2 Chronicles 34:1-33 Young King Josiah Removes the Idols & the Places They Were Worshiped

Young King Josiah Removes the Idols & the Places They Were Worshiped

2 Chronicles 34:1-33                    2 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks]

Josiah was 8 years old when he began to [rule,] & he [ruled] in Jerusalem 31 years. And [Josiah] did [what] was right in the sight of the Lord [God,] & walked, [a.k.a. followed,] in the ways of David, his [forefather.] And [Josiah didn’t turn aside] to the right hand, nor to the left.

For while he was [still] young, in the 8th year [he ruled, Josiah] began to seek the [Lord] God of David, his [forefather.] And in the 12th year, [Josiah] began to purge, [a.k.a. get rid of,] the high places, groves, carved images, & [molded] images, from Judah & Jerusalem.

[2 Kings 21:21-22 And [Manasseh,] [Josiah's father,] [followed] in all the [ways] that his father walked, [a.k.a. followed,] in, & served the idols that his father served, & worshiped them. And [Manesseh abandoned] the Lord God of his [forefathers,] & didn’t [follow] in the way of the Lord.]

And they [broke] down the altars of Baalim, the images that were high above them, & he cut down the groves, & the carved images, & [molded] images, in [Josiah’s] presence. And he [broke] them [into] pieces, & made them [like] dust, & [sprinkled] it upon the graves of [those who] sacrificed to them.

And [Josiah] burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, & cleansed Judah & Jerusalem. And [Josiah] did [the same] in the cities of: Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, & even Naphtali, with their [tools with:] [picks, & blades, around] [them.]

And when [Josiah] had broken down the altars, & the groves, & had beaten the [carved] images into powder, & cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, [Josiah] returned to Jerusalem.

Now, in the 18th year [Josiah ruled,] when he had purged the land, & the [Lord’s] house, [Josiah] sent Shaphan, [Azaliah’s] son; Maaseiah, the governor, [a.k.a. the city’s ruler;] & Joah, [Joahaz’] son, the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God.

And when they came to Hilkiah, the high priest, & delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, [that] the Levites, [who] kept the doors had gathered [from] the [hands] [of the tribes] of: Manasseh, Ephraim, & all the [rest] of Israel, & all Judah, & Benjamin. And they returned to Jerusalem.

And they put [the money into] the [hands] of the workmen [who] had oversight of the house of the Lord [God.] And they gave [the money] to the workmen [who worked] in the [Lord’s] house, to repair & [restore] the house.

[They also] gave money even to [the carpenters,] & builders to buy [cut] stone, & [lumber] for [the beams,] & to floor the houses, [a.k.a. buildings, that] the kings of Judah had destroyed.

And the men [worked] faithfully [under the supervision] of Jahath, & Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons, [a.k.a. descendants,] of: Merari, Zechariah, & Meshullam, & [from] the [descendants] of the Kohathites, [to move the work] forward, & other Levites, all [who were] [skillful] [with] [musical] instruments.

They were also [in charge] over [those who carried] burdens, & [supervised] all [those who did] the work in any [type] of service, & there were: scribes, officers, & [door keepers] [that were] Levites.

And when they brought out the money that [had been] brought into the [Lord’s] house, Hilkiah, the priest, found [the] Book of the Law of the Lord, given by Moses.

And Hilkiah said to Shaphan, the scribe, I have found the Book of the Law in the [Lord’s] house. And Hilkiah [gave] the book to Shaphan, & Shaphan carried the book to king [Josiah,] & brought the king back word again, saying, All your servants [are doing] [what] was [appointed] [for them] [to] do.

And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the Lord, & have delivered it into the [hands] of [those who have] [oversight,] & [into the hands] of the workmen.

Then, Shaphan, the scribe told king [Josiah,] saying, Hilkiah, the priest, [has] given me a book. And Shaphan read it [in front of] king [Josiah.] And it [happened,] when the king heard the Words of the Law, he [tore] his clothes.

And king [Josiah] commanded Hilkiah; Ahikam, [Shaphan's] son; Abdon, [Micah's] son; Shaphan, the scribe, & Asaiah, the [king's] servant; saying, Go, & [inquire from] the Lord for me, & for [those who] are left in Israel & Judah, [about] the Words of the Book that is found.

For great is the [anger] of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our [forefathers] haven't kept the Word of the Lord, to do [according to] all that is written in this Book.

And Hilkiah, & [those] the king had appointed, went to Huldah, the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, [who was] the son of Tikvath. [Tikvath was the] son of Hasrah, [the] keeper of the wardrobe. (Now, [Huldah lived] in Jerusalem in the college:) & they [spoke] to her [about what kng Josiah wanted her to know.]

And she answered them, The Lord God of Israel [says this,] You, tell the man [who] sent you to me, The Lord [God said this, Watch,] I will bring [destruction] on this place, & upon [its] inhabitants, even all the curses that are written in the Book [that] they have read before the king of Judah.

Because they have [abandoned] Me, & have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works [made by] their hands. Therefore, My [anger] shall be poured out upon this place, & shall not be quenched, [a.k.a. put out.]

[Jeremiah 21:9 Then, they shall answer, Because they have [abandoned] the Covenant, [a.k.a. contract,] of the Lord their God, & worshiped other gods, & served them.]

As for [Judah’s] king, who sent you to [inquire from] the Lord, you shall say to him, the Lord God of Israel [says this about] the Words you have heard; Because your heart was tender, & you [humbled] yourself before God, when you [heard] His Words against this place, & [its] inhabitants.

And [you] [humbled] yourself before Me, & [tore] your clothes, & [wept] before Me, & I have even heard you also, [said] the Lord.  [Look,] I will gather you to [join] your [forefathers,] to your grave in peace.

Neither shall your eyes see all the [destruction] that I will bring upon this place, & upon [its] inhabitants. So, they brought [this] Word to king [Josiah.] Then, king [Josiah,] sent [for,] & gathered together all the elders of Judah & Jerusalem.

And king [Josiah,] & all the men of Judah, & the inhabitants of Jerusalem, & the priests, & Levites, & all the people, [powerful & powerless,] went up into the [Lord's] house.

And [king Josiah,] read in their ears all the Words of the Book of the Covenant, [a.k.a. contract,] that was found in the [Lord's] house. And the king stood in his place, & made a covenant, [a.k.a. contract,] before the Lord.

To [follow] after the Lord, & to keep His commandments, His testimonies, & His [mandates,] with all his heart, & with all his soul, & to perform, [a.k.a. carry out,] the Words of the covenant [that] are written in this Book.

And [king Josiah] caused all [who] were present [from] Jerusalem & Benjamin to [stick] to it. And all [Jerusalem's] inhabitants did according to the Covenant of God, the God of their [forefathers.]

And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children, [a.k.a. people,] of Israel, & made all [who] were present in Israel to serve the Lord their God. And all [Josiah's] days, they [didn't depart] from following the Lord, the God of their [forefathers.]