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2 Kings 23

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 23 of 25

1 And the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

2 And the king went up to the house of Jehovah, and every man of Judah, and all the ones living in Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, from small to great; and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of Jehovah.

3 And the king stood by the pillar, and made the covenant before Jehovah, to walk after Jehovah, and to keep His commandments, and His testimonies, and His statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to lift up the words of this covenant that were written in this Book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

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Chapter Summary

Josiah causes the Book of the Law to be read in a solemn assembly. He renews the covenant of Jehovah. He destroys idolatry. He keeps a most solemn passover. Josiah is killed at Megiddo.

Key Hebrew Words

בְּרִית covenant H1285 · TWOT 282a
בָּמָה high place H1116 · TWOT 253
פֶּ֫סַח Passover H6453 · TWOT 1786a
אֲשֵׁרָה Asherah pole H842 · TWOT 183h
שִׁקּוּץ detestable idol H8251 · TWOT 2459b
תּוֹרָה law H8451 · TWOT 910d

People & Context

Josiah

king of Judah who renews the covenant, purges idolatry, and keeps the Passover; slain at Megiddo

Hilkiah

high priest commanded to remove the idolatrous vessels from the temple of Jehovah

Pharaoh-necho

king of Egypt who kills Josiah at Megiddo and later installs and deposes Judah's kings

Jehoahaz

son of Josiah anointed king, reigns three months, then bound and taken to Egypt

Eliakim

son of Josiah made king by Pharaoh-necho and renamed Jehoiakim

Manasseh

former king whose provocations stir Jehovah's lasting anger against Judah

Timeline

Josiah Renews the Covenant

Josiah gathers the people at the temple, reads the book, and makes a covenant to follow Jehovah. All the people agree to the covenant.

2 Kings 23:1-3
Josiah Cleanses the Temple and Judah

Josiah aggressively purges idolatry, burning vessels of Baal, destroying the Asherah, tearing down the houses of male prostitutes, and defiling Topheth.

2 Kings 23:4-14
Josiah Destroys the Altar at Beth-el

Josiah breaks down Jeroboam's altar at Beth-el and burns human bones on it to defile it, fulfilling prophecy, but spares the bones of the man of God.

2 Kings 23:15-18

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