HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 719
2 KINGS 22
page 349
commands—all the laws my servant Moses gave
them—I will not send them into exile from this
land that I gave their ancestors.” 9 But the people
refused to listen, and Manasseh led them to do
even more evil than the pagan nations that the
Lord had destroyed when the people of Israel
entered the land.
10 Then the Lord said through his servants
the prophets: 11 “King Manasseh of Judah has
done many detestable things. He is even more
wicked than the Amorites, who lived in this
land before Israel. He has caused the people of
Judah to sin with his idols.* 12 So this is what the
Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will bring such
disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of
those who hear about it will tingle with horror.
13 I will judge Jerusalem by the same standard
I used for Samaria and the same measure* I
used for the family of Ahab. I will wipe away
the people of Jerusalem as one wipes a dish and
turns it upside down. 14 Then I will reject even
the remnant of my own people who are left, and
I will hand them over as plunder for their enemies. 15 For they have done great evil in my sight
and have angered me ever since their ancestors
came out of Egypt.”
16 Manasseh also murdered many innocent
people until Jerusalem was filled from one end
to the other with innocent blood. This was in
addition to the sin that he caused the people of
Judah to commit, leading them to do evil in the
Lord’s sight.
17 The rest of the events in Manasseh’s reign
and everything he did, including the sins he
committed, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. 18 When Manasseh
died, he was buried in the palace garden, the
garden of Uzza. Then his son Amon became the
next king.
Amon Rules in Judah
19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he
became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem
two years. His mother was Meshullemeth, the
daughter of Haruz from Jotbah. 20 He did what
was evil in the Lord’s sight, just as his father,
Manasseh, had done. 21 He followed the example
of his father, worshiping the same idols his father had worshiped. 22 He abandoned the Lord,
the God of his ancestors, and he refused to follow the Lord’s ways.
23 Then Amon’s own officials conspired
against him and assassinated him in his palace.
24 But the people of the land killed all those who
had conspired against King Amon, and they
made his son Josiah the next king.
25 The rest of the events in Amon’s reign and
21:11 The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably
alludes to dung; also in 21:21. 21:13 Hebrew the same plumb
line I used for Samaria and the same plumb bob. 22:14 Or the
Second Quarter, a newer section of Jerusalem. Hebrew reads
the Mishneh.
what he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. 26 He was buried in his
tomb in the garden of Uzza. Then his son Josiah
became the next king.
Josiah Rules in Judah
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem
thirty-one years. His mother was Jedidah, the
daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath. 2 He did what
was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and followed
the example of his ancestor David. He did not
turn away from doing what was right.
3 In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and grandson
of Meshullam, the court secretary, to the Temple
of the Lord. He told him, 4 “Go to Hilkiah the
high priest and have him count the money the
gatekeepers have collected from the people at
the Lord’s Temple. 5 Entrust this money to the
men assigned to supervise the restoration of
the Lord’s Temple. Then they can use it to pay
workers to repair the Temple. 6 They will need
to hire carpenters, builders, and masons. Also
have them buy the timber and the finished
stone needed to repair the Temple. 7 But don’t
require the construction supervisors to keep
account of the money they receive, for they are
honest and trustworthy men.”
22
Hilkiah Discovers God’s Law
8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the
court secretary, “I have found the Book of the
Law in the Lord’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave
the scroll to Shaphan, and he read it.
9 Shaphan went to the king and reported,
“Your officials have turned over the money collected at the Temple of the Lord to the workers
and supervisors at the Temple.” 10 Shaphan also
told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a
scroll.” So Shaphan read it to the king.
11 When the king heard what was written in
the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair. 12 Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah
the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son
of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and
Asaiah the king’s personal adviser: 13 “Go to the
Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for
the people and for all Judah. Inquire about the
words written in this scroll that has been found.
For the Lord’s great anger is burning against
us because our ancestors have not obeyed the
words in this scroll. We have not been doing
everything it says we must do.”
14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the New Quarter* of
Jerusalem to consult with the prophet Huldah.
She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son
of Harhas, the keeper of the Temple wardrobe.
15 She said to them, “The Lord, the God of
Israel, has spoken! Go back and tell the man