1 And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
2 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD.
3 And the king stood by a pillar, 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 their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.
5 And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.
6 And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.
7 And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.
8 And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.
9 Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren.
10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
11 And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire.
12 And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.
13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.
14 And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men.
15 Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove.
16 And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.
17 Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel.
18 And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria.
19 And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the Lord to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.
20 And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men's bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.
21 And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.
22 Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah;
23 But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem.
24 Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.
25 And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
26 Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal.
27 And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.
28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
29 In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.
30 And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's stead.
31 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
32 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.
33 And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.
34 And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.
35 And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaohnechoh.
36 Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.
37 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.
The book of 2 Kings is the second part of the historical narrative of the kings of Israel and Judah, which chronicles the rise and fall of these kingdoms. Chapter 23 is a pivotal chapter in this book as it describes the reign of King Josiah of Judah and the sweeping religious reforms he implemented. This chapter is divided into three main sections: Josiah's reforms, the discovery of the Book of the Law, and the final days of Josiah's reign. The main themes of this chapter include faithfulness to God, idolatry, and the consequences of disobedience. Through the story of Josiah, this chapter teaches us about the importance of following God's commandments and the consequences of straying from His ways.
The first section of chapter 23 describes the religious reforms initiated by King Josiah. Josiah was only eight years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned for thirty-one years. According to verse 25, "there was no king like him who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him." This statement highlights Josiah's commitment to following God's commandments and his desire to bring about spiritual renewal in Judah.
One of the first things Josiah did was to order the repair of the temple of the Lord. The temple had fallen into disrepair due to the idolatrous practices of the previous kings, and Josiah wanted to restore it to its former glory. During the repairs, the high priest Hilkiah discovered the Book of the Law, which had been lost and forgotten for many years. This discovery had a profound impact on Josiah, and he immediately began to implement the reforms prescribed in the book.
One of Josiah's first actions was to gather all the people of Judah and read the Book of the Law to them. As the people listened to the words of the Law, they were convicted of their sins and the sins of their ancestors. They realized that they had strayed from God's commandments and had been worshipping false gods. In response, they renewed their covenant with God and pledged to follow His commandments once again.
Josiah then went on to purge the land of all forms of idolatry. He destroyed the altars, idols, and images of false gods that had been erected throughout the land. He also abolished the practices of child sacrifice and divination, which were common in the worship of these false gods. Josiah was determined to eradicate all traces of idolatry from the land and restore true worship of the one true God.
Another significant reform initiated by Josiah was the celebration of the Passover. The Passover was a feast that commemorated God's deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. However, this feast had not been celebrated in Judah for many years. Josiah reinstated the Passover and led the people in a celebration that had not been seen since the days of the judges. This celebration was a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness and the importance of following His commandments.
The discovery of the Book of the Law was a crucial event in the reign of Josiah and in the history of Judah. This book is believed to be the book of Deuteronomy, which contains the laws and commandments given by God to Moses. The fact that this book was lost and forgotten for so long is a testament to the spiritual decline of the people of Judah.
When the Book of the Law was read to Josiah, he was convicted of the sins of his people and the consequences that would come upon them if they did not repent. This discovery led to a spiritual awakening in Judah, as the people realized the gravity of their disobedience and the need to return to God. The Book of the Law served as a reminder of God's covenant with His people and the importance of following His commandments.
The discovery of the Book of the Law also highlights the power of God's Word to bring about transformation and renewal. The reading of the Law had a profound impact on the people of Judah, and it led to the restoration of true worship and the purging of idolatry from the land. This serves as a reminder to us of the power of God's Word in our lives and the importance of studying and obeying it.
The final section of chapter 23 describes the tragic end of Josiah's reign. Despite his efforts to bring about spiritual renewal in Judah, the consequences of the nation's past sins could not be avoided. In the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah went to fight against Pharaoh Necho of Egypt, who was on his way to assist the Assyrians. Despite being warned by Necho that he should not interfere, Josiah refused to listen and went into battle. Unfortunately, Josiah was mortally wounded, and he died on his journey back to Jerusalem.
Josiah's death was a significant blow to the people of Judah. He was a righteous king who had brought about significant reforms and led the nation back to God. However, his death also served as a warning of the consequences of disobedience. Despite all his efforts, the nation could not escape the consequences of their past actions.
The story of Josiah and his reforms in chapter 23 teaches us several important lessons. Firstly, it highlights the importance of following God's commandments and the consequences of straying from His ways. The people of Judah had turned away from God and had fallen into idolatry, and as a result, they faced severe consequences. However, when they repented and turned back to God, He showed them mercy and forgiveness.
Secondly, the discovery of the Book of the Law emphasizes the significance of God's Word in our lives. The people of Judah had forgotten God's commandments, but when they heard His Word, they were convicted of their sins and were led to repentance. This serves as a reminder to us of the power of God's Word to bring about transformation and renewal in our lives.
Lastly, the tragic end of Josiah's reign reminds us that the consequences of our actions cannot always be avoided. Despite his efforts to bring about reform, Josiah could not escape the consequences of the nation's past sins. This serves as a warning to us that our actions have consequences, and we must be careful to follow God's ways and not stray from them.
2 Kings chapter 23 is a powerful chapter that teaches us about the importance of faithfulness to God, the consequences of disobedience, and the power of God's Word to bring about transformation and renewal. The story of Josiah and his reforms serves as a reminder to us to follow God's commandments and to turn back to Him when we stray. It also reminds us of the consequences of our actions and the need to be obedient to God's ways. Ultimately, this chapter highlights the importance of having a deep and personal relationship with God and the significance of His Word in our lives.
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