King Josiah of Judah
(2 Kings 22.12 2)1 Josiah was 8 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled 31 years from Jerusalem. 2 He followed the example of his ancestor David and always obeyed the Lord.
Josiah Stops the Worship of Foreign Gods
(2 Kings 23.4-20)3 When Josiah was only 16 years old he began worshiping God, just as his ancestor David had done. Then, 4 years later, he decided to destroy the local shrines in Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the sacred poles for worshiping the goddess Asherah and the idols of foreign gods. 4 He watched as the altars for the worship of the god Baal were torn down, and as the nearby incense altars were smashed. The Asherah poles, the idols, and the stone images were also smashed, and the pieces were scattered over the graves of their worshipers. 5 Josiah then had the bones of the pagan priests burned on the altars.
And so Josiah got rid of the worship of foreign gods in Judah and Jerusalem. 6 He did the same things in the towns and ruined villages in the territories of West Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as the border of Naphtali. 7 Everywhere in the northern kingdom of Israel, Josiah tore down pagan altars and Asherah poles; he crushed idols to dust and smashed incense altars.
Then Josiah went back to Jerusalem.
Hilkiah Finds The Book of God's Law
(2 Kings 22.3-20)8 In the eighteenth year of Josiah's rule in Judah, after he had removed all the sinful things from the land and from the Lord's temple, he sent three of his officials to repair the temple. They were Shaphan son of Azaliah, Governor Maaseiah of Jerusalem, and Joah son of Joahaz, who kept the government records.
9 These three men went to Hilkiah the high priest. They gave him the money that the Levite guards had collected from the people of West Manasseh, Ephraim, and the rest of Israel, as well as those living in Judah, Benjamin, and Jerusalem. 10 Then the money was turned over to the men who supervised the repairs to the temple. They used some of it to pay the workers, 11 and they gave the rest of it to the carpenters and builders, who used it to buy the stone and wood they needed to repair the other buildings that Judah's kings had not taken care of.
12 The workers were honest, and their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah from the Levite clan of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam from the Levite clan of Kohath. Other Levites, who were all skilled musicians, 13 were in charge of carrying supplies and supervising the workers. Other Levites were appointed to stand guard around the temple.
14 While the money was being given to these supervisors, Hilkiah found the book that contained the laws that the Lord had given to Moses. 15 Hilkiah handed the book to Shaphan the official and said, “Look what I found here in the temple—The Book of God's Law.”
16 Shaphan took the book to Josiah and reported, “Your officials are doing everything you wanted. 17 They have collected the money from the temple and have given it to the men supervising the repairs. 18 But there's something else, Your Majesty. The priest Hilkiah gave me this book.” Then Shaphan read it aloud.
19 When Josiah heard what was in The Book of God's Law, he tore his clothes in sorrow. 20 At once he called together Hilkiah, Shaphan, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, and his own servant Asaiah. He said, 21 “The Lord must be furious with me and everyone else in Israel and Judah, because our ancestors did not obey the laws written in this book. Go find out what the Lord wants us to do.”
22 Hilkiah and the four other men left at once and went to talk with Huldah the prophet. Her husband was Shallum, who was in charge of the king's clothes. Huldah lived in the northern part of Jerusalem, and when they met in her home, 23 she said:
You were sent here by King Josiah, and this is what the Lord God of Israel says to him: 24 “Josiah, I am the Lord! And I intend to punish this country and everyone in it, just as this book says. 25 The people of Judah and Israel have rejected me. They have offered sacrifices to foreign gods and have worshiped their own idols. I can't stand it any longer. I am furious.
26-27 “Josiah, listen to what I am going to do. I noticed how sad you were when you heard that this country and its people would be completely wiped out. You even tore your clothes in sorrow, and I heard you cry. 28 So before I destroy this place, I will let you die in peace.”
The men left and reported to Josiah what Huldah had said.
Josiah Reads The Book of God's Law
(2 Kings 23.1-3)29 King Josiah called together the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 Then he went to the Lord's temple, together with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, the priests, and the Levites.
Finally, when everybody was there, he read aloud The Book of God's Law that had been found in the temple.
31 After Josiah had finished reading, he stood in the place reserved for the king. He promised in the Lord's name to faithfully obey the Lord and to follow his laws and teachings that were written in the book. 32 Then he asked the people of Jerusalem and Benjamin to make that same promise and to obey the God their ancestors had worshiped.
33 Josiah destroyed all the idols in the territories of Israel, and he commanded everyone in Israel to worship only the Lord God. The people did not turn away from the Lord God of their ancestors for the rest of Josiah's rule as king.
Jošijāhu valdīšana
(2Ķēn 22:1–2)1 Jošijāhu sāka valdīt astoņu gadu vecumā, viņš valdīja Jeruzālemē trīsdesmit vienu gadu. 2 Viņš darīja to, kas tīkams Kungam, un staigāja sava tēva Dāvida ceļus – nenovērsās ne pa labi, ne pa kreisi.
3 Savas valdīšanas astotajā gadā, būdams vēl zēns, viņš sāka pievērsties sava tēva Dāvida Dievam, un divpadsmitajā gadā viņš sāka attīrīt Jūdu un Jeruzālemi no augstieņu altāriem, ašērām, elku stabiem un lietiem tēliem. 4 Viņa vadībā tie nojauca baālu altārus un nocirta saules stabus, kas tur bija uzslieti. Ašēras, elku stabus un lietos tēlus viņš sadauzīja, saberza putekļos un izkaisīja uz to kapenēm, kuri tiem bija upurējuši. 5 Viņš arī dedzināja elku priesteru kaulus viņu altāros, šķīstīdams Jūdu un Jeruzālemi. 6 No Manases, Efraima un Šimona pilsētām līdz pat Naftālī un visapkārt to drupām 7 viņš nojauca altārus, ašēras, elku stabus un satrieca tos pīšļos, kā arī nocirta visus saules stabus, tāpat viņš darīja visā Israēla zemē – pēc tam viņš atgriezās Jeruzālemē.
Priesteris Hilkija atrod bauslības grāmatu
(2Ķēn 22:3–20)8 Astoņpadsmitajā valdīšanas gadā, kad viņš bija šķīstījis zemi un templi, viņš sūtīja Šāfānu, Acaljāhu dēlu, un pilsētas augstmani Maasejāhu un lietvedi Joāhu, Jehoāhāza dēlu, lai atjauno Kunga, viņa Dieva, namu. 9 Viņi atnāca pie augstā priestera Hilkijas un atdeva Dieva namam ziedoto naudu, ko levīti durvju sargi bija savākuši no Manases, Efraima un visiem Israēla atlikušajiem, kā arī no Jūdas, Benjāmina un Jeruzālemē mītošajiem. 10 Naudu tie nodeva Kunga nama darbu pārraugiem, bet tie to deva Kunga nama strādniekiem, lai atjauno un salabo namu. 11 Naudu deva amatniekiem un mūrniekiem, lai tie pērk tēstus akmeņus, kokus sijām un baļķus celtnēm, kuras bija sapostījuši Jūdas ķēniņi. 12 Vīri visus darbus veica uzticīgi, tos pārraudzīja un vadīja levīti Jahats un Obadjāhu no Merārī dēliem, Zeharja un Mešullāms no Kehāta dēliem. Visi levīti, kas prata muzicēt, 13 vadīja nastu nesējus un strādniekus no darba pie darba, bet daži levīti bija rakstveži, ierēdņi un vārtu sargi.
14 Laikā, kad tika izmaksāta Kunga namā ienākusī nauda, priesteris Hilkija atrada Mozus doto Kunga bauslības grāmatu. 15 Hilkija uzrunāja rakstvedi Šāfānu, sacīdams: “Es atradu Kunga namā bauslības grāmatu!” Hilkija grāmatu iedeva Šāfānam. 16 Šāfāns aiznesa grāmatu ķēniņam un paziņoja: “Visu, ko tu pavēlēji savam kalpam, viņi ir paveikuši – 17 ņēmuši naudu, kas bija Kunga namā un devuši to pārraugiem un strādniekiem.” 18 Tālab rakstvedis Šāfāns sacījis ķēniņam: “Priesteris Hilkija iedeva man grāmatu!” Un Šāfāns lasīja to ķēniņam priekšā.
19 Kad ķēniņš dzirdēja bauslības grāmatas vārdus, viņš saplēsa savas drānas. 20 Ķēniņš pavēlēja Hilkijam un Ahīkāmam, Šāfāna dēlam, Abdonam, Mihas dēlam, un rakstvedim Šāfānam, un ķēniņa kalpam Asājam: 21 “Ejiet iztaujāt Kungu par mani, atlikušo Israēlu un Jūdu! Atrastās grāmatas vārdos ir jo lielas Kunga dusmas – tās izlīs pār mums, jo mūsu tēvi nav ievērojuši Kunga vārdus un nav darījuši visu, kas rakstīts šajā grāmatā!”
Ķēniņa sūtņi vēršas pie pravietes Huldas
22 Hilkija un ķēniņa sūtītie devās pie pravietes Huldas, tērpu pārziņa Šallūma, Tokhata dēla, Hasras dēla, sievas, kas dzīvoja Jeruzālemes nomalē, un runāja ar viņu. 23 Viņa tiem teica: “Tā saka Kungs, Israēla Dievs: sakiet vīram, kurš jūs sūtīja pie manis: 24 tā saka Kungs: redzi, pār šo vietu un tās iemītniekiem nāks ļaunums – visi lāsti, kas grāmatā, ko lasīja priekšā Jūdas ķēniņam. 25 Tāpēc ka viņi mani pameta un kvēpināja citiem dieviem, sadusmodami mani ar saviem roku darinājumiem, es izliešu savu dusmu versmi pār šo vietu, un tā nedzisīs! 26 Sakiet Jūdas ķēniņam, kurš jūs sūtīja iztaujāt Kungu, tā sakiet viņam: tā saka Kungs, Israēla Dievs, par vārdiem, kurus tu dzirdēji: 27 tāpēc ka tava sirds ir jūtīga un tu zemojies Dievam, izdzirdējis viņa vārdus par šo vietu un tās iemītniekiem, – zemojies man, saplēsi savas drānas un raudāji, tāpēc es tevi uzklausīšu! – saka Kungs. 28 Es tevi piepulcināšu taviem tēviem, un tevi mierā guldīs kapenēs, tavas acis neskatīs visu šo ļaunumu, ko es uzsūtīšu šai vietai un tās iemītniekiem!” Šos vārdus viņi atstāstīja ķēniņam.
Derības atjaunošana
(2Ķēn 23:1–20)29 Ķēniņš lika sapulcināt visus Jūdas un Jeruzālemes vecajos. 30 Ķēniņš devās uz Kunga namu un kopā ar viņu visi Jūdas vīri, Jeruzālemes iemītnieki, priesteri, levīti un visa tauta no liela līdz mazam. Viņš lasīja tiem priekšā visus Kunga namā atrastās derības grāmatas vārdus. 31 Ķēniņš stāvēja uz paaugstinājuma un Kunga priekšā noslēdza derību – ka no visas sirds un dvēseles sekos Kungam, turēs viņa baušļus, liecības un likumus, lai tiktu pildīti šajā grāmatā rakstītie derības vārdi. 32 Tā viņš iekļāva derībā visus, kas bija Jeruzālemē un Benjāminā. Jeruzālemes iemītnieki darīja, kā noteikts derībā ar Dievu, viņu tēvu Dievu! 33 Jošijāhu aizvāca visas preteklības no Israēla dēlu robežām, un visam Israēlam viņš lika kalpot Kungam, viņu Dievam. Visu mūžu viņš nenovērsās no Kunga, savu tēvu Dieva.
