temple. He smashed the altars to bits and threw them into Kidron Valley. The king made the illegal places of worship east of Jerusalem unclean. They were on the southern part of the Hill of Destruction. King Solomon of Israel built them for Astarte the disgusting goddess of the Sidonians. Also made unclean were references to Chemosh the disgusting god of Moab, and Milcom the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Josiah crushed the sacred stones. He cut down the poles dedicated to Asherah. And he filled their places with human bones. He also tore down the altar at Bethel the place of worship made by Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin. He tore down both the altar and the place of worship. They burned the worship site. They crushed it into powder and burned the pole dedicated to Asherah. Josiah turned and saw the tombs on the hill. He sent men to take the bones out of the tombs and burn them on the altar to make it unclean. This fulfilled the word of Jehovah announced by the man of God. What is that headstone I see over there? Josiah asked. The men of the town said: It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah. The one who foretold all these things you have done to the altar of Bethel. He said: Let him be. Do not move his bones. So they let his bones be with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. Josiah removed all the houses of the high places the kings of Israel built in the towns of Samaria. This provoked Jehovah to anger and he did with them as he had done in Bethel. He killed all the priests of the high places on the altars. Their bones were burned on the altars. Then the king went back to Jerusalem.


He got rid of the pagan priests. The kings of Judah appointed them to sacrifice at the illegal places of worship in the cities of Judah and all around Jerusalem. They had been sacrificing to Baal, the sun god, the moon god, the constellations of the zodiac (Mazzalohth Constellation-Job 38:32), and the entire army of heaven.



He let the poorest of the land go on living there, to take care of the vines and the fields.

There were people who were still living in the land of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, did not take them captive. He made Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, ruler over them. The captains of the armed forces heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah ruler. They brought their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan, the son of Kareah, and Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah, the son of the Maacathite, came with all their men.

He left in the land of Judah some of the poorest people, who owned no property, and he gave them vineyards and fields.

All the army commanders and their men who were in the field heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, to govern the country and some of the country's poorest men, women, and children who had not been taken away to Babylon. These are the commanders who went with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai from Netophah, and Jezaniah, who was the son of a man from Maacah. Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men. He said: Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians. Live in this country, serve the king of Babylon, and you will prosper. read more.
I am going to live in Mizpah and represent you when the Babylonians come to us. Gather grapes, summer fruit, and olive oil, and put them in storage jars. Live in the cities you have taken over. All the Jews who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and in all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a few survivors in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to govern them. So all the Jews returned from all the places where they had been scattered. They came to Judah and to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They gathered a large harvest of grapes and summer fruit.

Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left some of the poorest people in the land to work in the vineyards and on the farms.


The king of Babylon installed Mattaniah, his father's brother, king in place of Jehoiachin. He changed his name to Zedekiah. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king. He was king in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, as Jehoiakim had done. read more.
This happened in Jerusalem and Judah because of Jehovah's anger. It continued until he had sent them all away from before him. Then Zedekiah took up arms and rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to rule. He ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what Jehovah his God considered evil. He did not humble himself in front of the prophet Jeremiah, who spoke Jehovah's word. Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel. read more.
All the officials, the priests, and the people became increasingly unfaithful and followed all the disgusting practices of the nations. Although Jehovah made the Temple in Jerusalem holy, they made the Temple unclean. Jehovah the God of their ancestors repeatedly sent messages through his prophets because he wanted to spare his people and his dwelling place. They mocked God's messengers. They despised his words, and made fun of his prophets until Jehovah became angry with his people. He could no longer heal them. So he had the Babylonian king attack them and execute their best young men in their holy temple. He did not spare the best men or the unmarried women, the old people or the sick people. God handed all of them over to him. He brought to Babylon each of the utensils from God's temple, the treasures from Jehovah's Temple, and the treasures of the king and his officials. He burned down the Temple and the city, with all its palaces and its wealth, and broke down the city wall. The survivors were taken to Babylonia as prisoners. They served as slaves of the king and his sons, until Persia became a powerful nation. This fulfilled the word of Jehovah that was spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept Sabbath until seventy years were complete.


Solomon's son Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king of Judah. He ruled seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city Jehovah chose from all the territory of Israel as the place where he was to be worshiped. Rehoboam's mother was Naamah from Ammon. The people of Judah sinned against Jehovah. They did more to arouse his anger against them than all their ancestors had done. They built places of worship for false gods. They put up stone pillars and symbols of Asherah to worship on the hills and under shady trees. read more.
There were also male (cult) prostitutes in the temples of idols throughout the land. The people of Judah practiced all the disgusting practices done by the nations that Jehovah forced out of the Israelites' way. King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign. He took the treasures from Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace. He took them all. He took all the gold shields Solomon had made. King Rehoboam replaced them with bronze shields and entrusted them to the officers responsible for guarding the palace gates. The guards carried the shields every time the king went to the Temple and then returned them to the guardroom. The rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and everything he did are recorded in the book of the History of the Kings of Judah. There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. Rehoboam went to rest with his fathers, and was buried with them in the city of David. His mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonite woman. And Abijam his son became king in his place.


Then the king sent for all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to join him. The king went up to the Temple of Jehovah. All the inhabitants of Judah young and old also went to Jehovah's Temple. Josiah read everything written in the Book of the Promise found in Jehovah's Temple so they could all hear it. The king stood beside the pillar and made a promise to Jehovah that he would follow Jehovah and obey his commands, instructions, and laws with all his heart and mind. He confirmed the terms of the promise written in this book. All the people joined in the promise. read more.
Then the king ordered the high priest Hilkiah, the priests who served under Hilkiah, and the doorkeepers to remove from Jehovah's Temple all utensils that had been made for Baal, Asherah, and the entire army of heaven. Josiah burned the utensils outside Jerusalem. It was in an open field near the Kidron Brook. Then he carried their ashes to Bethel. He got rid of the pagan priests. The kings of Judah appointed them to sacrifice at the illegal places of worship in the cities of Judah and all around Jerusalem. They had been sacrificing to Baal, the sun god, the moon god, the constellations of the zodiac (Mazzalohth Constellation-Job 38:32), and the entire army of heaven. He removed the pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah from the temple. He took it to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem. There he burned it in the Kidron Valley, ground it to dust, and threw its ashes on the tombs of the common people. He tore down the houses of the male temple (cult) prostitutes who were in Jehovah's Temple. This is where women did weaving for Asherah. He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah from Geba to Beersheba and made the places where those priests sacrificed unclean. He tore down the worship site at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the gate named after the mayor of the city. The worship site was to the left of anyone going through the city gate. The priests of the illegal worship sites had never gone to Jehovah's altar in Jerusalem. Instead, they ate their unleavened bread among the other worshipers. Josiah also made Topheth in the valley of Ben Hinnom unclean so that people would never again sacrifice their sons or daughters by burning them to the god Molech. He also removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the worship of the sun. He burned the chariots used in this worship. The altars the kings of Judah built on the palace roof above King Ahaz' quarters, King Josiah tore down, along with the altars put up by King Manasseh in the two courtyards of the Temple. He smashed the altars to bits and threw them into Kidron Valley. The king made the illegal places of worship east of Jerusalem unclean. They were on the southern part of the Hill of Destruction. King Solomon of Israel built them for Astarte the disgusting goddess of the Sidonians. Also made unclean were references to Chemosh the disgusting god of Moab, and Milcom the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Josiah crushed the sacred stones. He cut down the poles dedicated to Asherah. And he filled their places with human bones. He also tore down the altar at Bethel the place of worship made by Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin. He tore down both the altar and the place of worship. They burned the worship site. They crushed it into powder and burned the pole dedicated to Asherah. Josiah turned and saw the tombs on the hill. He sent men to take the bones out of the tombs and burn them on the altar to make it unclean. This fulfilled the word of Jehovah announced by the man of God. What is that headstone I see over there? Josiah asked. The men of the town said: It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah. The one who foretold all these things you have done to the altar of Bethel. He said: Let him be. Do not move his bones. So they let his bones be with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. Josiah removed all the houses of the high places the kings of Israel built in the towns of Samaria. This provoked Jehovah to anger and he did with them as he had done in Bethel. He killed all the priests of the high places on the altars. Their bones were burned on the altars. Then the king went back to Jerusalem. The king gave orders to all the people. He said: Keep the Passover to Jehovah your God, as it says in this book of the law. Truly, such a Passover had not been kept in all the days of the judges of Israel or of the kings of Israel or the kings of Judah. In the eighteenth year of the rule of King Josiah this Passover was kept to Jehovah in Jerusalem. Josiah removed all the spirit mediums, the foretellers, the images, and the false gods, and all the disgusting things seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. That way he could establish the words of the agreement recorded in the book Hilkiah the priest discovered in the Temple of Jehovah. Never before had there been a king like him. He turned to Jehovah with all his heart and his entire mind and all his power. As the Law of Moses says: and after him there was no king like him. Still the heat of Jehovah's anger was not turned back from Judah. This is because of all Manasseh had done in moving him to anger. Jehovah said: I will send Judah away from before my face, as I have sent Israel. I will have nothing more to do with this town. It is Jerusalem my town. And the holy house of which I said: 'My name will be there.' Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and all he did are recorded in the book of the History of the Kings of Judah. In his days, Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, sent his armies against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went out against him. Josiah was killed when he saw him at Megiddo. His servants took his body in a carriage from Megiddo to Jerusalem. They buried him there. The people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah, and put the holy oil on him and made him king in place of his father.


Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.

But the people of the land put to death all those who had taken part in the design against the king. Then they made Josiah his son king in his place. Now the rest of the acts which Amon did, are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. He was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza. Josiah his son became king in his place.

Amon his son, Josiah his son.

The people of the land killed everyone who conspired against King Amon. They made his son Josiah king in his place.


Later, when Josiah had repaired the Temple, King Necho of Egypt came to fight a battle at Carchemish at the Euphrates River. Josiah went to attack him. Neco sent messengers to Josiah. He said: What is your quarrel with me, king of Judah? I am not attacking you. I have come to fight those who are at war with me. God told me to hurry. God is with me, so stop now or he will destroy you. But Josiah would not stop his attack. He disguised himself as he went into battle. He refused to listen to Necho's words, which came from God. He went to fight in the valley of Megiddo. read more.
Some archers shot King Josiah. The king told his officers: Take me away because I am badly wounded. His officers took him out of the chariot and brought him to Jerusalem in his other chariot. He died and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

In his days, Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, sent his armies against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went out against him. Josiah was killed when he saw him at Megiddo. His servants took his body in a carriage from Megiddo to Jerusalem. They buried him there. The people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah, and put the holy oil on him and made him king in place of his father.


The chief priest Hilkiah told the scribe Shaphan: I found the Book of the Law in Jehovah's House. Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who then read it. The scribe Shaphan reported to the king: We have taken the money donated in the temple and have given it to the workmen who are in charge of Jehovah's House. Then the scribe Shaphan told the king: The priest Hilkiah has given me a book. Shaphan read it to the king. read more.
When the king heard what the book of the Law said, he tore his clothes in distress. The king gave an order to the priest Hilkiah, to Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said: Go inquire of Jehovah on my behalf and for the people. This is concerning the words in this book that has been found. Jehovah's fierce anger is directed towards us because our ancestors did not obey the things in this book or do everything written in it. So the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to talk to the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas. Shallum was in charge of the royal wardrobe. Huldah was living in the Second Part of Jerusalem. She told them: This is what Jehovah God of Israel says: Tell the man who sent you to me: This is what Jehovah says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and on the people living here. This is according to everything written in the book that the king of Judah has read. I will do this because they abandoned me. They sacrificed to other gods in order to make me furious. Therefore, my burning anger against this place will never be extinguished.' Huldah added: Tell Judah's king who sent you to me to ask Jehovah a question. This is what Jehovah God of Israel says about the words you heard: You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of Jehovah when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. I said that those who live here would be destroyed and cursed. You also tore your clothes in distress and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you,' declares Jehovah. That is why I will bring you to your ancestors. I will bring you to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see any of the disaster I will bring on this place.' They reported this to the king.

At the time they brought out the money that had been deposited in Jehovah's Temple, the priest Hilkiah found the book of Jehovah's Law written by Moses. Hilkiah told the scribe Shaphan: I have found the book of the Law in Jehovah's Temple. Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. Shaphan took the book to the king and reported: We are doing everything you told us to do. read more.
We took the money that was donated in Jehovah's Temple and gave it to the supervisors and the workmen. The scribe Shaphan told the king: The priest Hilkiah has given me a book. Shaphan read it to the king. As soon as the king heard what the Law said, he tore his clothes in distress. Then the king gave an order to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said: On behalf of those who are left in Israel and Judah and me, ask Jehovah about the words in this book that was found. Jehovah's fierce anger has been poured on us because our ancestors did not obey the word of Jehovah by doing everything written in this book. Hilkiah and the king's officials went to talk to the prophet Huldah about this matter. She was the wife of Shallum, son of Tokhath and grandson of Hasrah. Shallum was in charge of the royal wardrobe. Huldah was living in the Second Part of Jerusalem. She told them: This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says: Tell the man who sent you to me, This is what Jehovah says: 'I am going to bring disaster on this place and on the people living here. This is according to the curses written in the book that was read to the king of Judah. I will do this because they have abandoned me. They have sacrificed to other gods in order to make me furious. Therefore, my anger will be poured on this place and it will not be extinguished.' Huldah continued: Tell Judah's king who sent you to me to ask Jehovah a question: 'This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says about the words you heard: You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of God when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. You humbled yourself, tore your clothes in distress, and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you, proclaims Jehovah. 'That is why I am going to bring you to your ancestors. I am going to bring you to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see any of the disaster I am going to bring on this place and those who live here.' They reported this to the king. The king sent for all the respected leaders of Judah and Jerusalem to join him. The king, everyone in Judah, everyone living in Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites, and all the people, young and old, went up to Jehovah's Temple. He read everything written in the Book of the Covenant found in Jehovah's Temple so that they could hear it. The king stood in his place and made a promise to Jehovah that he would follow Jehovah and obey his commandments, instructions, and laws with his entire heart and being. He said he would live by the terms of the covenant (promise) written in this book. He also made all those found in Jerusalem and Benjamin join with him in the covenant. Then the people of Jerusalem lived according to the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. Josiah got rid of all the disgusting idols throughout Israelite territory. He required all people in Israel to serve Jehovah their God. As long as he lived, they did not stop following Jehovah the God of their ancestors.


The king gave orders to all the people. He said: Keep the Passover to Jehovah your God, as it says in this book of the law. Truly, such a Passover had not been kept in all the days of the judges of Israel or of the kings of Israel or the kings of Judah. In the eighteenth year of the rule of King Josiah this Passover was kept to Jehovah in Jerusalem.

Josiah celebrated the Passover to Jehovah in Jerusalem. The Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month. Josiah appointed the priests to their duties and encouraged them to serve in Jehovah's Temple. He told the Levites, who instructed all Israel and performed ceremonies to make themselves holy to Jehovah: Put the Holy Ark in the Temple that Solomon, son of David and king of Israel, built. It should not be carried on your shoulders any longer. Serve Jehovah your God and his people Israel. read more.
Get yourselves ready with the family groups of your divisions, which are listed in the records of King David of Israel and the records of his son Solomon. Divide yourselves into groups. Then spread out throughout the Temple so that each family of worshipers will be able to get help from one of you. When the people bring you their Passover lamb, you must slaughter it and prepare it to be sacrificed to Jehovah. Make sure the people celebrate according to the instructions Jehovah gave Moses. Do not do anything to become unclean and unacceptable. Josiah donated thirty thousand sheep and goats, and three thousand bulls from his own flocks and herds for the people to offer as sacrifices. Josiah's officials also voluntarily gave some of their animals to the people, the priests, and the Levites as sacrifices. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, who were the officials in charge of the Temple, gave the priests twenty-six hundred sheep and lambs and three hundred bulls to sacrifice during the Passover celebration. Conaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the leaders of the Levites, gave the Levites five thousand sheep and goats and five hundred bulls as Passover sacrifices. Thus the service was prepared. The priests took their positions with the Levites according to their divisions, as the king had ordered. They slaughtered the Passover lambs. The priests sprinkled the blood with their hands while the Levites skinned the lambs. They set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the people according to their family divisions. The people could then present them to Jehovah as is written in the Book of Moses. The Levites did the same with the bulls. The Levites roasted the Passover sacrifices over the fire, according to the regulations. They boiled the sacred offerings in pots, kettles, and pans, and quickly distributed the meat to the people. After this was done, the Levites provided meat for themselves and for the priests descended from Aaron. Since the priests were kept busy until night, burning the animals that were burned whole and the fat of the sacrifices. The following musicians of the Levite clan of Asaph were in the places assigned to them by King David's instructions: Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, the king's prophet. The guards at the Temple gates did not need to leave their posts, because the other Levites prepared the Passover for them. Everything was done that day as King Josiah commanded for the worship of Jehovah. This included the keeping of the Passover Festival, and the offering of burnt offerings on the altar. All the people of Israel who were present celebrated the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. The Passover had not been celebrated like this since the days of the prophet Samuel. None of the former kings had ever celebrated a Passover like this one celebrated by King Josiah, the priests, the Levites, and the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem This was the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign.


Now in the eighteenth year after he became king, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam the scribe, to the Temple of Jehovah. He said to him: Go to Hilkiah the high priest. Let him count the money brought into the Temple of Jehovah that the keepers of the door gathered from the people. Let them deliver it to the workmen who have oversight of the work of Jehovah's Temple. Then they can pay it to the workmen who are making good what was damaged in the Temple of Jehovah. read more.
To the woodworkers and the builders and the stonecutters; and for getting wood and cut stones for building the Temple. Since the workmen are honest, do not require them to account for the money you give them.

Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He was king for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. He did what Jehovah considered right. He lived in the ways of his ancestor David and never stopped living this way. It was the eighth year of his reign. He was still a boy when he dedicated his life to service of the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year as king he purged Judah and Jerusalem by destroying the illegal places of worship, poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, carved idols, and metal idols. read more.
He tore down the altars of the Baal gods. He cut down the incense altars that were above them. He destroyed the Asherah poles, carved idols, and metal idols. He ground them into powder and scattered the powder over the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them.


The king stood beside the pillar and made a promise to Jehovah that he would follow Jehovah and obey his commands, instructions, and laws with all his heart and mind. He confirmed the terms of the promise written in this book. All the people joined in the promise. Then the king ordered the high priest Hilkiah, the priests who served under Hilkiah, and the doorkeepers to remove from Jehovah's Temple all utensils that had been made for Baal, Asherah, and the entire army of heaven. Josiah burned the utensils outside Jerusalem. It was in an open field near the Kidron Brook. Then he carried their ashes to Bethel. He got rid of the pagan priests. The kings of Judah appointed them to sacrifice at the illegal places of worship in the cities of Judah and all around Jerusalem. They had been sacrificing to Baal, the sun god, the moon god, the constellations of the zodiac (Mazzalohth Constellation-Job 38:32), and the entire army of heaven. read more.
He removed the pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah from the temple. He took it to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem. There he burned it in the Kidron Valley, ground it to dust, and threw its ashes on the tombs of the common people. He tore down the houses of the male temple (cult) prostitutes who were in Jehovah's Temple. This is where women did weaving for Asherah. He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah from Geba to Beersheba and made the places where those priests sacrificed unclean. He tore down the worship site at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the gate named after the mayor of the city. The worship site was to the left of anyone going through the city gate. The priests of the illegal worship sites had never gone to Jehovah's altar in Jerusalem. Instead, they ate their unleavened bread among the other worshipers. Josiah also made Topheth in the valley of Ben Hinnom unclean so that people would never again sacrifice their sons or daughters by burning them to the god Molech. He also removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the worship of the sun. He burned the chariots used in this worship. The altars the kings of Judah built on the palace roof above King Ahaz' quarters, King Josiah tore down, along with the altars put up by King Manasseh in the two courtyards of the Temple. He smashed the altars to bits and threw them into Kidron Valley. The king made the illegal places of worship east of Jerusalem unclean. They were on the southern part of the Hill of Destruction. King Solomon of Israel built them for Astarte the disgusting goddess of the Sidonians. Also made unclean were references to Chemosh the disgusting god of Moab, and Milcom the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Josiah crushed the sacred stones. He cut down the poles dedicated to Asherah. And he filled their places with human bones. He also tore down the altar at Bethel the place of worship made by Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin. He tore down both the altar and the place of worship. They burned the worship site. They crushed it into powder and burned the pole dedicated to Asherah. Josiah turned and saw the tombs on the hill. He sent men to take the bones out of the tombs and burn them on the altar to make it unclean. This fulfilled the word of Jehovah announced by the man of God. What is that headstone I see over there? Josiah asked. The men of the town said: It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah. The one who foretold all these things you have done to the altar of Bethel. He said: Let him be. Do not move his bones. So they let his bones be with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. Josiah removed all the houses of the high places the kings of Israel built in the towns of Samaria. This provoked Jehovah to anger and he did with them as he had done in Bethel. He killed all the priests of the high places on the altars. Their bones were burned on the altars. Then the king went back to Jerusalem.

Josiah removed all the spirit mediums, the foretellers, the images, and the false gods, and all the disgusting things seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. That way he could establish the words of the agreement recorded in the book Hilkiah the priest discovered in the Temple of Jehovah. Never before had there been a king like him. He turned to Jehovah with all his heart and his entire mind and all his power. As the Law of Moses says: and after him there was no king like him.


Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah. Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers. They lived at the time when the people were exiled to Babylon.


A man of God from Judah went to Bethel. He arrived there while Jeroboam was at the altar ready to offer a sacrifice. He actually spoke against the altar: O altar, altar, this is what Jehovah says: 'A child, whose name will be Josiah, will be born to the family of David. He will slaughter the priests serving at the pagan altars who offer sacrifices on you. He will burn human bones on you.' The prophet went on to say: This altar will fall apart. The ashes on it will be scattered. Then you will know that Jehovah has spoken through me.


Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah. Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers. They lived at the time when the people were exiled to Babylon.


Then Jeremiah chanted a lament for Josiah. All the male and female singers speak about Josiah in their lamentations (dirges) to this day. They made them an ordinance in Israel. They are also written in the Lamentations.


Take them into captivity, even Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah. The same day go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah. They came from Babylon.


Do you become a king because you are competing in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.


Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. He did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah. He walked in the ways of David his father, without turning to the right hand or to the left. Now in the eighteenth year after he became king, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam the scribe, to the Temple of Jehovah. He said to him: read more.
Go to Hilkiah the high priest. Let him count the money brought into the Temple of Jehovah that the keepers of the door gathered from the people. Let them deliver it to the workmen who have oversight of the work of Jehovah's Temple. Then they can pay it to the workmen who are making good what was damaged in the Temple of Jehovah. To the woodworkers and the builders and the stonecutters; and for getting wood and cut stones for building the Temple. Since the workmen are honest, do not require them to account for the money you give them. The chief priest Hilkiah told the scribe Shaphan: I found the Book of the Law in Jehovah's House. Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who then read it. The scribe Shaphan reported to the king: We have taken the money donated in the temple and have given it to the workmen who are in charge of Jehovah's House. Then the scribe Shaphan told the king: The priest Hilkiah has given me a book. Shaphan read it to the king. When the king heard what the book of the Law said, he tore his clothes in distress. The king gave an order to the priest Hilkiah, to Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said: Go inquire of Jehovah on my behalf and for the people. This is concerning the words in this book that has been found. Jehovah's fierce anger is directed towards us because our ancestors did not obey the things in this book or do everything written in it. So the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to talk to the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas. Shallum was in charge of the royal wardrobe. Huldah was living in the Second Part of Jerusalem. She told them: This is what Jehovah God of Israel says: Tell the man who sent you to me: This is what Jehovah says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and on the people living here. This is according to everything written in the book that the king of Judah has read. I will do this because they abandoned me. They sacrificed to other gods in order to make me furious. Therefore, my burning anger against this place will never be extinguished.' Huldah added: Tell Judah's king who sent you to me to ask Jehovah a question. This is what Jehovah God of Israel says about the words you heard: You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of Jehovah when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. I said that those who live here would be destroyed and cursed. You also tore your clothes in distress and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you,' declares Jehovah. That is why I will bring you to your ancestors. I will bring you to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see any of the disaster I will bring on this place.' They reported this to the king. Then the king sent for all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to join him. The king went up to the Temple of Jehovah. All the inhabitants of Judah young and old also went to Jehovah's Temple. Josiah read everything written in the Book of the Promise found in Jehovah's Temple so they could all hear it. The king stood beside the pillar and made a promise to Jehovah that he would follow Jehovah and obey his commands, instructions, and laws with all his heart and mind. He confirmed the terms of the promise written in this book. All the people joined in the promise. Then the king ordered the high priest Hilkiah, the priests who served under Hilkiah, and the doorkeepers to remove from Jehovah's Temple all utensils that had been made for Baal, Asherah, and the entire army of heaven. Josiah burned the utensils outside Jerusalem. It was in an open field near the Kidron Brook. Then he carried their ashes to Bethel. He got rid of the pagan priests. The kings of Judah appointed them to sacrifice at the illegal places of worship in the cities of Judah and all around Jerusalem. They had been sacrificing to Baal, the sun god, the moon god, the constellations of the zodiac (Mazzalohth Constellation-Job 38:32), and the entire army of heaven. He removed the pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah from the temple. He took it to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem. There he burned it in the Kidron Valley, ground it to dust, and threw its ashes on the tombs of the common people. He tore down the houses of the male temple (cult) prostitutes who were in Jehovah's Temple. This is where women did weaving for Asherah. He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah from Geba to Beersheba and made the places where those priests sacrificed unclean. He tore down the worship site at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the gate named after the mayor of the city. The worship site was to the left of anyone going through the city gate. The priests of the illegal worship sites had never gone to Jehovah's altar in Jerusalem. Instead, they ate their unleavened bread among the other worshipers. Josiah also made Topheth in the valley of Ben Hinnom unclean so that people would never again sacrifice their sons or daughters by burning them to the god Molech. He also removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the worship of the sun. He burned the chariots used in this worship. The altars the kings of Judah built on the palace roof above King Ahaz' quarters, King Josiah tore down, along with the altars put up by King Manasseh in the two courtyards of the Temple. He smashed the altars to bits and threw them into Kidron Valley. The king made the illegal places of worship east of Jerusalem unclean. They were on the southern part of the Hill of Destruction. King Solomon of Israel built them for Astarte the disgusting goddess of the Sidonians. Also made unclean were references to Chemosh the disgusting god of Moab, and Milcom the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Josiah crushed the sacred stones. He cut down the poles dedicated to Asherah. And he filled their places with human bones. He also tore down the altar at Bethel the place of worship made by Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin. He tore down both the altar and the place of worship. They burned the worship site. They crushed it into powder and burned the pole dedicated to Asherah. Josiah turned and saw the tombs on the hill. He sent men to take the bones out of the tombs and burn them on the altar to make it unclean. This fulfilled the word of Jehovah announced by the man of God. What is that headstone I see over there? Josiah asked. The men of the town said: It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah. The one who foretold all these things you have done to the altar of Bethel. He said: Let him be. Do not move his bones. So they let his bones be with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. Josiah removed all the houses of the high places the kings of Israel built in the towns of Samaria. This provoked Jehovah to anger and he did with them as he had done in Bethel. He killed all the priests of the high places on the altars. Their bones were burned on the altars. Then the king went back to Jerusalem. The king gave orders to all the people. He said: Keep the Passover to Jehovah your God, as it says in this book of the law. Truly, such a Passover had not been kept in all the days of the judges of Israel or of the kings of Israel or the kings of Judah. In the eighteenth year of the rule of King Josiah this Passover was kept to Jehovah in Jerusalem. Josiah removed all the spirit mediums, the foretellers, the images, and the false gods, and all the disgusting things seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. That way he could establish the words of the agreement recorded in the book Hilkiah the priest discovered in the Temple of Jehovah. Never before had there been a king like him. He turned to Jehovah with all his heart and his entire mind and all his power. As the Law of Moses says: and after him there was no king like him. Still the heat of Jehovah's anger was not turned back from Judah. This is because of all Manasseh had done in moving him to anger. Jehovah said: I will send Judah away from before my face, as I have sent Israel. I will have nothing more to do with this town. It is Jerusalem my town. And the holy house of which I said: 'My name will be there.' Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and all he did are recorded in the book of the History of the Kings of Judah. In his days, Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, sent his armies against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went out against him. Josiah was killed when he saw him at Megiddo. His servants took his body in a carriage from Megiddo to Jerusalem. They buried him there. The people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah, and put the holy oil on him and made him king in place of his father.


He did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah. He walked in the ways of David his father, without turning to the right hand or to the left.


Josiah celebrated the Passover to Jehovah in Jerusalem. The Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month. Josiah appointed the priests to their duties and encouraged them to serve in Jehovah's Temple. He told the Levites, who instructed all Israel and performed ceremonies to make themselves holy to Jehovah: Put the Holy Ark in the Temple that Solomon, son of David and king of Israel, built. It should not be carried on your shoulders any longer. Serve Jehovah your God and his people Israel. read more.
Get yourselves ready with the family groups of your divisions, which are listed in the records of King David of Israel and the records of his son Solomon. Divide yourselves into groups. Then spread out throughout the Temple so that each family of worshipers will be able to get help from one of you. When the people bring you their Passover lamb, you must slaughter it and prepare it to be sacrificed to Jehovah. Make sure the people celebrate according to the instructions Jehovah gave Moses. Do not do anything to become unclean and unacceptable. Josiah donated thirty thousand sheep and goats, and three thousand bulls from his own flocks and herds for the people to offer as sacrifices. Josiah's officials also voluntarily gave some of their animals to the people, the priests, and the Levites as sacrifices. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, who were the officials in charge of the Temple, gave the priests twenty-six hundred sheep and lambs and three hundred bulls to sacrifice during the Passover celebration. Conaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the leaders of the Levites, gave the Levites five thousand sheep and goats and five hundred bulls as Passover sacrifices. Thus the service was prepared. The priests took their positions with the Levites according to their divisions, as the king had ordered. They slaughtered the Passover lambs. The priests sprinkled the blood with their hands while the Levites skinned the lambs. They set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the people according to their family divisions. The people could then present them to Jehovah as is written in the Book of Moses. The Levites did the same with the bulls. The Levites roasted the Passover sacrifices over the fire, according to the regulations. They boiled the sacred offerings in pots, kettles, and pans, and quickly distributed the meat to the people. After this was done, the Levites provided meat for themselves and for the priests descended from Aaron. Since the priests were kept busy until night, burning the animals that were burned whole and the fat of the sacrifices. The following musicians of the Levite clan of Asaph were in the places assigned to them by King David's instructions: Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, the king's prophet. The guards at the Temple gates did not need to leave their posts, because the other Levites prepared the Passover for them. Everything was done that day as King Josiah commanded for the worship of Jehovah. This included the keeping of the Passover Festival, and the offering of burnt offerings on the altar. All the people of Israel who were present celebrated the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. The Passover had not been celebrated like this since the days of the prophet Samuel. None of the former kings had ever celebrated a Passover like this one celebrated by King Josiah, the priests, the Levites, and the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem This was the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign.

Now in the eighteenth year after he became king, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam the scribe, to the Temple of Jehovah. He said to him: Go to Hilkiah the high priest. Let him count the money brought into the Temple of Jehovah that the keepers of the door gathered from the people. Let them deliver it to the workmen who have oversight of the work of Jehovah's Temple. Then they can pay it to the workmen who are making good what was damaged in the Temple of Jehovah. read more.
To the woodworkers and the builders and the stonecutters; and for getting wood and cut stones for building the Temple.

In his eighteenth year as king as he was making the land and the temple clean, Josiah sent Shaphan, son of Azaliah, Maaseiah, the mayor of the city, and Joah, the royal historian and son of Joahaz, to repair the Temple of Jehovah his God. They came to the chief priest Hilkiah and gave him the money that had been brought into God's Temple. It was the money that the Levite doorkeepers had collected from the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all who were left in Israel, from everyone in the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They gave the money to the foremen who were in charge of Jehovah's Temple. These foremen gave it to the workmen who were restoring and repairing the Temple. read more.
These workers included carpenters and builders. They were to buy quarried stones and wood for the fittings and beams of the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to become run-down. The men did their work faithfully under the supervision of Jahath and Obadiah; Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam descendants of Kohath. The Levites, who were skilled musicians, also supervised the workers and directed all the workmen on the various jobs. Some of the Levites served as scribes, officials, or gatekeepers.


He did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah. He walked in the ways of David his father, without turning to the right hand or to the left.

Josiah removed all the spirit mediums, the foretellers, the images, and the false gods, and all the disgusting things seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. That way he could establish the words of the agreement recorded in the book Hilkiah the priest discovered in the Temple of Jehovah. Never before had there been a king like him. He turned to Jehovah with all his heart and his entire mind and all his power. As the Law of Moses says: and after him there was no king like him.


He did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah. He walked in the ways of David his father, without turning to the right hand or to the left.


Then the king ordered the high priest Hilkiah, the priests who served under Hilkiah, and the doorkeepers to remove from Jehovah's Temple all utensils that had been made for Baal, Asherah, and the entire army of heaven. Josiah burned the utensils outside Jerusalem. It was in an open field near the Kidron Brook. Then he carried their ashes to Bethel.



Then the king ordered the high priest Hilkiah, the priests who served under Hilkiah, and the doorkeepers to remove from Jehovah's Temple all utensils that had been made for Baal, Asherah, and the entire army of heaven. Josiah burned the utensils outside Jerusalem. It was in an open field near the Kidron Brook. Then he carried their ashes to Bethel.


The king sent for all the respected leaders of Judah and Jerusalem to join him. The king, everyone in Judah, everyone living in Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites, and all the people, young and old, went up to Jehovah's Temple. He read everything written in the Book of the Covenant found in Jehovah's Temple so that they could hear it. The king stood in his place and made a promise to Jehovah that he would follow Jehovah and obey his commandments, instructions, and laws with his entire heart and being. He said he would live by the terms of the covenant (promise) written in this book. read more.
He also made all those found in Jerusalem and Benjamin join with him in the covenant. Then the people of Jerusalem lived according to the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. Josiah got rid of all the disgusting idols throughout Israelite territory. He required all people in Israel to serve Jehovah their God. As long as he lived, they did not stop following Jehovah the God of their ancestors.

It was the eighth year of his reign. He was still a boy when he dedicated his life to service of the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year as king he purged Judah and Jerusalem by destroying the illegal places of worship, poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, carved idols, and metal idols. He tore down the altars of the Baal gods. He cut down the incense altars that were above them. He destroyed the Asherah poles, carved idols, and metal idols. He ground them into powder and scattered the powder over the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them. He burned the bones of the priests on their altars. Thus he made Judah and Jerusalem clean. read more.
In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, he removed all their temples. Then he tore down the altars, beat the Asherah poles and idols into powder, and cut down all the incense altars everywhere in Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.


He killed all the priests of the high places on the altars. Their bones were burned on the altars. Then the king went back to Jerusalem.


You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of Jehovah when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. I said that those who live here would be destroyed and cursed. You also tore your clothes in distress and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you,' declares Jehovah.




It was the eighth year of his reign. He was still a boy when he dedicated his life to service of the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year as king he purged Judah and Jerusalem by destroying the illegal places of worship, poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, carved idols, and metal idols.


It was the eighth year of his reign. He was still a boy when he dedicated his life to service of the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year as king he purged Judah and Jerusalem by destroying the illegal places of worship, poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, carved idols, and metal idols.


But Josiah would not stop his attack. He disguised himself as he went into battle. He refused to listen to Necho's words, which came from God. He went to fight in the valley of Megiddo.


But Josiah would not stop his attack. He disguised himself as he went into battle. He refused to listen to Necho's words, which came from God. He went to fight in the valley of Megiddo.


He did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah. He walked in the ways of David his father, without turning to the right hand or to the left.


Lord Jehovah, I put my hope in you. I have trusted in you since I was young.

Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He was king for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. He did what Jehovah considered right. He lived in the ways of his ancestor David and never stopped living this way. It was the eighth year of his reign. He was still a boy when he dedicated his life to service of the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year as king he purged Judah and Jerusalem by destroying the illegal places of worship, poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, carved idols, and metal idols.


Josiah removed all the houses of the high places the kings of Israel built in the towns of Samaria. This provoked Jehovah to anger and he did with them as he had done in Bethel. He killed all the priests of the high places on the altars. Their bones were burned on the altars. Then the king went back to Jerusalem. The king gave orders to all the people. He said: Keep the Passover to Jehovah your God, as it says in this book of the law. read more.
Truly, such a Passover had not been kept in all the days of the judges of Israel or of the kings of Israel or the kings of Judah. In the eighteenth year of the rule of King Josiah this Passover was kept to Jehovah in Jerusalem. Josiah removed all the spirit mediums, the foretellers, the images, and the false gods, and all the disgusting things seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. That way he could establish the words of the agreement recorded in the book Hilkiah the priest discovered in the Temple of Jehovah. Never before had there been a king like him. He turned to Jehovah with all his heart and his entire mind and all his power. As the Law of Moses says: and after him there was no king like him.


References

Hastings

Easton

American

Fausets

Morish

Smith

Watsons