King Josiah of Judah
(2 Kings 22.12 2)1 Josiah was 8 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled 31 years from Jerusalem. 2 He followed the example of his ancestor David and always obeyed the Lord.
Josiah Stops the Worship of Foreign Gods
(2 Kings 23.4-20)3 When Josiah was only 16 years old he began worshiping God, just as his ancestor David had done. Then, 4 years later, he decided to destroy the local shrines in Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the sacred poles for worshiping the goddess Asherah and the idols of foreign gods. 4 He watched as the altars for the worship of the god Baal were torn down, and as the nearby incense altars were smashed. The Asherah poles, the idols, and the stone images were also smashed, and the pieces were scattered over the graves of their worshipers. 5 Josiah then had the bones of the pagan priests burned on the altars.
And so Josiah got rid of the worship of foreign gods in Judah and Jerusalem. 6 He did the same things in the towns and ruined villages in the territories of West Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as the border of Naphtali. 7 Everywhere in the northern kingdom of Israel, Josiah tore down pagan altars and Asherah poles; he crushed idols to dust and smashed incense altars.
Then Josiah went back to Jerusalem.
Hilkiah Finds The Book of God's Law
(2 Kings 22.3-20)8 In the eighteenth year of Josiah's rule in Judah, after he had removed all the sinful things from the land and from the Lord's temple, he sent three of his officials to repair the temple. They were Shaphan son of Azaliah, Governor Maaseiah of Jerusalem, and Joah son of Joahaz, who kept the government records.
9 These three men went to Hilkiah the high priest. They gave him the money that the Levite guards had collected from the people of West Manasseh, Ephraim, and the rest of Israel, as well as those living in Judah, Benjamin, and Jerusalem. 10 Then the money was turned over to the men who supervised the repairs to the temple. They used some of it to pay the workers, 11 and they gave the rest of it to the carpenters and builders, who used it to buy the stone and wood they needed to repair the other buildings that Judah's kings had not taken care of.
12 The workers were honest, and their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah from the Levite clan of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam from the Levite clan of Kohath. Other Levites, who were all skilled musicians, 13 were in charge of carrying supplies and supervising the workers. Other Levites were appointed to stand guard around the temple.
14 While the money was being given to these supervisors, Hilkiah found the book that contained the laws that the Lord had given to Moses. 15 Hilkiah handed the book to Shaphan the official and said, “Look what I found here in the temple—The Book of God's Law.”
16 Shaphan took the book to Josiah and reported, “Your officials are doing everything you wanted. 17 They have collected the money from the temple and have given it to the men supervising the repairs. 18 But there's something else, Your Majesty. The priest Hilkiah gave me this book.” Then Shaphan read it aloud.
19 When Josiah heard what was in The Book of God's Law, he tore his clothes in sorrow. 20 At once he called together Hilkiah, Shaphan, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, and his own servant Asaiah. He said, 21 “The Lord must be furious with me and everyone else in Israel and Judah, because our ancestors did not obey the laws written in this book. Go find out what the Lord wants us to do.”
22 Hilkiah and the four other men left at once and went to talk with Huldah the prophet. Her husband was Shallum, who was in charge of the king's clothes. Huldah lived in the northern part of Jerusalem, and when they met in her home, 23 she said:
You were sent here by King Josiah, and this is what the Lord God of Israel says to him: 24 “Josiah, I am the Lord! And I intend to punish this country and everyone in it, just as this book says. 25 The people of Judah and Israel have rejected me. They have offered sacrifices to foreign gods and have worshiped their own idols. I can't stand it any longer. I am furious.
26-27 “Josiah, listen to what I am going to do. I noticed how sad you were when you heard that this country and its people would be completely wiped out. You even tore your clothes in sorrow, and I heard you cry. 28 So before I destroy this place, I will let you die in peace.”
The men left and reported to Josiah what Huldah had said.
Josiah Reads The Book of God's Law
(2 Kings 23.1-3)29 King Josiah called together the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 Then he went to the Lord's temple, together with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, the priests, and the Levites.
Finally, when everybody was there, he read aloud The Book of God's Law that had been found in the temple.
31 After Josiah had finished reading, he stood in the place reserved for the king. He promised in the Lord's name to faithfully obey the Lord and to follow his laws and teachings that were written in the book. 32 Then he asked the people of Jerusalem and Benjamin to make that same promise and to obey the God their ancestors had worshiped.
33 Josiah destroyed all the idols in the territories of Israel, and he commanded everyone in Israel to worship only the Lord God. The people did not turn away from the Lord God of their ancestors for the rest of Josiah's rule as king.
Josija ma rire ombara mOjuda
(2Ozo 22:1-2)1 Josija wa ri nozombura hambondatu tja rira ombara mOjuda; neye wa honapara oure wozombura omirongo vitatu na imwe mOjerusalem. 2 Eye wa tjita imbi mbyaa vi tjata ku Muhona, na horere kotjikaro tjaihe mukururume, ombara David, ama ṱakamisa omatwako aehe wa Ndjambi nokuhinokuivaiva.
Josija ma haṋa poṋa pomerikotameneno kovisenginina
3 Mombura oitjahambondatu youhona wa Josija, eye ngunda e ri omutanda tjinene, otja uta okurikotamena ku Ndjambi wa ihe mukururume, ombara David. Kombunda yozombura ine eye otja uta okuhaṋa poṋa apehe pomerikotameneno kovisenginina kozondunda, ovihenḓe ovizere vyomukuru wotjisenginina oserekaze Asera, noviserekarera avihe vyoomukuru varwe vovisenginina. 4 Josija ngunda ama tarere, ovandu va nyanyaura ovipunguhiro vya Baal kee rikotamenenwa, nave haṋa ovipunguhiro vyomatwimisiro wovyomoro omuwa mbya ri posi yavyo, nave ṱukuṱura oviserekarera vya Asera na imbi avihe vyoomukuru varwe vovisenginina, nga tji vya rira oruuma; tjazumba otji va rimba indwi oruuma komaendo wa imba mbaa ve punguha ku wo. 5 Josija wa nyosira omaṱupa wovapristeri vovisenginina kovipunguhiro kaave rikotamenene; komuhingo mbwi otja kohorora Juda na Jerusalem rukwao. 6 Eye wa tjita tjingetjo movihuro vyehi ra Manasse nora Efraim nora Simeon nga kokure kehi ra Naftali. 7 Josija wa nyanyaura ovipunguhiro ovihenḓe ovizere, na ṱukuṱura oviserekarera vyovisenginina, nga tji vya rira oruuma, na nyainya ovipunguhiro avihe vyomatwimisiro wovyomoro omuwa, mehi arihe ra Israel. Tjazumba otja yaruka kOjerusalem.
Embo rOmatwako mari munika
(2Ozo 22:3-20)8 Mombura oitjamurongo na hambondatu youhona wombara Josija, eye tja za nokukohorora ehi nondjuwo ya Muhona Ndjambi komerikotameneno kovisenginina, otja hinda Safan, omuzandu wa Asalja, na Maaseja, ongooneya ya Jerusalem, na Joak, omuzandu wa Joahas, omunane wokombanda, kutja ve kaṱune ondjuwo ya Muhona i rire ohirona. 9 Owo va ya ku Hilkija, Omupristeri Otjiuru, nave kemupa ovimariva mbya wongerwe i Ovalevi ovatjevere mondjuwo ya Ndjambi; ovimariva mbi vya wongerwe movandu va Efraim nOvamanasse na motjihuro atjihe tjOvaisrael, na movandu va Juda nOvabenjamin na movature va Jerusalem. 10 Owo va yandja ovimariva mbi kovandu mba mba ri ovatjevere votjiungura tjokuṱuna ondjuwo ya Muhona; nowo va suta na vyo 11 ovahonge vomiti novatunge, nave randa na vyo omawe nomiti vyokuṱuna omatungiro, nga haṋenwe i ozombara za Juda. 12 Ovarumendu, mba ungura oviungura mbi, va ri ovaṱakame tjinene. Owo va ri kehi yondjeverero ya Jahat na Obadja, vonganda yOmulevi Merari, na Sakaria na Mesulam, vonganda yOmulevi Kehat. Ovalevi avehe va ri ozonongo tjinene mokunyanda ovihumba. 13 Ovalevi tjiva va ri ovatjevere vovatjinde voviṋa, nu tjiva aave ṱakamisa ovaungure moviungura pekepeke, novakwao tjiva va ri ovatjange voviṋa novatjevere vopomivero.
14 Ovimariva ngunda amavi isiwa mo mondjuwo yomapwikiro, Hilkija, Omupristeri Otjiuru, otja muna Embo rOmatwako wa Muhona nga yandjere ku Moses. 15 Eye wa raera nai ku Safan, omutjangerepo wouhona: “Mba munu Embo rOmatwako imwi mondjuwo ya Muhona!” Nu Hilkija wa yandja Embo ndi ku Safan, 16 nu Safan wa twara Embo ndi kombara. Neye wa kaserekarera nai kombara: “Eṱe twa tjita oviṋa avihe, mbi wa rakiza. 17 Twa kambura ovimariva mbyaa vi ṱizirwa mondjuwo ya Muhona, natu vi yandja kovaungure na kovatjevere vawo.” 18 Tjazumba Safan wa hungira komurungu ama tja: “Hilkija we ndji pa Embo ndi.” Nu Safan we ri resera ombara neraka enene.
19 Ombara tji ya zuva Embo ndi amari resewa, otja nyondorora ozombanda ze moruhoze. 20 Ombara Josija wa isana Hilkija, na Safan, omutjangerepo wouhona, na Ahikam, omazandu wa Safan, na Abdon, omuzandu wa Mika, na Asaja, omukarere omutjevere wombara, ne ve rakiza nai: 21 “Twendeye mu kapure ku Muhona inga omahongero nge ri mEmbo ndi, mena randje norotjiwaṋa ingee tji tji ri mOjerusalem na mOjuda. Omazenge wa Muhona, tjiri, ya rira omanene ku eṱe, ootate mukururume tjinga ave ha karere nonḓuviro ku Muhona, nave ha tjitire imbi avihe mbi sokutjitwa otja tji pa tjangwa mEmbo ndi.”
22 Otja komarakiza wombara, Hilkija novakwao va kapura omukazendu wena Hulda, omuprofete, ngwa turire momunda omupe wa Jerusalem. Omurumendu wa Hulda wena Salum, omuzandu wa Tokat, nondekurona ya Hasra, wa ri omutjevere wozombanda zondjuwo ya Muhona. Owo va serekarerera Hulda imbi mbya tjitwa, 23 neye we ve raera kutja ve yaruke kombara nu ve keiraere ombuze ya Muhona ndji: 24 “Ami me vere Jerusalem novature vatjo avehe otja komasengiro nga tjangwa mEmbo ndi nda reserwa ombara. 25 Owo we ndji imbirahi nave punguhire oomukuru varwe ozombunguhiro; komuhingo mbwi otji ve ndji pindikisa na imbi avihe mbi va tjita. Omazenge wandje maye sekamene Jerusalem, nu kamaaye yanda ko. 26 Nu kombara oini, ami ngu mbi ri Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, me tja nai: Ove wa puratena ku imbi mbya tjangwa mEmbo ndi, 27 nu we ritanaura no risusuparisa omuini komurungu wandje; amo nyondorora ozombanda zoye nokurira, indu tji wa zuva kutja ami mba tanda okuvera Jerusalem novature vatjo. Ami mbe ku zuvira ongumbiro yoye, 28 nove komoo kara nomuinyo moruveze ndu me eta oviwonga kOjerusalem na kovature vatjo. Ami me ku zepa mohange.”
Novarumendu va yaruka kombara Josija nombuze ndji.
Josija ma tjiti omerikutiropamwe wokukara nonḓuviro ku Muhona
(2Ozo 23:1-20)29 Ombara Josija wa isana ovanane avehe va Juda nova Jerusalem, 30 nowo va ya pamwe kondjuwo ya Muhona, amave kongorerwa i ovapristeri nOvalevi notjiwaṋa atjihe, ovatumbe novasyona. Ombara ya resera momurungu wawo avehe neraka enene indi Embo arihe rOmerikutiropamwe nda vazerwe mondjuwo ya Muhona. 31 Tjazumba ombara Josija otja kakurama meṋe yongunḓe youhona na tjiti omerikutiropamwe na Muhona kutja ma kara nonḓuviro ku ye, nokutja ma ṱakamisa omazikamisiro nomatwako we nomutima nomuinyo we auhe, nu ma yenenisa omambo womerikutiropamwe otja tji ya tjangwa mEmbo ndi. 32 Eye wa tjita ovandu va Benjamin na ngamwa auhe ngwa ri mOjerusalem, ve kwizike kutja mave ṱakama momerikutiropamwe nga. Novandu va Jerusalem va kara nonḓuviro komambo womerikutiropamwe ngu va tjitire na Ndjambi wooihe mukururume. 33 Ombara Josija wa nyona oviserekarera avihe oviyaukise vyovisenginina mbya ri mehi arihe rotjiwaṋa tja Israel, nu ngunda a ri nomuinyo wa kondja tjinene kutja otjiwaṋa tji karere Muhona, Ndjambi wooihe mukururume.
