Yosiya Akonzanso Chipembedzo
1Yosiya anali wa zaka zisanu ndi zitatu pamene anakhala mfumu, ndipo analamulira mu Yerusalemu kwa zaka 31. 2Iye anachita zolungama pamaso pa Yehova ndi kutsata makhalidwe a Davide abambo ake, osatembenukira kumanja kapena kumanzere.
3Mʼchaka chachisanu ndi chitatu cha ulamuliro wake, iye akanalibe wamngʼono, anayamba kufunafuna Mulungu wa Davide abambo ake. Mʼchaka cha khumi ndi chiwiri iye anayamba kuyeretsa Yuda ndi Yerusalemu kuchotsa malo azipembedzo, mafano a Asera, milungu yosema ndi mafano owumbidwa. 4Maguwa ansembe a Baala anagwetsedwa iye atalamulira. Anadula zidutswazidutswa maguwa ofukizira lubani amene anali pamwamba pake, ndipo anaphwanya mafano a Asera, milungu ndi zifaniziro zake. Anaziperapera ndipo anaziwaza pamwamba pa manda a amene ankapereka nsembe kwa mafanowo. 5Iye anatentha mafupa a ansembe pa maguwa awo, kotero iye anayeretsa Yuda ndi Yerusalemu. 6Ku mizinda ya Manase, Efereimu ndi Simeoni mpaka kufika ku Nafutali, ndiponso malo a mabanja owazungulira, 7iye anagwetsa maguwa ansembe ndi mafano a Asera ndi kuphwanyaphwanya milungu yawo kukhala fumbi ndi kuduladula maguwa ofukizapo lubani mʼdziko lonse la Israeli. Atatero, anabwerera ku Yerusalemu.
8Mʼchaka cha 18 cha ulamuliro wa Yosiya, atayeretsa dziko ndi Yerusalemu, Yosiya anatuma Safani mwana wa Azariya ndi Maaseya, wolamulira mzinda pamodzi ndi Yowa mwana wa Yowahazi mlembi wolemba mbiri, kuti akonze Nyumba ya Yehova Mulungu wake.
9Iwo anapita kwa Hilikiya, mkulu wa ansembe ndipo anamupatsa ndalama zimene zinaperekedwa mʼNyumba ya Mulungu, zimene Alevi amene anali alonda apakhomo analandira kuchokera kwa anthu a ku Manase, Efereimu ndi onse otsala a ku Israeli ndiponso anthu onse ochokera ku Yuda ndi Benjamini ndi okhala mu Yerusalemu. 10Ndipo anazipereka mʼmanja mwa anthu amene anasankhidwa kuti ayangʼanire ntchito ya Nyumba ya Yehova. Anthu amenewa ankalipira antchito amene ankakonzanso Nyumba ya Mulungu. 11Iwo anaperekanso ndalama kwa amisiri a matabwa ndi amisiri omanga nyumba kuti agule miyala yosema ndi matabwa a phaso la nyumba ndi nsichi zomangira zomwe mfumu ya Yuda inalekerera kuti zigwe ndi kuwonongeka.
12Anthuwa anagwira ntchitoyi mokhulupirika. Amene ankawayangʼanira anali Yahati ndi Obadiya, Alevi ochokera ku banja la Merari, ndi Zekariya ndi Mesulamu ochokera ku banja la Kohati. Alevi onse amene anali aluso loyimbira zida za nyimbo 13ankayangʼanira anthu onyamula katundu, namatsogolera anthu onse amene ankagwira ntchito iliyonse yotumikira. Alevi ena anali alembi, akapitawo ndiponso alonda apamakomo.
Buku la Malamulo Lipezeka
14Pa nthawi imene ankatulutsa ndalama zimene anabwera nazo ku Nyumba ya Yehova, wansembe Hilikiya anapeza Buku la Malamulo limene linaperekedwa kudzera mwa Mose. 15Hilikiya anati kwa Safani, mlembi wa zochitika, “Ine ndapeza Buku la Malamulo mʼNyumba ya Yehova.” Iye analipereka kwa Safani.
16Ndipo Safani anapita nalo bukulo kwa mfumu ndi kumufotokozera kuti: “Akuluakulu anu akuchita zonse zimene zinapatsidwa kwa iwo. 17Iwo alipira ndalama zimene zinali mʼNyumba ya Yehova ndipo azipereka kwa akapitawo ndi anthu antchito.” 18Kenaka Safani, mlembi wa zochitika anawuza mfumu, “Wansembe, Hilikiya wandipatsa ine buku ili.” Ndipo Safani anawerenga bukulo pamaso pa mfumu.
19Mfumu itamva mawu a Buku la Malamulo, inangʼamba mkanjo wake. 20Iye analamula izi kwa Hilikiya, Ahikamu mwana wa Safani, Abidoni mwana wa Mika, Safani mlembi wa zochitika ndi Asaya mtumiki wa mfumu: 21“Pitani ndipo mukafunse Yehova mʼmalo mwanga ndi mʼmalo mwa otsala a Israeli ndi Yuda za zimene zalembedwa mʼbuku limene lapezekali. Mkwiyo wa Yehova ndi waukulu umene watsanulidwa pa ife chifukwa makolo athu sanasunge mawu a Yehova. Iwo sanachite motsatira zonse zimene zalembedwa mʼbuku ili.”
22Hilikiya pamodzi ndi anthu amene anawatuma aja, anapita kukayankhula ndi mneneri wamkazi Hulida, amene anali mkazi wa Salumu mwana wa Tokati, mwana wa Hasira, wosunga zovala zaufumu. Hulida ankakhala mu Yerusalemu, mʼdera lachiwiri la mzindawo.
23Iye anati kwa anthuwo, “Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli akuti, muwuzeni munthu amene wakutumani kwa ineyo kuti, 24‘Yehova akunena kuti, Ine ndidzabweretsa mavuto pamalo pano ndi pa anthu ake, matemberero onse amene alembedwa mʼbukuli amene awerengedwa pamaso pa mfumu ya Yuda. 25Chifukwa iwo anasiya Ine ndi kufukiza lubani kwa milungu ina ndi kuwutsa mkwiyo wanga ndi zonse zimene manja awo anapanga, mkwiyo wanga udzatsanulidwa pamalo pano ndipo sudzazimitsidwa.’ 26Uzani mfumu ya Yuda imene yakutumani kuti mudzafunse kwa Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli, ‘Chimene Yehova, Mulungu wa Israeli akunena mokhudzana ndi mawu amene mwamva ndi ichi: 27Pakuti mtima wako walapa, ndipo wadzichepetsa wekha pamaso pa Mulungu pamene unamva zimene Iye ananena motsutsa malo ano ndi anthu ake, ndipo chifukwa iwe unadzichepetsa wekha pamaso pa Ine ndi kungʼamba zovala zako ndi kulira pamaso panga, ndamva pemphero lako, atero Yehova. 28Tsono Ine ndidzakutengera kwa makolo ako, ndipo udzayikidwa mʼmanda mwamtendere. Maso ako sadzaona mavuto onse amene Ine ndidzabweretsa pa malo ano ndi pa iwo amene amakhala pano.’ ”
Choncho iwo anatenga yankho lakelo ndi kubwerera kwa mfumu.
29Ndipo mfumu inasonkhanitsa pamodzi akuluakulu onse a Yuda ndi Yerusalemu. 30Iye anapita ku Nyumba ya Yehova pamodzi ndi anthu a Yuda, anthu a mu Yerusalemu, ansembe ndi Alevi, anthu onse kuyambira wamngʼono mpaka wamkulu. Iye anawerenga pamaso pawo mawu onse a Buku la Chipangano, limene linapezeka mʼNyumba ya Yehova. 31Mfumu inayimirira pa chipilala chake ndipo inachitanso pangano pamaso pa Yehova: kutsatira Yehova, ndi kusunga malamulo ake, machitidwe ake ndi malangizo ake ndi mtima wake wonse ndi moyo wake wonse, ndi kumvera mawu a pangano olembedwa mʼbukulo.
32Tsono Yosiya anawuza aliyense amene anali mu Yerusalemu ndi Benjamini kuti azisunga panganoli. Anthu a mu Yerusalemu anachita izi motsata pangano la Mulungu, Mulungu wa makolo awo.
33Yosiya anachotsa mafano onse onyansa mʼdziko lonse limene linali la Aisraeli ndipo anawuza onse amene anali mu Israeli kutumikira Yehova Mulungu wawo. Pa masiku onse a moyo wake, iye sanaleke kutsatira Yehova, Mulungu wa makolo awo.
Josiah Makes Judah a Better Nation
1Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 31 years. 2He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He lived the way King David had lived. He didn’t turn away from it to the right or the left.
3While he was still young, he began to worship the God of King David. It was the eighth year of Josiah’s rule. In his 12th year Josiah began to get rid of the high places in Judah and Jerusalem. He removed the poles used to worship the female god named Asherah. He also removed the statues of other false gods. 4He ordered the altars of the gods that were named Baal to be torn down. Josiah cut to pieces the altars above them that were used for burning incense. He smashed the Asherah poles. He also smashed the statues of other false gods. Josiah broke all of them to pieces. He scattered the pieces over the graves of those who had offered sacrifices to those gods. 5He burned the bones of the priests on their altars. That’s the way he made Judah and Jerusalem pure and “clean.” 6Josiah went to the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon. He went all the way to Naphtali. He also went to the destroyed places around all those towns. 7Everywhere Josiah went he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles. He crushed the statues of gods to powder. He cut to pieces all the altars for burning incense. He destroyed all those things everywhere in Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
8In the 18th year of Josiah’s rule, he decided to make the land and temple pure and “clean.” So he sent Shaphan, Maaseiah and Joah to repair the temple of the Lord his God. Shaphan was the son of Azaliah. Maaseiah was ruler of the city. And Joah, the son of Joahaz, kept the records.
9These men went to Hilkiah the high priest. They gave him the money that had been brought into God’s temple. The Levites who guarded the gates had collected it. They had received some of the money from the people of Manasseh and Ephraim. They had also received some from the other people who remained in Israel. The rest of the money came from other people. It came from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the people living in Jerusalem. 10Men were appointed to direct the work on the Lord’s temple. All the money collected was given to them. These men paid the workers who repaired the temple. They made it look like new again. 11They also gave money to the builders and those who worked with wood. The workers used it to buy lumber and blocks of stone. The lumber was used for the supports and beams for the buildings. The kings of Judah had let the buildings fall down.
12The workers were faithful in doing the work. Jahath and Obadiah directed them. They were Levites from the family line of Merari. Zechariah and Meshullam also directed them. They were from the family line of Kohath. The Levites were skilled in playing musical instruments. 13They were in charge of the laborers. They directed all the workers from job to job. Some of the Levites were secretaries and writers. Other Levites guarded the gates.
Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law
14The money that had been taken into the Lord’s temple was being brought out. At that time Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord. It had been given through Moses. 15Hilkiah spoke to Shaphan the secretary. Hilkiah said, “I’ve found the Book of the Law in the Lord’s temple.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.
16Then Shaphan took the book to King Josiah. He told him, “Your officials are doing everything they’ve been asked to do. 17They have paid out the money that was in the Lord’s temple. They’ve put it in the care of the directors and workers.” 18Shaphan continued, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” Shaphan read some of it to the king.
19The king heard the words of the Law. When he did, he tore his royal robes. 20He gave orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam, Abdon, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah. Ahikam was the son of Shaphan. Abdon was the son of Micah. And Asaiah was the king’s attendant. Josiah commanded them, 21“Go. Ask the Lord for advice. Ask him about what is written in this book that has been found. Do it for me. Also do it for the people who remain in Israel and Judah. The Lord has been very angry with us. That’s because our people before us didn’t obey what the Lord had said. They didn’t do everything written in this book.”
22Hilkiah and the people the king had sent with him went to speak to Huldah the prophet. She was the wife of Shallum. Shallum was the son of Tokhath. Tokhath was the son of Hasrah. Shallum took care of the sacred robes. Huldah lived in the New Quarter of Jerusalem.
23Huldah said to them, “The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, ‘Here is what you should tell the man who sent you to me. 24“The Lord says, ‘I am going to bring horrible trouble on this place and its people. There are curses written down in the book that has been read to the king of Judah. All those curses will take place. 25That’s because the people have deserted me. They have burned incense to other gods. They have made me very angry because of everything their hands have made. So my anger will burn like a fire against this place. And the fire of my anger will not be put out.’ ” ’ 26The king of Judah sent you to ask for advice. Tell him, ‘The Lord is the God of Israel. He has a message for you about the things you heard. 27The Lord says, “Your heart was tender. You made yourself humble in my sight. You heard what I spoke against this place and its people. So you made yourself humble. You tore your royal robes and wept. And I have heard you,” announces the Lord. 28You will join the members of your family who have already died. You will be buried in peace. You will not see all the trouble I am going to bring. I am going to bring trouble on this place and the people who live here.’ ”
Huldah’s answer was taken back to the king.
29Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30He went up to the Lord’s temple. The people of Judah and Jerusalem went with him. So did the priests and Levites. All of them went, from the least important of them to the most important. The king had all the words of the Book of the Covenant read to them. The book had been found in the Lord’s temple. 31The king stood next to his pillar. He agreed to the terms of the covenant in front of the Lord. The king promised to serve the Lord and obey his commands, directions and rules. He promised to obey them with all his heart and with all his soul. So the king promised to obey the terms of the covenant that were written in that book.
32Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and in Benjamin commit themselves to the covenant. The people of Jerusalem did it in keeping with the covenant of the God of Israel.
33Josiah removed all the statues of false gods from the whole territory that belonged to the Israelites. The Lord hated those statues. Josiah had everyone in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they didn’t fail to follow the Lord, the God of their people.
