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ユダの王ヨシヤの改革
1ヨシヤが王となったのはまだ八歳の時で、三十一年間エルサレムで治めました。 2彼は、先祖ダビデの良い模範にならおうと心がけ、すぐれた政治を行いました。 3十六歳になった治世の第八年には、ダビデの信じた神を熱心に求めるようになりました。その四年後には、ユダとエルサレムをきよめ始め、高台にある異教の祭壇や恥ずべき像を取り壊しました。 4王が陣頭指揮をとり、バアルの祭壇が取り壊され、その上にある柱がたたき折られ、偶像が粉々に砕かれて、この偶像にいけにえをささげた者たちの墓にまき散らされました。 5また、異教の祭司たちの骨を彼らの祭壇で焼くことによって、ユダとエルサレムの住民を偶像礼拝の罪からきよめました。 6それからヨシヤは、マナセ、エフライム、シメオン、さらに遠くナフタリにある町々にまで行って同じようにしました。 7異教の祭壇を取り壊し、偶像を粉々に砕き、石の柱を切り倒したのです。ヨシヤ王はイスラエル全土でこのようにしてから、エルサレムに戻りました。
8偶像を一掃し、神殿のある場所をきよめてのち、第十八年に、王は神殿を修理するため、アツァルヤの子シャファン、エルサレムの長マアセヤ、エホアハズの子で市の財務官ヨアフを任命しました。 9三人はさっそく、必要な献金を集めることにしました。献金は、神殿の入口で警備に当たるレビ人が集めました。エルサレムの住民はもちろん、マナセとエフライムから来た人々、および、その他の地方の者たちから寄せられた献金は、大祭司ヒルキヤに渡され、彼のもとで計算されました。 10-11それからレビ人の手で、大工や石工への支払い、切り石、材木、つなぎ材、梁などの建築材料の購入にあてられました。こうしてヨシヤ王は、先のユダの王たちが荒らした神殿をりっぱに建て直したのです。
12職人たちは、工事監督、メラリ氏族のレビ人ヤハテとオバデヤ、ケハテ氏族のゼカリヤとメシュラムの指揮のもとでよく働きました。工事が進んでいる間、レビ人は、すぐれた音楽をもって士気を高めました。 13ほかに、資材を職人のもとへ運ぶ労働者を監督するレビ人もいました。また別の者は、会計、管理、運搬の任に当たりました。
14ある日、大祭司ヒルキヤが神殿の入口で集めた献金の額を記入していて、古い巻物を見つけました。なんとそれは、モーセに与えられた主の律法の書だったのです。 15-16ヒルキヤは、王の書記官シャファンに言いました。「神殿で、こんなものが見つかりました。これは律法の書です。」シャファンは巻物を受け取ると、王のもとに携えて行き、まずは神殿再建の工事が順調に進んでいることを報告しました。 17「献金箱を開け、全額を計算した上で、必要な金額を監督と職人に渡しております。」
18それから、彼は例の巻物を王に見せ、ヒルキヤがそれを発見したしだいを語り、王の前で朗読したのです。 19その律法のことばが神の民に何を求めているかを知って、王は絶望のあまり衣を裂きました。 20そして、ヒルキヤ、シャファンの子アヒカム、ミカの子アブドン、書記官シャファン、王の相談役アサヤを呼び、言い渡しました。 21「神殿に行って、私のために主にお願いしてくれないか。イスラエルとユダの残りの者のために、祈ってほしいのだ。この巻物によると、主の激しい怒りが下ったのは、私たちの先祖が、ここに記されている主のことばに従わなかったからだというのだ。」
22そこで彼らは、ハスラの子トクハテの子シャルムの妻である女預言者フルダのもとへ行きました。シャルムは王の衣装係で、エルサレムの第二区に住んでいました。彼らが王の心配事を伝えると、 23彼女は答えました。「イスラエルの神、主はこう仰せです。『あなたがたを遣わした方にこう言いなさい。 24わたしはこの町と住民を滅ぼす。その巻物に記されているのろいは、すべて実現しよう。 25わたしの民がわたしを捨て、異教の神々を礼拝したので、わたしは怒りに燃えている。それゆえ、この地に注がれる主の憤りは決して消すことができない。』 26このことで私に尋ねるため、あなたがたを遣わしたユダの王に、こう言ってください。『イスラエルの神、主のお告げです。 27あなたが、この町と住民へのわたしのことばを聞いた時、心から悲しみ、神の前にへりくだって、絶望のあまり衣を裂き、わたしの前で泣いたので、あなたの祈りを聞き入れよう。 28この町と住民に下すと言った災いを、あなたが死ぬまでは下さない。』」彼らはこの主のことばを王に報告しました。
29すると王は、ユダとエルサレムの長老たちを残らず召集しました。 30祭司、レビ人、すべての民が、王とともに神殿へ行きました。王は、神殿で発見された、神の契約が書かれている巻物を読んで聞かせました。 31それから彼らの前で、心を尽くし、精神を尽くして主の命令に従い、巻物に記されていることを行うという誓いを立てました。 32また、エルサレムとベニヤミンにいるすべての者に、この神との契約に同意するよう求め、すべての者がそうしました。
33こうしてヨシヤは、ユダヤ人が住む全地域から偶像を一つ残らず取り除き、すべての者に、彼らの神を礼拝するよう訴えました。それ以後、王が生きている間ずっと、民は父祖の神、主に仕えました。
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.
