| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. | 1Josiah was eight years old when he became king and reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. |
| 2He did what the LORD approved and followed in his ancestor David's footsteps; he did not deviate to the right or the left. | 2He did what was right in the LORD's sight and walked in the ways of his ancestor David; he did not turn aside to the right or the left. |
| 3In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year he began ridding Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, Asherah poles, idols, and images. | 3In 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. |
| 4He ordered the altars of the Baals to be torn down, and broke the incense altars that were above them. He smashed the Asherah poles, idols and images, crushed them up and sprinkled the dust over the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them. | 4Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he chopped down the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. |
| 5He burned the bones of the pagan priests on their altars; he purified Judah and Jerusalem. | 5He burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. |
| 6In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, | 6He did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali and on their surrounding mountain shrines. |
| 7he tore down the altars and Asherah poles, demolished the idols, and smashed all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem. | 7He tore down the altars, and he smashed the Asherah poles and the carved images to powder. He chopped down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel and returned to Jerusalem. |
| 8In the eighteenth year of his reign, he continued his policy of purifying the land and the temple. He sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city official, and Joah son of Joahaz the secretary to repair the temple of the LORD his God. | 8In the eighteenth year of his reign, in order to cleanse the land and the temple, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, along with Maaseiah the governor of the city and the court historian Joah son of Joahaz, to repair the temple of the LORD his God. |
| 9They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the silver that had been brought to God's temple. The Levites who guarded the door had collected it from the people of Manasseh and Ephraim and from all who were left in Israel, as well as from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the residents of Jerusalem. | 9So they went to Hilkiah the high priest, and gave him the money brought into God's temple. The Levites and the doorkeepers had collected money from Manasseh, Ephraim, and from the entire remnant of Israel, and from all Judah, Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. |
| 10They handed it over to the construction foremen assigned to the LORD's temple. They in turn paid the temple workers to restore and repair it. | 10They put it into the hands of those doing the work--those who oversaw the LORD's temple. They gave it to the workmen who were working in the LORD's temple, to repair and restore the temple; |
| 11They gave money to the craftsmen and builders to buy chiseled stone and wood for the braces and rafters of the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into disrepair. | 11they gave it to the carpenters and builders and also used it to buy quarried stone and timbers--for joining and making beams--for the buildings that Judah's kings had destroyed. |
| 12The men worked faithfully. Their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah (Levites descended from Merari), as well as Zechariah and Meshullam (descendants of Kohath). The Levites, all of whom were skilled musicians, | 12The men were doing the work with integrity. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites from the Merarites, and Zechariah and Meshullam from the Kohathites as supervisors. The Levites were all skilled with musical instruments. |
| 13supervised the laborers and all the foremen on their various jobs. Some of the Levites were scribes, officials, and guards. | 13They were also over the porters and were supervising all those doing the work task by task. Some of the Levites were secretaries, officers, and gatekeepers. |
| 14When they took out the silver that had been brought to the LORD's temple, Hilkiah the priest found the law scroll the LORD had given to Moses. | 14When they brought out the money that had been deposited in the LORD's temple, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the LORD written by the hand of Moses. |
| 15Hilkiah informed Shaphan the scribe, "I found the law scroll in the LORD's temple." Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan. | 15Consequently, Hilkiah told Shaphan the court secretary, "I have found the book of the law in the LORD's temple," and he gave the book to Shaphan. |
| 16Shaphan brought the scroll to the king and reported, "Your servants are doing everything assigned to them. | 16Shaphan took the book to the king, and also reported, "Your servants are doing all that was placed in their hands. |
| 17They melted down the silver in the LORD's temple and handed it over to the supervisors of the construction foremen." | 17They have emptied out the money that was found in the LORD's temple and have put it into the hand of the overseers and the hand of those doing the work." |
| 18Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll." Shaphan read it out loud before the king. | 18Then Shaphan the court secretary told the king, "Hilkiah the priest gave me a book," and Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. |
| 19When the king heard the words of the law scroll, he tore his clothes. | 19When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. |
| 20The king ordered Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king's servant, | 20Then he commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the court secretary, and the king's servant Asaiah, |
| 21"Go, seek an oracle from the LORD for me and those who remain in Israel and Judah. Find out about the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the LORD's fury has been ignited against us, because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the LORD by doing all that this scroll instructs!" | 21"Go. Ask Yahweh for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that was found. For great is the LORD's wrath that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD in order to do everything written in this book." |
| 22So Hilkiah and the others sent by the king went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, the supervisor of the wardrobe. (She lived in Jerusalem in the Mishneh district.) They stated their business, | 22So Hilkiah and those the king had designated went to the prophetess Huldah, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District. They spoke with her about this. |
| 23and she said to them: "This is what the LORD God of Israel says: 'Say this to the man who sent you to me: | 23She said to them, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel says: Say to the man who sent you to Me, |
| 24"This is what the LORD says: 'I am about to bring disaster on this place and its residents, the details of which are recorded in the scroll which they read before the king of Judah. | 24 'This is what Yahweh says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants, fulfilling all the curses written in the book that they read in the presence of the king of Judah, |
| 25This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made. My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!'" | 25because they have abandoned Me and burned incense to other gods in order to provoke Me with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.' |
| 26Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from the LORD: "This is what the LORD God of Israel says concerning the words you have heard: | 26Say this to the king of Judah who sent you to ask Yahweh, 'This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel says: As for the words that you heard, |
| 27You displayed a sensitive spirit and humbled yourself before God when you heard his words concerning this place and its residents. You humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,' says the LORD. | 27because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I Myself have heard--this is the LORD's declaration. |
| 28Therefore I will allow you to die and be buried in peace. You will not have to witness all the disaster I will bring on this place and its residents.'"'" Then they reported back to the king. | 28 'I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place and on its inhabitants.'" Then they reported to the king. |
| 29The king summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. | 29So the king sent messengers and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. |
| 30The king went up to the LORD's temple, accompanied by all the people of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, the priests, and the Levites. All the people were there, from the oldest to the youngest. He read aloud all the words of the scroll of the covenant that had been discovered in the LORD's temple. | 30The king went up to the LORD's temple with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the Levites--all the people from great to small. He read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the LORD's temple. |
| 31The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant before the LORD, agreeing to follow the LORD and to obey his commandments, laws, and rules with all his heart and being, by carrying out the terms of this covenant recorded on this scroll. | 31Then the king stood at his post and made a covenant in the LORD's presence to follow the LORD and to keep His commands, His decrees, and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul in order to carry out the words of the covenant written in this book. |
| 32He made all who were in Jerusalem and Benjamin agree to it. The residents of Jerusalem acted in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. | 32He had all those present in Jerusalem and Benjamin agree to it. So all the inhabitants of Jerusalem carried out the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. |
| 33Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the areas belonging to the Israelites and encouraged all who were in Israel to worship the LORD their God. Throughout the rest of his reign they did not turn aside from following the LORD God of their ancestors. | 33So Josiah removed everything that was detestable from all the lands belonging to the Israelites, and he required all who were present in Israel to serve the LORD their God. Throughout his reign they did not turn aside from following Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. |
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