King Josiah began his righteous reign at eight years old, diligently seeking the LORD and initiating extensive religious reforms throughout Judah and Israel. During the Temple's repair in his eighteenth year, the Book of the Law was discovered, profoundly impacting Josiah, who rent his clothes in repentance. He then sought the LORD through Huldah the prophetess, who confirmed impending judgment but promised Josiah peace in his lifetime due to his humility. Subsequently, Josiah gathered the people, read the law, and led them in a national covenant renewal to serve the LORD faithfully.
He did what was right from ADONAI's perspective, living entirely in the manner of David his ancestor and turning away neither to the right nor to the left.
For in the eighth year of his reign, when he was still young, he began seeking after the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year, he began cleansing Y'hudah and Yerushalayim from the high places, the sacred poles, and the carved and cast metal images.
In his presence they broke down the altars of the ba'alim, and he chopped down the pillars for sun-worship mounted above them. He smashed the sacred poles and the carved and cast metal images, grinding them to dust, which he threw on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
He broke down the altars, beat the sacred poles and carved images to powder and chopped down the pillars for sun-worship throughout all the land of Isra'el. Then he returned to Yerushalayim.
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.
They went to Hilkiyahu the cohen hagadol and handed over to him the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the L'vi'im who guarded the doors had collected from M'nasheh, Efrayim, the rest of Isra'el and all Y'hudah and Binyamin. Then they returned to Yerushalayim.
They gave it to the supervisors of the work being done in the house of ADONAI; and those doing the work in the house of ADONAI used it to repair and restore the house -
that is, they gave it to the carpenters and construction-workers to purchase worked stone, timber for the crossbeams and roof beams for the houses which the kings of Y'hudah had destroyed.
The men did the work faithfully. Their supervisors were Yachat and 'Ovadyahu, L'vi'im from the descendants of M'rari, also Z'kharyah and Meshulam from the descendants of the K'hatim to give direction; and other L'vi'im, all of whom could accompany singing with musical instruments.
They supervised those carrying the loads and everyone doing any kind of work; and there were also L'vi'im who were secretaries, officials and gatekeepers.
While bringing out the money that had been brought into the house of ADONAI, Hilkiyahu the cohen found the scroll of the Torah of ADONAI given by Moshe.
Shafan the secretary brought the scroll to the king. Turning to the king, he gave him this report: "Your servants are doing everything you ordered them to do.
Then the king issued this order to Hilkiyahu, Achikam the son of Shafan, 'Avdon the son of Mikhah, Shafan the secretary and 'Asayah the king's servant:
"Go, and consult ADONAI for me and for the people left in Isra'el and Y'hudah in regard to what is written in this scroll which has been found. For ADONAI must be furious at us, since our ancestors did not observe the word of ADONAI and do everything written in this scroll."
So Hilkiyahu and those the king had ordered went to Huldah the prophet, the wife of Shalum the son of Tok'hat, the son of Hasrat, keeper of the wardrobe - she lived in the Second Quarter of Yerushalayim - and spoke with her about this.
that ADONAI says this: 'I am going to bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses written in the scroll they read to the king of Y'hudah;
because they have abandoned me and offered to other gods, in order to provoke me with everything they do. Therefore my anger is poured out on this place and will not be quenched.'
"But you are to tell the king of Y'hudah, who sent you to consult ADONAI, that ADONAI the God of Isra'el also says this: 'In regard to the words you have heard,
because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants - you humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes and cried before me - I have also heard you,' says ADONAI.
'Here, I will gather you to your ancestors; you will go to your grave in peace; and your eyes will not see all the calamity I am going to bring on this place and its inhabitants.'" So they brought back word to the king.
The king went up to the house of ADONAI with all the men of Y'hudah, those living in Yerushalayim, the cohanim, the L'vi'im and all the people, both great and small; and he read in their hearing everything written in the scroll of the covenant that had been found in the house of ADONAI.
The king stood in his place and made a covenant in the presence of ADONAI to live following ADONAI, observing his mitzvot, instructions and laws wholeheartedly and with all his being, so as to perform the words of the covenant written in this scroll.
Then, after he had all the people in Yerushalayim and Binyamin stand in affirmation of it, the inhabitants of Yerushalayim acted in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.
Yoshiyahu removed all the abominable idols from all the territories belonging to the people of Isra'el, and he made everyone in Isra'el serve ADONAI their God. Throughout his lifetime, they did not stop following ADONAI, the God of their ancestors.
Study Notes for 2 Chronicles 34
Verse 1
Josiah’s 31-year reign contrasts significantly with the short, wicked reigns of his immediate predecessors. The Chronicler presents him as the last truly righteous king of Judah.
Verse 2
Walking in the ways of David is the Chronicler’s highest commendation, indicating complete devotion to the covenant and avoiding the apostasy common in Judah.
Verse 3
This verse establishes the timeline of Josiah’s reforms: seeking God at age 16 (8th year) and beginning the widespread public purge at age 20 (12th year), well before the Temple repair.
Verse 4
The destruction of the altars and the *asherim* (groves/sacred poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah) was thorough, symbolizing the utter rejection of syncretistic and foreign worship.
Verse 5
Burning the bones of the idolatrous priests upon their own altars was an act of profound desecration, rendering the altars permanently unusable and fulfilling an ancient prophecy (1 Kings 13:2).
Verse 6
Josiah’s cleansing extended into the former territory of the Northern Kingdom (Israel), demonstrating his claim to spiritual authority over all twelve tribes, not just Judah and Benjamin.
Verse 8
The 18th year of Josiah’s reign marks the transition from cleansing the land of idols to renovating the central institution of true worship—the Temple.
Verse 12
The Levites, including those normally associated with music and liturgy, were appointed as overseers, underscoring the sacred nature of the building project.
Verse 14
The 'Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses' (likely a core portion of Deuteronomy) had evidently been lost or hidden during the reigns of Manasseh and Amon, highlighting the depth of previous apostasy.
Verse 19
Rending his clothes was the traditional Jewish sign of extreme grief and horror. Josiah recognized immediately that the nation had grievously violated the covenant stipulations described in the Law.
Verse 21
Josiah’s immediate concern is for the entire remnant of God’s people. He understands that the curses of the Law apply nationally due to the long history of covenant disobedience.
Verse 22
The delegation sought counsel from Huldah, a respected prophetess in Jerusalem, rather than the contemporary prophets Jeremiah or Zephaniah, confirming her recognized authority in matters of the Law.
Verse 27
Huldah confirms that while national judgment is inevitable, Josiah’s personal sincerity and humility (*tender heart*) have secured God’s mercy and a promise of peace for the king himself.
Verse 28
The promise that Josiah will be gathered to his grave 'in peace' meant he would die before the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians.
Verse 29
Josiah acted immediately upon the prophecy, convening the national leadership to ensure that the covenant renewal would be a public and binding commitment.
Verse 30
The public reading of the Law in the Temple ensured that the people understood the requirements of the covenant they were about to renew, making their commitment informed and deliberate.
Verse 31
Josiah’s personal oath (with 'all his heart, and with all his soul') models the central requirement of the Law (Deuteronomy 6:5) and sets the standard for the nation.
Verse 32
By compelling the people to 'stand to it,' Josiah ensured that the covenant renewal was a formal, national oath of allegiance to the stipulations of the rediscovered Law.
Verse 33
The Chronicler emphasizes the success of Josiah’s reforms: as long as he lived, the people were compelled to follow the LORD, making this the most extensive religious revival since Hezekiah.
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