1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
3 ¶ For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. 4 And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them , and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. 5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. 7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
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. 9 And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem. 10 And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house: 11 Even to the artificers and builders gave they it , to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed. 12 And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick. 13 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.
14 ¶ And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses. 15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan. 16 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it . 17 And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen. 18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. 19 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. 20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king’s, saying, 21 Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book. 22 And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed , went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect .
23 ¶ And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me, 24 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah: 25 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched. 26 And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard; 27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD. 28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.
29 ¶ Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD. 31 And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book. 32 And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it . And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.
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.
