231 And the king sendeth, and they gather unto him all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 and the king goeth up to the house of Jehovah, and every man of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, from small unto great, and he readeth in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that is found in the house of Jehovah. 3 And the king standeth by the pillar, and maketh the covenant before Jehovah, to walk after Jehovah, and to keep His commands, and His testimonies, and His statutes, with all the heart, and with all the soul, to establish the words of this covenant that are written on this book, and all the people stand in the covenant.

Josiah's Reforms

4 And the king commandeth Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring out from the temple of Jehovah all the vessels that are made for Baal, and for the shrine, and for all the host of the heavens, and he burneth them at the outside of Jerusalem, in the fields of Kidron, and hath borne their ashes to Beth-El. 5 And he hath caused to cease the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah have appointed, (and they make perfume in high places, in cities of Judah and suburbs of Jerusalem,) and those making perfume to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of the heavens. 6 And he bringeth out the shrine from the house of Jehovah to the outside of Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burneth it at the brook Kidron, and beateth it small to dust, and casteth its dust on the grave of the sons of the people. 7 And he breaketh down the houses of the whoremongers that 'are' in the house of Jehovah, where the women are weaving houses for the shrine. 8 And he bringeth in all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defileth the high places where the priests have made perfume, from Geba unto Beer-Sheba, and hath broken down the high places of the gates that 'are' at the opening of the gate of Joshua, head of the city, that 'is' on a man's left hand at the gate of the city; 9 only, the priests of the high places come not up unto the altar of Jehovah in Jerusalem, but they have eaten unleavened things in the midst of their brethren. 10 And he hath defiled Topheth, that 'is' in the valley of the son of Hinnom, so that no man doth cause his son and his daughter to pass over through fire to Molech. 11 And he causeth to cease the horses that the kings of Judah have given to the sun from the entering in of the house of Jehovah, by the chamber of Nathan-Melech the eunuch, that 'is' in the suburbs, and the chariots of the sun he hath burnt with fire. 12 And the altars that 'are' on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, that the kings of Judah made, and the altars that Manasseh made in the two courts of the house of Jehovah, hath the king broken down, and removeth thence, and hath cast their dust unto the brook Kidron. 13 And the high places that 'are' on the front of Jerusalem, that 'are' on the right of the mount of corruption, that Solomon king of Israel had built to Ashtoreth abomination of the Zidonians, and Chemosh abomination of Moab, and to Milcom abomination of the sons of Ammon, hath the king defiled. 14 And he hath broken in pieces the standing-pillars, and cutteth down the shrines, and filleth their place with bones of men; 15 and also the altar that 'is' in Beth-El, the high place that Jeroboam son of Nebat made, by which he made Israel sin, both that altar and the high place he hath broken down, and doth burn the high place—he hath beat it small to dust, and hath burnt the shrine. 16 And Josiah turneth, and seeth the graves that 'are' there in the mount, and sendeth and taketh the bones out of the graves, and burneth 'them' on the altar, and defileth it, according to the word of Jehovah that the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. 17 And he saith, 'What 'is' this sign that I see?' and the men of the city say unto him, 'The grave of the man of God who hath come from Judah, and proclaimeth these things that thou hast done concerning the altar of Beth-El.' 18 And he saith, 'Let him alone, let no man touch his bones;' and they let his bones escape, with the bones of the prophet who came out of Samaria. 19 And also all the houses of the high places that 'are' in the cities of Samaria, that the kings of Israel made to provoke to anger, hath Josiah turned aside, and doth to them according to all the deeds that he did in Beth-El. 20 And he slayeth all the priests of the high places who 'are' there by the altars, and burneth the bones of man upon them, and turneth back to Jerusalem.

The Passover Kept

21 And the king commandeth the whole of the people, saying, 'Make ye a passover to Jehovah your God, as it is written on this book of the covenant.' 22 Surely there hath not been made like this passover from the days of the judges who judged Israel, even all the days of the kings of Israel, and of the kings of Judah; 23 but in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, hath this passover been made to Jehovah in Jerusalem.

The LORD's Persistent Anger against Judah

24 And also, those having familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah, and in Jerusalem, hath Josiah put away, in order to establish the words of the law that are written on the book that Hilkiah the priest hath found in the house of Jehovah.

25 And like him there hath not been before him a king who turned back unto Jehovah with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses, and after him there hath none risen like him. 26 Only, Jehovah hath not turned back from the fierceness of His great anger with which His anger burned against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh provoked him, 27 and Jehovah saith, 'Also Judah I turn aside from my presence, as I turned Israel aside, and I have rejected this city that I have chosen—Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name is there.'

The Death of Josiah

28 And the rest of the matters of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 29 In his days hath Pharaoh-Nechoh king of Egypt come up against the king of Asshur, by the river Phrat, and king Josiah goeth out to meet him, and he putteth him to death in Megiddo, when he seeth him. 30 And his servants cause him to ride dying from Megiddo, and bring him in to Jerusalem, and bury him in his own grave, and the people of the land take Jehoahaz son of Josiah, and anoint him, and cause him to reign instead of his father.

The Reign and Dethronement of Jehoahaz

31 A son of twenty and three years 'is' Jehoahaz in his reigning, and three months he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah, 32 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his fathers did, 33 and Pharaoh-Nechoh bindeth him in Riblah, in the land of Hamath, from reigning in Jerusalem, and he putteth a fine on the land—a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. 34 And Pharaoh-Nechoh causeth Eliakim son of Josiah to reign instead of Josiah his father, and turneth his name to Jehoiakim, and Jehoahaz he hath taken away, and he cometh in to Egypt, and dieth there. 35 And the silver and the gold hath Jehoiakim given to Pharaoh; only he valued the land to give the silver by the command of Pharaoh; from each, according to his valuation, he exacted the silver and the gold, from the people of the land, to give to Pharaoh-Nechoh.

The Reign of Jehoiakim

36 A son of twenty and five years 'is' Jehoiakim in his reigning, and eleven years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Zebudah daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah, 37 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his fathers did.

241 In his days hath Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon come up, and Jehoiakim is to him a servant three years; and he turneth and rebelleth against him, 2 and Jehovah sendeth against him the troops of the Chaldeans, and the troops of Aram, and the troops of Moab, and the troops of the sons of Ammon, and He sendeth them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of Jehovah, that He spake by the hand of His servants the prophets; 3 only, by the command of Jehovah it hath been against Judah to turn 'them' aside from His presence, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did, 4 and also the innocent blood that he hath shed, and he filleth Jerusalem with innocent blood, and Jehovah was not willing to forgive. 5 And the rest of the matters of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 6 And Jehoiakim lieth with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son reigneth in his stead. 7 And the king of Egypt hath not added any more to go out from his own land, for the king of Babylon hath taken, from the brook of Egypt unto the river Phrat, all that had been to the king of Egypt.

Jehoiachin and the Nobles Taken Captive to Babylon

8 A son of eighteen years 'is' Jehoiachin in his reigning, and three months he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem, 9 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his fathers did. 10 At that time come up have servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and the city goeth into siege, 11 and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon cometh against the city, and his servants are laying siege to it, 12 and Jehoiachin king of Judah goeth out unto the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his chiefs, and his eunuchs, and the king of Babylon taketh him in the eighth year of his reign, 13 and bringeth out thence all the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the house of the king, and cutteth in pieces all the vessels of gold that Solomon king of Israel made in the temple of Jehovah, as Jehovah had spoken. 14 And he hath removed all Jerusalem, and all the chiefs, and all the mighty ones of valour—ten thousand 'is' the removal—and every artificer and smith, none hath been left save the poor of the people of the land. 15 And he removeth Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the mother of the king, and the wives of the king, and his eunuchs, and the mighty ones of the land—he hath caused a removal to go from Jerusalem to Babylon, 16 and all the men of valour seven thousand, and the artificers and the smiths a thousand, the whole 'are' mighty men, warriors; and the king of Babylon bringeth them in a captivity to Babylon. 17 And the king of Babylon causeth Mattaniah his father's brother to reign in his stead, and turneth his name to Zedekiah.

The Reign of Zedekiah

18 A son of twenty and one years 'is' Zedekiah in his reigning, and eleven years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah, 19 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah according to all that Jehoiakim did, 20 for, by the anger of Jehovah it hath been against Jerusalem and against Judah, till he cast them out from His presence, that Zedekiah rebelleth against the king of Babylon.

The Fall of Jerusalem

251 And it cometh to pass, in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth of the month, come hath Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, he and all his force, against Jerusalem, and encampeth against it, and buildeth against it a fortification round about. 2 And the city entereth into siege till the eleventh year of king Zedekiah, 3 on the ninth of the month—when the famine is severe in the city, and there hath not been bread for the people of the land, 4 then the city is broken up, and all the men of war 'go' by night the way of the gate, between the two walls that 'are' by the garden of the king, and the Chaldeans 'are' against the city round about, and 'the king' goeth the way of the plain. 5 And the force of the Chaldeans pursue after the king, and overtake him in the plains of Jericho, and all his force have been scattered from him; 6 and they seize the king, and bring him up unto the king of Babylon, to Riblah, and they speak with him—judgment. 7 And the sons of Zedekiah they have slaughtered before his eyes, and the eyes of Zedekiah he hath blinded, and bindeth him with brazen fetters, and they bring him to Babylon.

The Captivity of Judah

8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh of the month (it 'is' the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), hath Nebuzaradan chief of the executioners, servant of the king of Babylon, come to Jerusalem, 9 and he burneth the house of Jehovah, and the house of the king, and all the houses of Jerusalem, yea, every great house he hath burned with fire; 10 and the walls of Jerusalem round about have all the forces of the Chaldeans, who 'are' with the chief of the executioners, broken down. 11 And the rest of the people, those left in the city, and those falling who have fallen to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude, hath Nebuzaradan chief of the executioners removed; 12 and of the poor of the land hath the chief of the executioners left for vine-dressers and for husbandmen. 13 And the pillars of brass that 'are' in the house of Jehovah, and the bases, and the sea of brass, that 'is' in the house of Jehovah, have the Chaldeans broken in pieces, and bear away their brass to Babylon. 14 And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass with which they minister they have taken, 15 and the fire-pans, and the bowls that 'are' wholly of silver, hath the chief of the executioners taken. 16 The two pillars, the one sea, and the bases that Solomon made for the house of Jehovah, there was no weighing of the brass of all these vessels; 17 eighteen cubits 'is' the height of the one pillar, and the chapiter on it 'is' of brass, and the height of the chapiter 'is' three cubits, and the net and the pomegranates 'are' on the chapiter round about—the whole 'is' of brass; and like these hath the second pillar, with the net. 18 And the chief of the executioners taketh Seraiah the head priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold, 19 and out of the city he hath taken a certain eunuch who is appointed over the men of war, and five men of those seeing the king's face who have been found in the city, and the head scribe of the host, who mustereth the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who are found in the city, 20 and Nebuzaradan chief of the executioners taketh them, and causeth them to go unto the king of Babylon, to Libnah, 21 and the king of Babylon smiteth them, and putteth them to death in Riblah, in the land of Hamath, and he removeth Judah from off its land.

The Remnant Flee to Egypt

22 And the people that is left in the land of Judah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath left—he appointeth over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan. 23 And all the heads of the forces hear—they and the men—that the king of Babylon hath appointed Gedaliah, and they come in unto Gedaliah, to Mizpah, even Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and Johanan son of Kareah, and Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maachathite—they and their men; 24 and Gedaliah sweareth to them, and to their men, and saith to them, 'Be not afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans, dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it is good for you.' 25 And it cometh to pass, in the seventh month, come hath Ishmael son of Nathaniah, son of Elishama of the seed of the kingdom, and ten men with him, and they smite Gedaliah, and he dieth, and the Jews and the Chaldeans who have been with him in Mizpah. 26 And all the people rise, from small even unto great, and the heads of the forces, and come in to Egypt, for they have been afraid of the presence of the Chaldeans.

Jehoiachin Released and Honored in Babylon

27 And it cometh to pass, in the thirty and seventh year of the removal of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the twenty and seventh of the month hath Evil-Merodach king of Babylon lifted up, in the year of his reigning, the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, out of the house of restraint, 28 and speaketh with him good things and putteth his throne above the throne of the kings who 'are' with him in Babylon, 29 and hath changed the garments of his restraint, and he hath eaten bread continually before him all days of his life, 30 and his allowance—a continual allowance—hath been given to him from the king, the matter of a day in its day, all days of his life.