2 Chronicles 34

1 Josiah (Yoshiyahu) was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) one and thirty years.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of יהוה, and walked in the ways of Dawid his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.

3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God (Elohim) of Dawid his father; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah (Yehudah) and Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) from the high places, and the Asherim, and the carved images, and the molten images.

4 And they broke down the altars of the Baals (Baalim) in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the Asherahs (Asherim), and the carved images, and the molten images, he broke in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.

5 And he burnt the bones of the priests (kohanim) upon their altars, and cleansed Judah (Yehudah) and Jerusalem (Yerushalayim).

6 And so did he in the cities of Menashsheh, and Efrayim, and Shimon, even unto Naftali, with their mattocks round about.

7 And when he had broken down the altars and the Asherahs (Asherim), and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Yisrael, he returned to Jerusalem (Yerushalayim).

8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Atsalyahu, and Maaseyahu the governor of the city, and Yoach the son of Yoachaz the recorder, to repair the house of יהוה his God (Elohim).

9 And when they came to Hilkiah (Chilqiyahu) the high priest (kohen gadol), they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God (Elohim), which the Levites (Lewiyim) that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Menashsheh and Efrayim, and of all the remnant of Yisrael, and of all Judah (Yehudah) and Benjamin (Binyamin); and they returned to Jerusalem (Yerushalayim).

10 And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of יהוה, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of יהוה, to repair and amend the house.

11 Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah (Yehudah) had destroyed.

12 And the men did the work faithfully; and the overseers of them were Jahath (Yachat) and Obadiah (Ovadyah), the Levites (Lewiyim), of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah (Zekharyahu) and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites (Lewiyim), all that could skill of instruments of musick.

13 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service; and of the Levites (Lewiyim) there were scribes, and officers, and porters.

14 And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of יהוה, Hilkiah (Chilqiyahu) the priest (kohen) found a Book of the Torah of יהוה given by Moses (Mosheh).

15 And Hilkiah (Chilqiyahu) answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Torah in the house of יהוה. And Hilkiah (Chilqiyahu) delivered the book to Shaphan.

16 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, “All that was committed to your servants, they do it.”

17 And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of יהוה, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.

18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah (Chilqiyahu) the priest (kohen) hath given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.

19 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the Torah, that he rent his clothes.

20 And the king commanded Hilkiah (Chilqiyahu), and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Avdon the son of Mikhah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asayah a servant of the king’s, saying,

21 “Go, enquire of יהוה for me, and for them that are left in Yisrael and in Judah (Yehudah), concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of יהוה that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of יהוה, to do after all that is written in this book.”

22 And Hilkiah (Chilqiyahu), and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess (neviah), the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) in the college;) and they spake to her to that effect.

23 And she answered them, “Thus saith יהוה God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael): ‘Tell you the man that sent you to Me,

24 Thus saith יהוה: “Behold, I will bring disaster (raah) 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 (Yehudah),

25 Because they have forsaken Me, and have burned incense unto other gods (elohim), that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore My wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.”’

26 And as for the king of Judah (Yehudah), who sent you to enquire of יהוה, so shall you say unto him, ‘Thus saith יהוה God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael) concerning the words which you have heard:

27 “Because your heart was tender, and you didst humble yourself before God (Elohim), when you heardest His words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst yourself before Me, and didst rend your clothes, and weep before Me; I have even heard you also,” saith יהוה.

28 “Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shalt be gathered to your grave in peace, neither shall your eyes see all the disaster (raah) that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same.”’” So they brought the king word again.

29 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah (Yehudah) and Jerusalem (Yerushalayim).

30 And the king went up into the house of יהוה, and all the men of Judah (Yehudah), and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), and the priests (kohanim), and the Levites (Lewiyim), and all the people, great and small; and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of יהוה.

31 And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before יהוה, to walk after יהוה, 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 which are written in this book.

32 And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) and Benjamin (Binyamin) to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) did according to the covenant of God (Elohim), the God (Elohim) of their fathers.

33 And Josiah (Yoshiyahu) took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Yisrael, and made all that were present in Yisrael to serve, even to serve יהוה their God (Elohim). And all his days they departed not from following יהוה, the God (Elohim) of their fathers.