2 Chronicles 34 – NIV & CCB

New International Version

2 Chronicles 34:1-33

Josiah’s Reforms

1Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

3In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols. 4Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles and the idols. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and so he purged Judah and Jerusalem. 6In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, 7he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

8In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.

9They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the gatekeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10Then they entrusted it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the Lord’s temple. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple. 11They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.

12The workers labored faithfully. Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites—all who were skilled in playing musical instruments— 13had charge of the laborers and supervised all the workers from job to job. Some of the Levites were secretaries, scribes and gatekeepers.

The Book of the Law Found

14While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. 15Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan.

16Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. 17They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.” 18Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

19When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. 20He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah,34:20 Also called Akbor son of Micaiah Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: 21“Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”

22Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him34:22 One Hebrew manuscript, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts do not have had sent with him. went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath,34:22 Also called Tikvah the son of Hasrah,34:22 Also called Harhas keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.

23She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, 24‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people—all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah. 25Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all that their hands have made,34:25 Or by everything they have done my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’ 26Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: 27Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. 28Now I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.’ ”

So they took her answer back to the king.

29Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. 31The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.

32Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

33Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

历代志下 34:1-33

犹大王约西亚

1约西亚八岁登基,在耶路撒冷执政三十一年。 2他做耶和华视为正的事,效法他祖先大卫,不偏不离。

约西亚清除偶像

3他执政第八年,虽然还年幼,却开始寻求他祖先大卫的上帝。他执政第十二年,开始清除犹大耶路撒冷的丘坛、亚舍拉神像、雕刻和铸造的偶像。 4众人在他面前拆毁巴力的祭坛,他砍掉高高的香坛,又把亚舍拉神像及雕刻和铸造的偶像磨成粉末,撒在祭拜它们之人的坟墓上, 5把它们祭司的骸骨放在它们的坛上焚烧。这样,他洁净了犹大耶路撒冷6约西亚还在玛拿西以法莲西缅,远至拿弗他利的各城邑及其周围的荒废之地做了同样的事情。 7他拆毁祭坛和亚舍拉神像,把偶像磨成粉末,砍掉以色列境内所有的香坛,然后回到耶路撒冷

发现律法书

8约西亚执政第十八年,洁净国土和圣殿以后,就差遣亚萨利雅的儿子沙番耶路撒冷的总督玛西雅约哈斯的儿子约亚史官负责整修他的上帝耶和华的殿。 9他们到希勒迦大祭司那里,把献给上帝殿的银子交给他。这银子是守殿门的利未人从玛拿西人和以法莲人,所有剩下的以色列人,所有的犹大人和便雅悯人,以及耶路撒冷的居民那里收来的。 10他们把银子交给负责管理耶和华殿的督工,由他们转交给整修耶和华殿的工人, 11也就是木匠和石匠,让他们用来购买凿好的石头、木架和栋梁,整修犹大诸王毁坏的殿。 12工人都忠诚地工作。他们的督工是利未米拉利的子孙雅哈俄巴底哥辖的子孙撒迦利亚米书兰。其他精通乐器的利未13负责监督搬运工人,还有一些做书记、官员和殿门守卫。

14他们把奉献到耶和华殿里的银子拿出来的时候,希勒迦祭司发现了摩西所传的耶和华的律法书。 15希勒迦就对沙番书记说:“我在耶和华的殿里发现了律法书。”希勒迦就把书卷交给沙番16沙番把书卷带到王那里,向王禀告说:“凡交给仆人们办的事,都已办妥。 17耶和华殿里的银子已被取出来交给督工和工人。” 18沙番书记又对王说:“希勒迦祭司交给我一卷书。”沙番就在王面前诵读这书。 19王听了律法书上的话,就撕裂衣服, 20吩咐希勒迦沙番的儿子亚希甘米迦的儿子亚比顿沙番书记和王的臣仆亚撒雅21“你们去为我、为以色列犹大的余民求问耶和华有关这书卷上的话。耶和华的烈怒已经临到我们身上,因为我们的祖先没有遵守耶和华的话,没有遵行这书卷上的话。”

22于是,王派去的人跟着希勒迦去求问女先知户勒妲,她是负责管理礼服的沙龙之妻。沙龙哈斯拉的孙子、特瓦的儿子。户勒妲住在耶路撒冷第二区。他们向她说明来意, 23她对他们说:“以色列的上帝耶和华要你们回去告诉差你们来见我的人, 24耶和华说,‘我要照在犹大王面前所读的那书上的一切咒诅,降灾难给这地方及这里的居民。 25因为他们背弃我,给别的神明烧香,制造偶像惹我发怒,所以我的怒火要在这地方燃烧,绝不止息。’ 26你们告诉差你们来求问耶和华的犹大王,‘至于你所听见的那些话,以色列的上帝耶和华说, 27因为你听到我对这地方及这里居民的警告,便悔改,在我面前谦卑、撕裂衣服,向我哭泣,我垂听了你的祷告。这是我耶和华说的。 28我会让你平安入土,你不会看到我要降给这地方及这里居民的一切灾难。’”他们便回去禀告王。

约西亚立约顺服上帝

29于是,王召集犹大耶路撒冷的所有长老, 30犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民、祭司和利未人等全体民众,不论贵贱,一同上到耶和华的殿。王把在耶和华殿中发现的约书念给他们听。 31王站在自己的位置上,在耶和华面前立约,要全心全意地跟随耶和华,遵从祂的一切诫命、法度和律例,履行约书上的规定。 32他使耶路撒冷便雅悯的人都遵行这约。于是,耶路撒冷的居民都遵行他们祖先的上帝的约。 33约西亚除去以色列境内所有的可憎之物,又吩咐所有住在以色列的人都事奉他们的上帝耶和华。约西亚在世时,他们都没有偏离他们祖先的上帝耶和华。