2 Tawarikh 14:2-5
Konteks14:2 (14:1) Asa did what the Lord his God desired and approved. 1 14:3 He removed the pagan altars 2 and the high places, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. 3 14:4 He ordered Judah to seek the Lord God of their ancestors 4 and to observe his law and commands. 5 14:5 He removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. The kingdom had rest under his rule. 6
2 Tawarikh 17:6
Konteks17:6 He was committed to following the Lord; 7 he even removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.
2 Tawarikh 24:1-14
Konteks24:1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign. He reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. 8 His mother was Zibiah, who was from Beer Sheba. 24:2 Joash did what the Lord approved 9 throughout the lifetime 10 of Jehoiada the priest. 24:3 Jehoiada chose two wives for him who gave him sons and daughters.
24:4 Joash was determined to repair the Lord’s temple. 11 24:5 He assembled the priests and Levites and ordered them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect the annual quota of silver from all Israel for repairs on the temple of your God. Be quick about it!” But the Levites delayed.
24:6 So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest, 12 and said to him, “Why have you not made 13 the Levites collect 14 from Judah and Jerusalem the tax authorized by Moses the Lord’s servant and by the assembly of Israel at the tent containing the tablets of the law?” 15 24:7 (Wicked Athaliah and her sons had broken into God’s temple and used all the holy items of the Lord’s temple in their worship of the Baals.) 24:8 The king ordered a chest to be made and placed outside the gate of the Lord’s temple. 16 24:9 An edict was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem requiring the people to bring to the Lord the tax that Moses, God’s servant, imposed on Israel in the wilderness. 17 24:10 All the officials and all the people gladly brought their silver and threw it into the chest until it was full. 24:11 Whenever the Levites brought the chest to the royal accountant and they saw there was a lot of silver, the royal scribe and the accountant of the high priest emptied the chest and then took it back to its place. They went through this routine every day and collected a large amount of silver.
24:12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to the construction foremen 18 assigned to the Lord’s temple. They hired carpenters and craftsmen to repair the Lord’s temple, as well as those skilled in working with iron and bronze to restore the Lord’s temple. 24:13 They worked hard and made the repairs. 19 They followed the measurements specified for God’s temple and restored it. 20 24:14 When they were finished, they brought the rest of the silver to the king and Jehoiada. They used it to make items for the Lord’s temple, including items used in the temple service and for burnt sacrifices, pans, and various other gold and silver items. Throughout Jehoiada’s lifetime, burnt sacrifices were offered regularly in the Lord’s temple.
2 Tawarikh 29:1--31:21
Konteks29:1 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. 21 His mother was Abijah, 22 the daughter of Zechariah. 29:2 He did what the Lord approved, just as his ancestor David had done. 23
29:3 In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the Lord’s temple and repaired them. 29:4 He brought in the priests and Levites and assembled them in the square on the east side. 29:5 He said to them: “Listen to me, you Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, so you can consecrate the temple of the Lord God of your ancestors! 24 Remove from the sanctuary what is ceremonially unclean! 29:6 For our fathers were unfaithful; they did what is evil in the sight of 25 the Lord our God and abandoned him! They turned 26 away from the Lord’s dwelling place and rejected him. 27 29:7 They closed the doors of the temple porch and put out the lamps; they did not offer incense or burnt sacrifices in the sanctuary of the God of Israel. 29:8 The Lord was angry at Judah and Jerusalem and made them an appalling object of horror at which people hiss out their scorn, 28 as you can see with your own eyes. 29:9 Look, our fathers died violently 29 and our sons, daughters, and wives were carried off 30 because of this. 29:10 Now I intend 31 to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, so that he may relent from his raging anger. 32 29:11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to serve in his presence and offer sacrifices.” 33
29:12 The following Levites prepared to carry out the king’s orders: 34
From the Kohathites: Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah;
from the Merarites: Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel;
from the Gershonites: Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah;
29:13 from the descendants of Elizaphan: Shimri and Jeiel;
from the descendants of Asaph: Zechariah and Mattaniah;
29:14 from the descendants of Heman: Jehiel and Shimei;
from the descendants of Jeduthun: Shemaiah and Uzziel.
29:15 They assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves. Then they went in to purify the Lord’s temple, just as the king had ordered, in accordance with the word 35 of the Lord. 29:16 The priests then entered the Lord’s temple to purify it; they brought out to the courtyard of the Lord’s temple every ceremonially unclean thing they discovered inside. 36 The Levites took them out to the Kidron Valley. 29:17 On the first day of the first month they began consecrating; by the eighth day of the month they reached the porch of the Lord’s temple. 37 For eight more days they consecrated the Lord’s temple. On the sixteenth day of the first month they were finished. 29:18 They went to King Hezekiah and said: “We have purified the entire temple of the Lord, including the altar of burnt sacrifice and all its equipment, and the table for the Bread of the Presence and all its equipment. 29:19 We have prepared and consecrated all the items that King Ahaz removed during his reign when he acted unfaithfully. They are in front of the altar of the Lord.”
29:20 Early the next morning King Hezekiah assembled the city officials and went up to the Lord’s temple. 29:21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. 38 The king 39 told the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer burnt sacrifices on the altar of the Lord. 29:22 They slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splashed it on the altar. Then they slaughtered the rams and splashed the blood on the altar; next they slaughtered the lambs and splashed the blood on the altar. 29:23 Finally they brought the goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they placed their hands on them. 29:24 Then the priests slaughtered them. They offered their blood as a sin offering on the altar to make atonement for all Israel, because the king had decreed 40 that the burnt sacrifice and sin offering were for all Israel.
29:25 King Hezekiah 41 stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals and stringed instruments, just as David, Gad the king’s prophet, 42 and Nathan the prophet had ordered. (The Lord had actually given these orders through his prophets.) 29:26 The Levites had 43 David’s musical instruments and the priests had trumpets. 29:27 Hezekiah ordered the burnt sacrifice to be offered on the altar. As they began to offer the sacrifice, they also began to sing to the Lord, accompanied by the trumpets and the musical instruments of King David of Israel. 29:28 The entire assembly worshiped, as the singers sang and the trumpeters played. They continued until the burnt sacrifice was completed.
29:29 When the sacrifices were completed, the king and all who were with him bowed down and worshiped. 29:30 King Hezekiah and the officials told the Levites to praise the Lord, using the psalms 44 of David and Asaph the prophet. 45 So they joyfully offered praise and bowed down and worshiped. 29:31 Hezekiah said, “Now you have consecrated yourselves 46 to the Lord. Come and bring sacrifices and thank offerings 47 to the Lord’s temple.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and whoever desired to do so 48 brought burnt sacrifices.
29:32 The assembly brought a total of 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs as burnt sacrifices to the Lord, 49 29:33 and 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep 50 were consecrated. 29:34 But there were not enough priests to skin all the animals, 51 so their brothers, the Levites, helped them until the work was finished and the priests could consecrate themselves. (The Levites had been more conscientious about consecrating themselves than the priests.) 52 29:35 There was a large number of burnt sacrifices, as well as fat from the peace offerings and drink offerings that accompanied the burnt sacrifices. So the service of the Lord’s temple was reinstituted. 53 29:36 Hezekiah and all the people were happy about what God had done 54 for them, 55 for it had been done quickly. 56
30:1 Hezekiah sent messages throughout Israel and Judah; he even wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, summoning them to come to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem 57 and observe a Passover celebration for the Lord God of Israel. 30:2 The king, his officials, and the entire assembly in Jerusalem decided to observe the Passover in the second month. 30:3 They were unable to observe it at the regular 58 time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. 30:4 The proposal seemed appropriate to 59 the king and the entire assembly. 30:5 So they sent an edict 60 throughout Israel from Beer Sheba to Dan, summoning the people 61 to come and observe a Passover for the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem, for they had not observed it on a nationwide scale as prescribed in the law. 62 30:6 Messengers 63 delivered the letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah.
This royal edict read: 64 “O Israelites, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so he may return 65 to you who have been spared from the kings of Assyria. 66 30:7 Don’t be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the Lord God of their ancestors, 67 provoking him to destroy them, 68 as you can see. 30:8 Now, don’t be stubborn 69 like your fathers! Submit 70 to the Lord and come to his sanctuary which he has permanently consecrated. Serve the Lord your God so that he might relent from his raging anger. 71 30:9 For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and sons will be shown mercy by their captors and return to this land. The Lord your God is merciful and compassionate; he will not reject you 72 if you return to him.”
30:10 The messengers journeyed from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but people mocked and ridiculed them. 73 30:11 But some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 30:12 In Judah God moved the people to unite and carry out the edict the king and the officers had issued at the Lord’s command. 74 30:13 A huge crowd assembled in Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month. 75 30:14 They removed the altars in Jerusalem; they also removed all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley. 76
30:15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt sacrifices to the Lord’s temple. 30:16 They stood at their posts according to the regulations outlined in the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests were splashing the blood as the Levites handed it to them. 77 30:17 Because many in the assembly had not consecrated themselves, the Levites slaughtered 78 the Passover lambs of all who were ceremonially unclean and could not consecrate their sacrifice to the Lord. 79 30:18 The majority of the many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun were ceremonially unclean, yet they ate the Passover in violation of what is prescribed in the law. 80 For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying: “May the Lord, who is good, forgive 81 30:19 everyone who has determined to follow God, 82 the Lord God of his ancestors, even if he is not ceremonially clean according to the standards of the temple.” 83 30:20 The Lord responded favorably 84 to Hezekiah and forgave 85 the people.
30:21 The Israelites who were in Jerusalem observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. The Levites and priests were praising the Lord every day with all their might. 86 30:22 Hezekiah expressed his appreciation to all the Levites, 87 who demonstrated great skill in serving the Lord. 88 They feasted for the seven days of the festival, 89 and were making peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord God of their ancestors.
30:23 The entire assembly then decided to celebrate for seven more days; so they joyfully celebrated for seven more days. 30:24 King Hezekiah of Judah supplied 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep 90 for the assembly, while the officials supplied them 91 with 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. Many priests consecrated themselves. 30:25 The celebration included 92 the entire assembly of Judah, the priests, the Levites, the entire assembly of those who came from Israel, the resident foreigners who came from the land of Israel, and the residents of Judah. 30:26 There was a great celebration in Jerusalem, unlike anything that had occurred in Jerusalem since the time of King Solomon son of David of Israel. 93 30:27 The priests and Levites got up and pronounced blessings on the people. The Lord responded favorably to them 94 as their prayers reached his holy dwelling place in heaven.
31:1 When all this was over, the Israelites 95 who were in the cities of Judah went out and smashed the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and demolished 96 all the high places and altars throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. 97 Then all the Israelites returned to their own homes in their cities. 98
31:2 Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and Levites to do their assigned tasks 99 – to offer burnt sacrifices and present offerings and to serve, give thanks, and offer praise in the gates of the Lord’s sanctuary. 100
31:3 The king contributed 101 some of what he owned for burnt sacrifices, including the morning and evening burnt sacrifices and the burnt sacrifices made on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other appointed times prescribed 102 in the law of the Lord. 31:4 He ordered 103 the people living in Jerusalem 104 to contribute the portion prescribed for the priests and Levites so they might be obedient 105 to the law of the Lord. 31:5 When the edict was issued, 106 the Israelites freely contributed 107 the initial portion of their grain, wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a tenth of everything, which added up to a huge amount. 31:6 The Israelites and people of Judah 108 who lived in the cities of Judah also contributed a tenth of their cattle and sheep, as well as a tenth of the holy items consecrated to the Lord their God. They brought them and placed them in many heaps. 109 31:7 In the third month they began piling their contributions in heaps 110 and finished in the seventh month. 31:8 When Hezekiah and the officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and pronounced blessings on his people Israel. 111
31:9 When Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps, 31:10 Azariah, the head priest from the family of Zadok, said to him, “Since the contributions began arriving in the Lord’s temple, we have had plenty to eat and have a large quantity left over. For the Lord has blessed his people, and this large amount remains.” 31:11 Hezekiah ordered that storerooms be prepared in the Lord’s temple. When this was done, 112 31:12 they brought in the contributions, tithes, 113 and consecrated items that had been offered. 114 Konaniah, a Levite, was in charge of all this, assisted by his brother Shimei. 31:13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath, and Benaiah worked under the supervision of Konaniah and his brother Shimei, as directed by King Hezekiah and Azariah, the supervisor of God’s temple.
31:14 Kore son of Imnah, a Levite and the guard on the east side, was in charge of the voluntary offerings made to God and disbursed the contributions made to the Lord and the consecrated items. 31:15 In the cities of the priests, Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah faithfully assisted him in making disbursements to their fellow priests 115 according to their divisions, regardless of age. 116 31:16 They made disbursements to all the males three years old and up who were listed in the genealogical records – to all who would enter the Lord’s temple to serve on a daily basis and fulfill their duties as assigned to their divisions. 117 31:17 They made disbursements to the priests listed in the genealogical records by their families, and to the Levites twenty years old and up, according to their duties as assigned to their divisions, 31:18 and to all the infants, wives, sons, and daughters of the entire assembly listed in the genealogical records, for they faithfully consecrated themselves. 31:19 As for the descendants of Aaron, the priests who lived in the outskirts of all their cities, 118 men were assigned 119 to disburse portions to every male among the priests and to every Levite listed in the genealogical records.
31:20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what the Lord his God considered good and right and faithful. 31:21 He wholeheartedly and successfully reinstituted service in God’s temple and obedience to the law, in order to follow his God. 120
2 Tawarikh 34:1--35:27
Konteks34:1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 121 34:2 He did what the Lord approved 122 and followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps; 123 he did not deviate to the right or the left.
34:3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his ancestor 124 David. In his twelfth year he began ridding 125 Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, Asherah poles, idols, and images. 34:4 He ordered the altars of the Baals to be torn down, 126 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. 34:5 He burned the bones of the pagan priests 127 on their altars; he purified Judah and Jerusalem. 34:6 In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins 128 around them, 34:7 he 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.
34:8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, he continued his policy of purifying the land and the temple. 129 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. 34:9 They 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 130 Manasseh and Ephraim and from all who were left in Israel, as well as from all the people of 131 Judah and Benjamin and the residents of 132 Jerusalem. 34:10 They handed it over to the construction foremen 133 assigned to the Lord’s temple. They in turn paid the temple workers to restore and repair it. 134 34:11 They 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. 135 34:12 The 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, 34:13 supervised the laborers and all the foremen on their various jobs. 136 Some of the Levites were scribes, officials, and guards.
34:14 When 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. 34:15 Hilkiah informed Shaphan the scribe, “I found the law scroll in the Lord’s temple.” Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan. 34:16 Shaphan brought the scroll to the king and reported, 137 “Your servants are doing everything assigned to them. 34:17 They melted down the silver in the Lord’s temple 138 and handed it over to the supervisors of the construction foremen.” 34:18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” Shaphan read it out loud before the king. 34:19 When the king heard the words of the law scroll, he tore his clothes. 34:20 The king ordered Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, 139 Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, 34:21 “Go, seek an oracle from 140 the Lord for me and those who remain in Israel and Judah. Find out about 141 the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the Lord’s fury has been ignited against us, 142 because our ancestors 143 have not obeyed the word of the Lord by doing all that this scroll instructs!” 144
34:22 So Hilkiah and the others sent by the king 145 went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, 146 the supervisor of the wardrobe. 147 (She lived in Jerusalem in the Mishneh 148 district.) They stated their business, 149 34:23 and she said to them: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Say this to the man who sent you to me: 34:24 “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. 34:25 This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrifices 150 to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made. 151 My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!’” 34:26 Say 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: 34:27 ‘You displayed a sensitive spirit 152 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. 34:28 ‘Therefore I will allow you to die and be buried in peace. 153 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.
34:29 The king summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. 154 34:30 The 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. 34:31 The king stood by his pillar 155 and renewed 156 the covenant before the Lord, agreeing to follow 157 the Lord and to obey his commandments, laws, and rules with all his heart and being, 158 by carrying out the terms 159 of this covenant recorded on this scroll. 34:32 He made all who were in Jerusalem and Benjamin agree to it. 160 The residents of Jerusalem acted in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. 34:33 Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the areas belonging to the Israelites and encouraged 161 all who were in Israel to worship the Lord their God. Throughout the rest of his reign 162 they did not turn aside from following the Lord God of their ancestors.
35:1 Josiah observed a Passover festival for the Lord in Jerusalem. 163 They slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month. 35:2 He appointed the priests to fulfill their duties and encouraged them to carry out their service in the Lord’s temple. 35:3 He told the Levites, who instructed all Israel about things consecrated to the Lord, “Place the holy ark in the temple which King Solomon son of David of Israel built. Don’t carry it on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel! 35:4 Prepare yourselves by your families according to your divisions, as instructed 164 by King David of Israel and his son Solomon. 35:5 Stand in the sanctuary and, together with the Levites, represent the family divisions of your countrymen. 165 35:6 Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves, and make preparations for your countrymen to do what the Lord commanded through Moses.” 166
35:7 From his own royal flocks and herds, Josiah supplied the people with 30,000 lambs and goats for the Passover sacrifice, as well as 3,000 cattle. 167 35:8 His officials also willingly contributed to the people, priests, and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the leaders of God’s temple, supplied 2,600 Passover sacrifices and 300 cattle. 35:9 Konaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, along with Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the officials of the Levites, supplied the Levites with 5,000 Passover sacrifices and 500 cattle. 35:10 Preparations were made, 168 and the priests stood at their posts and the Levites in their divisions as prescribed by the king. 35:11 They slaughtered the Passover lambs and the priests splashed the blood, 169 while the Levites skinned the animals. 35:12 They reserved the burnt offerings and the cattle for the family divisions of the people to present to the Lord, as prescribed in the scroll of Moses. 170 35:13 They cooked the Passover sacrifices over the open fire as prescribed and cooked the consecrated offerings in pots, kettles, and pans. They quickly served them to all the people. 35:14 Afterward they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were offering burnt sacrifices and fat portions until evening. The Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron. 35:15 The musicians, the descendants of Asaph, manned their posts, as prescribed by David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s prophet. 171 The guards at the various gates did not need to leave their posts, for their fellow Levites made preparations for them. 35:16 So all the preparations for the Lord’s service were made that day, as the Passover was observed and the burnt sacrifices were offered on the altar of the Lord, as prescribed by King Josiah. 35:17 So the Israelites who were present observed the Passover at that time, as well as the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. 35:18 A Passover like this had not been observed in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had observed a Passover like the one celebrated by Josiah, the priests, the Levites, all the people of Judah and Israel who were there, and the residents of Jerusalem. 35:19 This Passover was observed in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign.
35:20 After Josiah had done all this for the temple, 172 King Necho of Egypt marched up to do battle at Carchemish on the Euphrates River. 173 Josiah marched out to oppose him. 35:21 Necho 174 sent messengers to him, saying, “Why are you opposing me, O king of Judah? 175 I am not attacking you today, but the kingdom with which I am at war. 176 God told me to hurry. Stop opposing God, who is with me, or else he will destroy you.” 177 35:22 But Josiah did not turn back from him; 178 he disguised himself for battle. He did not take seriously 179 the words of Necho which he had received from God; he went to fight him in the Plain of Megiddo. 180 35:23 Archers shot King Josiah; the king ordered his servants, “Take me out of this chariot, 181 for I am seriously wounded.” 35:24 So his servants took him out of the chariot, put him in another chariot that he owned, and brought him to Jerusalem, 182 where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors; 183 all the people of Judah and Jerusalem mourned Josiah. 35:25 Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah which all the male and female singers use to mourn Josiah to this very day. It has become customary in Israel to sing these; they are recorded in the Book of Laments.
35:26 The rest of the events of Josiah’s reign, including the faithful acts he did in obedience to what is written in the law of the Lord 184 35:27 and his accomplishments, from start to finish, are recorded 185 in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel and Judah.
[14:2] 1 tn Heb “and Asa did the good and the right in the eyes of the
[14:3] 2 tn Heb “the altars of the foreigner.”
[14:3] 3 sn Asherah poles. A leading deity of the Canaanite pantheon was Asherah, wife/sister of El and goddess of fertility. She was commonly worshiped at shrines in or near groves of evergreen trees, or, failing that, at places marked by wooden poles (Hebrew אֲשֵׁרִים [’asherim], as here). They were to be burned or cut down (Deut 7:5; 12:3; 16:21; Judg 6:25, 28, 30; 2 Kgs 18:4).
[14:4] 5 tn Heb “the law and the command.”
[17:6] 7 tn Heb “and his heart was high in the ways of the
[24:1] 8 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[24:2] 9 tn Heb “and Joash did what was proper in the eyes of the
[24:2] 10 tn Heb “all the days of.”
[24:4] 11 tn Heb “and it was, later, there was with the heart of Joash to repair the house of the
[24:6] 12 tn Heb “Jehoiada the head”; the word “priest” not in the Hebrew text but is implied.
[24:6] 15 tn Heb “the tent of testimony.”
[24:8] 16 tn Heb “and the king said [it] and they made a chest and placed it in the gate of the house of the
[24:9] 17 tn Heb “and they gave voice in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the
[24:12] 18 tn Heb “doers of the work.”
[24:13] 19 tn Heb “and the doers of the work worked, and the repairs went up for the work by their hand.”
[24:13] 20 tn Heb “and they caused the house of God to stand according to its measurements and they strengthened it.”
[29:1] 21 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[29:1] 22 tn The parallel passage in 2 Kgs 18:2 has “Abi.”
[29:2] 23 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the
[29:6] 25 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[29:6] 26 tn Heb “turned their faces.”
[29:6] 27 tn Heb “and turned the back.”
[29:8] 28 tn Heb “and he made them [an object] of dread and devastation and hissing.”
[29:9] 29 tn Heb “fell by the sword.”
[29:9] 30 tn Heb “are in captivity.”
[29:10] 31 tn Heb “now it is with my heart.”
[29:10] 32 tn Heb “so that the rage of his anger might turn from us.” The jussive with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding statement of intention.
[29:11] 33 tn Heb “to stand before him to serve him and to be his servants and sacrificers.”
[29:12] 34 tn Heb “and the Levites arose.”
[29:15] 35 tn Heb “words” (plural).
[29:16] 36 tn Heb “in the temple of the
[29:17] 37 tn Heb “porch of the
[29:21] 38 sn Perhaps these terms refer metonymically to the royal court, the priests and Levites, and the people, respectively.
[29:21] 39 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[29:25] 41 tn Heb “he”; the referent (King Hezekiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[29:26] 43 tn Heb “stood with” (i.e., stood holding).
[29:30] 44 tn Heb “with the words.”
[29:31] 46 tn Heb “filled your hand.”
[29:31] 47 tn Or “tokens of thanks.”
[29:31] 48 tn Heb “and all who were willing of heart.”
[29:32] 49 tn Heb “and the number of burnt sacrifices which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, two hundred lambs; for a burnt sacrifice to the
[29:33] 50 tn The Hebrew term צֹאן (ts’on) denotes smaller livestock in general; depending on context it can refer to sheep only or goats only, but there is nothing in the immediate context here to specify one or the other.
[29:34] 51 tn Heb “the burnt sacrifices.”
[29:34] 52 tn Heb “for the Levites were more pure of heart to consecrate themselves than the priests.”
[29:35] 53 tn Or “established.”
[29:36] 55 tn Heb “the people.” The pronoun “they” has been used here for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.
[29:36] 56 tn Heb “for quickly was the matter.”
[30:1] 57 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[30:3] 58 tn Heb “at that time.”
[30:4] 59 tn Heb “and the thing was proper in the eyes of.”
[30:5] 60 tn Heb “and they caused to stand a word to cause a voice to pass through.”
[30:5] 61 tn The words “summoning the people” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[30:5] 62 tn Heb “because not for abundance had they done as written.”
[30:6] 63 tn Heb “the runners.”
[30:6] 64 tn Heb “and according to the command of the king, saying.”
[30:6] 65 tn The jussive with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[30:6] 66 tn Heb “to the survivors who are left to you from the palm of the kings of Assyria.”
[30:7] 67 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 19, 22).
[30:7] 68 tn Heb “and he made them a devastation” (or, perhaps, “an object of horror”).
[30:8] 69 tn Heb “don’t stiffen your neck” (a Hebrew idiom for being stubborn).
[30:8] 70 tn Heb “give a hand.” On the meaning of the idiom here, see HALOT 387 s.v. I יָד 2.
[30:8] 71 tn Heb “so that the rage of his anger might turn from you.” The jussive with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[30:9] 72 tn Heb “turn [his] face from you.”
[30:10] 73 tn Heb “and they were mocking them and ridiculing them.”
[30:12] 74 tn Heb “also in Judah the hand of God was to give to them one heart to do the command of the king and the officials by the word of the
[30:13] 75 tn The Hebrew text adds here, “a very large assembly.” This has not been translated to avoid redundancy with the expression “a huge crowd” at the beginning of the verse.
[30:14] 76 tn Heb “and they arose and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem, and all the incense altars they removed and threw into the Kidron Valley.”
[30:16] 77 tn Heb “from the hand of the Levites.”
[30:17] 78 tn Heb “were over the slaughter of.”
[30:17] 79 tn Heb “of everyone not pure to consecrate to the
[30:18] 80 tn Heb “without what is written.”
[30:18] 81 tn Heb “make atonement for.”
[30:19] 82 tn Heb “everyone [who] has prepared his heart to seek God.”
[30:19] 83 tn Heb “and not according to the purification of the holy place.”
[30:21] 86 tn Heb “and they were praising the
[30:22] 87 tn Heb “and Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites.” On the meaning of the idiom “speak to the heart of” here, see HALOT 210 s.v. II דבר 8.d.
[30:22] 88 tn Heb “who demonstrated skill [with] good skill for the
[30:22] 89 tn Heb “and they ate [during] the appointed time [for] seven days.” מוֹעֵד (mo’ed, “appointed time”) is probably an adverbial accusative of time referring to the festival. However, some understand it as metonymically referring to the food eaten during the festival. See BDB 417 s.v.
[30:24] 90 tn The Hebrew term צֹאן (ts’on, translated “sheep” twice in this verse) denotes smaller livestock in general; depending on context it can refer to sheep only or goats only, but their is nothing in the immediate context here to specify one or the other.
[30:24] 91 tn Heb “the assembly.” The pronoun “them” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.
[30:25] 92 tn Heb “they rejoiced.”
[30:26] 93 tn Heb “and there was great joy in Jerusalem, for from the days of Solomon son of David, king of Israel, there was nothing like this in Jerusalem.”
[30:27] 94 tn Heb “and it was heard with their voice.” BDB 1034 s.v. שָׁמַע Niph.4 interprets this to mean “hearing was granted to their voice.” It is possible that the name יְהוָה (yÿhvah, “the
[31:1] 95 tn Heb “all Israel.”
[31:1] 97 tn Heb “the high places and the altars from all Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and in Manasseh until finished.”
[31:1] 98 tn Heb “and the sons of Israel returned, each to his possession to their cities.”
[31:2] 99 tn Heb “and Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites according to their divisions, each in accordance with his service for the priests and for the Levites.”
[31:2] 100 tn Heb “in the gates of the encampments of the
[31:3] 101 tn Heb “the portion of the king [was].”
[31:3] 102 tn Heb “as written.”
[31:4] 104 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[31:4] 105 tn Heb “might hold firmly.”
[31:5] 106 tn Heb “and when the word spread out.”
[31:5] 107 tn Heb “the sons of Israel multiplied.”
[31:6] 108 tn Heb “and the sons of Israel and Judah.”
[31:6] 109 tn Heb “heaps, heaps.” Repetition of the noun draws attention to the large number of heaps.
[31:7] 110 tn Heb “they began the heaps, to establish.”
[31:8] 111 tn Heb “they blessed the
[31:11] 112 tn Heb “and they prepared.”
[31:12] 114 tn Heb “and holy things in faithfulness.”
[31:15] 115 tn Heb “to their brothers.”
[31:15] 116 tn Heb “like great, like small” (i.e., old and young alike).
[31:16] 117 tn Heb “in addition enrolling them by males from a son of three years and upwards, to everyone who enters the house of the
[31:19] 118 tn Heb “the priests in the fields of the pastureland of their cities in every city and city.”
[31:19] 119 tn Heb “designated by names.”
[31:21] 120 tn Heb “and in all the work which he began with regard to the service of the house of God and with respect to the law and with respect to the commandment, to seek his God; with all his heart he acted and he succeeded.”
[34:1] 121 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[34:2] 122 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the
[34:2] 123 tn Heb “and walked in the ways of David his father.”
[34:3] 125 tn Heb “purifying.”
[34:4] 126 tn Heb “and they tore down before him the altars of the Baals.”
[34:5] 127 tn Heb “the priests”; the qualifying adjective “pagan” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[34:6] 128 tn “In their ruins” is the marginal reading (Qere) of the Hebrew text.
[34:8] 129 tn Heb “to purify the land and the house.”
[34:9] 130 tn Heb “from Manasseh and Ephraim.” The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the names “Manasseh and Ephraim” here by metonymy for the people of Manasseh and Ephraim.
[34:9] 131 tn Heb “all Judah and Benjamin.” The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the names “Judah and Benjamin” here by metonymy for the people of Judah and Benjamin.
[34:9] 132 tc The Hebrew consonantal text (Kethib) assumes the reading, “and the residents of.” The marginal reading (Qere) is “and they returned.”
[34:10] 133 tn Heb “doer[s] of the work.”
[34:10] 134 tn Heb “and they gave it to the doers of the work who were working in the house of the
[34:11] 135 tn Heb “of the houses that the kings of Judah had destroyed.”
[34:13] 136 tn Heb “[were] over the laborers and were directing every doer of work for work assignment and work assignment.”
[34:16] 137 tn Heb “returned still the king a word, saying.”
[34:17] 138 tn Heb “that was found in the house of the
[34:20] 139 tn The parallel account in 2 Kgs 22:12 has the variant spelling “Acbor son of Micaiah.”
[34:21] 140 tn Or “inquire of.”
[34:21] 141 tn Heb “concerning.”
[34:21] 142 tn Heb “for great is the anger of the
[34:21] 143 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 32, 33).
[34:21] 144 tn Heb “by doing according to all that is written on this scroll.”
[34:22] 145 tn Heb “and those who [were sent by] the king.”
[34:22] 146 tn The parallel account in 2 Kgs 22:14 has the variant spelling “son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas.”
[34:22] 147 tn Heb “the keeper of the clothes.”
[34:22] 148 tn Or “second.” For a discussion of the possible location of this district, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 283.
[34:22] 149 tn Heb “and they spoke to her like this.”
[34:25] 150 tn Or “burned incense.”
[34:25] 151 tn Heb “angering me with all the work of their hands.” The present translation assumes this refers to idols they have manufactured (note the preceding reference to “other gods”). However, it is possible that this is a general reference to their sinful practices, in which case one might translate, “angering me by all the things they do.”
[34:27] 152 tn Heb “Because your heart was tender.”
[34:28] 153 tn Heb “Therefore, behold, I am gathering you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your tomb in peace.”
[34:29] 154 tn Heb “and the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.”
[34:31] 155 tc This assumes an emendation to עַמּוּדוֹ (’ammudo), see 23:13. The MT reads “at his place.”
[34:31] 156 tn Heb “cut,” that is, “made” or “agreed to.”
[34:31] 157 tn Heb “walk after.”
[34:32] 160 tn Heb “and he caused to stand everyone who was found in Jerusalem and Benjamin.”
[34:33] 161 tn Or “caused, forced.”
[34:33] 162 tn Heb “all his days.”
[35:1] 163 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[35:5] 165 tn Heb “and stand in the sanctuary by the divisions of the house of the fathers for your brothers, the sons of the people, and a division of the house of a father for the Levites.”
[35:6] 166 tn Heb “according to the word of the
[35:7] 167 tn Heb “and Josiah supplied for the sons of the people sheep, lambs and sons of goats, the whole for the Passover sacrifices for everyone who was found according to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand cattle. These were from the property of the king.”
[35:10] 168 tn Heb “and the service was prepared.”
[35:11] 169 tn Heb “from their hand.”
[35:12] 170 tn Heb “and they put aside the burnt offering[s] to give them to the divisions of the house of the fathers for the sons of the people to bring near to the
[35:20] 172 tn Heb “After all this, [by] which Josiah prepared the temple.”
[35:20] 173 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[35:21] 174 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Neco) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[35:21] 175 tn Heb “What to me and to you, king of Judah?”
[35:21] 176 tn Heb “Not against you, you, today, but against the house of my battle.”
[35:21] 177 tn Heb “Stop yourself from [opposing] God who is with me and let him not destroy you.”
[35:22] 178 tn Heb “and Josiah did not turn his face from him.”
[35:22] 179 tn Heb “listen to.”
[35:22] 180 map For location see Map1 D4; Map2 C1; Map4 C2; Map5 F2; Map7 B1.
[35:23] 181 tn Heb “carry me away.”
[35:24] 182 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[35:26] 184 tn Heb “and his faithful acts according to what is written in the law of the
