2 Chronicles 34:8

¶ Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.

Now in the eighteenth {H8083}{H6240} year {H8141} of his reign {H4427}, when he had purged {H2891} the land {H776}, and the house {H1004}, he sent {H7971} Shaphan {H8227} the son {H1121} of Azaliah {H683}, and Maaseiah {H4641} the governor {H8269} of the city {H5892}, and Joah {H3098} the son {H1121} of Joahaz {H3099} the recorder {H2142}, to repair {H2388} the house {H1004} of the LORD {H3068} his God {H430}.

In the eighteenth year of his reign, after he had cleansed the land and the house, he sent Shafan the son of Atzalyahu, Ma'aseiyah the governor of the city and Yo'ach the son of Yo'achaz the recorder to repair the house of ADONAI his God.

Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, in order to cleanse the land and the temple, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.

Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of Jehovah his God.

Commentary

2 Chronicles 34:8 marks a pivotal moment in the reign of King Josiah, signifying a shift from purging idolatry to restoring the physical and spiritual heart of Judah: the Temple in Jerusalem.

Context

This verse describes actions taken in the "eighteenth year of his reign" by King Josiah. Having ascended the throne at the tender age of eight, Josiah embarked on significant religious reforms early on. By his twelfth year, he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of idolatry, tearing down altars, Asherah poles, and graven images (2 Chronicles 34:3-7). The phrase "when he had purged the land, and the house" indicates that the initial phase of removing pagan worship and cleansing the Temple of its defilements had been completed. Now, Josiah turns his attention to the physical restoration of the "house of the LORD his God," which had fallen into disrepair and neglect due to generations of unfaithful kings.

Josiah sent three key officials—Shaphan, Maaseiah, and Joah—to oversee this crucial project. Shaphan, the scribe, would later play a vital role in the discovery of the Book of the Law (2 Chronicles 34:14), a discovery that further fueled Josiah's spiritual revival.

Key Themes

  • Restoration and Revival: This verse highlights Josiah's commitment not only to removing evil but also to actively rebuilding and restoring what was broken. It represents a deep desire for spiritual renewal and a return to proper worship of God.
  • Diligent Leadership: Josiah, as a righteous king, didn't just command; he delegated responsibility to trustworthy officials and ensured the work was done. His proactive approach set an example for the nation.
  • Importance of God's Dwelling Place: The "house of the LORD" (Beit Yahweh in Hebrew) was central to Israelite worship and their covenant relationship with God. Its repair symbolized the nation's renewed commitment to God and His presence among them. This act echoes similar efforts by other faithful kings, such as King Joash in 2 Kings 12:4.

Linguistic Insights

The term "house of the LORD" consistently refers to the Temple in Jerusalem throughout the Old Testament. It signifies the sacred place where God's presence was manifested and where His people were to worship. The act of "repairing" (Hebrew: ḥāzaq, "to strengthen, to make firm") implies not just fixing what was broken, but fortifying it, making it stable and ready for its intended purpose.

Practical Application

The account of Josiah's temple repair holds timeless lessons for believers today:

  1. Spiritual Upkeep: Just as the physical temple needed repair, our spiritual lives and local churches require constant attention and renewal. We must actively "purge" sin and neglect, and then diligently "repair" through repentance, prayer, and devotion to God's Word.
  2. Initiating Positive Change: Josiah didn't wait for others; he initiated a sweeping reformation. Believers are called to be agents of positive change, whether in their personal lives, families, communities, or churches.
  3. Stewardship of Sacred Spaces: While the New Testament emphasizes that believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), the principle of caring for places of worship and for the spiritual well-being of the community remains vital.

Josiah's actions in 2 Chronicles 34:8 demonstrate that genuine revival involves both the removal of ungodliness and the active, dedicated restoration of what honors God.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Samuel 8:16

    And Joab the son of Zeruiah [was] over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud [was] recorder;

  • Jeremiah 29:21

    Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;

  • 1 Chronicles 18:15

    And Joab the son of Zeruiah [was] over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder.

  • Jeremiah 36:10

    Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD'S house, in the ears of all the people.

  • Ezekiel 8:11

    And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.

  • Jeremiah 1:2

    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.

  • Jeremiah 1:3

    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.
← Back