1Yoshi-Yahu was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty-one years in Yerushalayim. 2And he did that which was right in the eyes of יהוה , and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. 3For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the Elohim of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Yehudah and Yerushalayim from the high places, and the Asherim, and the graven images, and the molten images. 4And they broke down the altars of the Ba’alim in his presence; and the sun-images, that were on high above them, he hewed down; and the Asherim, and the graven images, and the molten images, he broke in pieces, and made dust of them, and strewed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. 5And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and purged Yehudah and Yerushalayim. 6And so did he in the cities of Menasheh and Efrayim and Shimon, even unto Naftali, with their axes round about. 7And he broke down the altars, and beat the Asherim and the graven images into powder, and hewed down all the sun-images throughout all the land of Yisra’el, and returned to Yerushalayim.
8Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shafan Ben Atzal-Yahu, and Ma’asei-Yahu the governor of the city, and Yo’akh Ben Yo’akhaz the recorder, to repair Beit יהוה his Elohim. 9And they came to Khilki-Yahu the Kohen HaGadol, and delivered the money that was brought into Beit HaElohim, which the Levi’im, the keepers of the door, had gathered of the hand of Menasheh and Efrayim, and of all the remnant of Yisra’el, and of all Yehudah and Binyamin, and they returned to Yerushalayim. 10And they delivered it into the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of Beit יהוה ; and the workmen that wrought in Beit יהוה gave it to mend and repair the house; 11even to the carpenters and to the builders they gave it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to make beams for the houses which the Melakhim of Yehudah had destroyed. 12And the men did the work faithfully; and the overseers of them were Yakhat and Ovad-Yahu, the Levi’im, of the sons of Merari; and Zekhar-Yah and Meshulam, of the sons of the Kehati, to preside over it; and other of the Levi’im, all that had skill with instruments of music. 13Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and presided over all that did the work in every manner of service; and of the Levi’im there were scribes, and officers, and porters. 14And when they brought out the money that was brought into Beit יהוה , Khilki-Yahu the Kohen found the book of the Torah of יהוה given by Moshe. 15And Khilki-Yahu answered and said to Shafan the scribe, “I have found the book of the Torah in Beit יהוה .” And Khilki-Yahu delivered the book to Shafan. 16And Shafan carried the book to HaMelekh, and moreover brought back word unto HaMelekh, saying, “All that was committed to your servants, they do it. 17And they have poured out the money that was found in Beit יהוה , and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the workmen.” 18And Shafan the scribe told HaMelekh, saying, “Khilki-Yahu the Kohen has delivered me a book.” And Shafan read therein before HaMelekh. 19And it came to pass, when HaMelekh had heard the words of the Torah, that he rent his clothes. 20And HaMelekh commanded Khilki-Yahu, and Ahikam Ben Shafan, and Avdon Ben Mikhah, and Shafan the scribe, and Asa-Yah the servant of HaMelekh, saying, 21“Go, inquire of יהוה for me, and for them that are left in Yisra’el and in Yehudah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of יהוה that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the D’var יהוה , to do according unto all that is written in this book.” 22So Khilki-Yahu, and they whom HaMelekh [had commanded], went to Khuldah the prophetess, the wife of Shalum Ben Tokhat, Ben Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe, now she dwelt in Yerushalayim in the second quarter, and they spoke to her to that effect. 23And she said unto them, “Thus says יהוה Elohei Yisra’el, ‘Tell the man that sent you unto me, 24‘Thus says יהוה , ‘Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before Melekh Yehudah; 25because they have forsaken Me, and have offered unto other gods, that they might provoke Me with all the works of their hands; therefore is My wrath poured out upon this place, and it shall not be quenched’.’ 26But unto Melekh Yehudah, who sent you to inquire of יהוה , thus shall you say to him, ‘Thus says יהוה Elohei Yisra’el, ‘As touching the words which you have heard, 27because your heart was tender, and you did humble yourself before Elohim, when you heard His words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and have humbled yourself before Me, and have rent your clothes, and wept before Me; I also have heard you’, says יהוה . ‘Behold28, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in shalom, neither shall your eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof’.” And they brought back word unto HaMelekh. 29Then HaMelekh sent and gathered together all the elders of Yehudah and Yerushalayim. 30And HaMelekh went up to Beit יהוה , and all the men of Yehudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, and the Kohanim, and the Levi’im, and all the people, both great and small; and he read in their ears all the words of the Sefer HaBrit that was found in Beit יהוה . And31 HaMelekh stood in his place, and made a covenant before יהוה , to walk after יהוה , and to keep His Mitzvot, and His testimonies, and His statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of HaBrit that were written in this book. 32And he caused all that were found in Yerushalayim and Binyamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Yerushalayim did according to the Brit of Elohim, the Elohim of their fathers. 33And Yoshi-Yahu took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to B’nei Yisra’el, and made all that were found in Yisra’el to serve, even to serve יהוה their Elohim. All his days they departed not from following יהוה , the Elohim of their fathers.
אבֶּן שְׁמוֹנֶה שָׁנִים יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ בְמָלְכוֹ; וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וְאַחַת שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם. בוַיַּעַשׂ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יהוה ; וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּדַרְכֵי דָּוִיד אָבִיו וְלֹא סָר יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאול. גוּבִשְׁמוֹנֶה שָׁנִים לְמָלְכוֹ וְהוּא עוֹדֶנּוּ נַעַר הֵחֵל לִדְרוֹשׁ לֵאלֹהֵי דָּוִיד אָבִיו; וּבִשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה הֵחֵל לְטַהֵר אֶת יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם מִן הַבָּמוֹת וְהָאֲשֵׁרִים וְהַפְּסִלִים וְהַמַּסֵּכוֹת. דוַיְנַתְּצוּ לְפָנָיו אֵת מִזְבְּחוֹת הַבְּעָלִים וְהַחַמָּנִים אֲשֶׁר לְמַעְלָה מֵעֲלֵיהֶם גִּדֵּעַ; וְהָאֲשֵׁרִים וְהַפְּסִלִים וְהַמַּסֵּכוֹת שִׁבַּר וְהֵדַק וַיִּזְרֹק עַל פְּנֵי הַקְּבָרִים הַזֹּבְחִים לָהֶם. הוְעַצְמוֹת כֹּהֲנִים שָׂרַף עַל מזבחותים (מִזְבְּחוֹתָם); וַיְטַהֵר אֶת יְהוּדָה וְאֶת יְרוּשָׁלִָם. ווּבְעָרֵי מְנַשֶּׁה וְאֶפְרַיִם וְשִׁמְעוֹן וְעַד נַפְתָּלִי בחר בתיהם (בְּחַרְבֹתֵיהֶם) סָבִיב. זוַיְנַתֵּץ אֶת הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת וְאֶת הָאֲשֵׁרִים וְהַפְּסִלִים כִּתַּת לְהֵדַק וְכָל הַחַמָּנִים גִּדַּע בְּכָל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיָּשָׁב לִירוּשָׁלִָם.
חוּבִשְׁנַת שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לְמָלְכוֹ לְטַהֵר הָאָרֶץ וְהַבָּיִת שָׁלַח אֶת שָׁפָן בֶּן אֲצַלְיָהוּ וְאֶת מַעֲשֵׂיָהוּ שַׂר הָעִיר וְאֵת יוֹאָח בֶּן יוֹאָחָז הַמַּזְכִּיר לְחַזֵּק אֶת בֵּית יהוה אֱלֹהָיו. טוַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל חִלְקִיָּהוּ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת הַכֶּסֶף הַמּוּבָא בֵית אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר אָסְפוּ הַלְוִיִּם שֹׁמְרֵי הַסַּף מִיַּד מְנַשֶּׁה וְאֶפְרַיִם וּמִכֹּל שְׁאֵרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִכָּל יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִן; וישבי (וַיָּשֻׁבוּ) יְרוּשָׁלִָם. יוַיִּתְּנוּ עַל יַד עֹשֵׂה הַמְּלָאכָה הַמֻּפְקָדִים בְּבֵית יהוה ; וַיִּתְּנוּ אֹתוֹ עוֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה אֲשֶׁר עֹשִׂים בְּבֵית יהוה לִבְדּוֹק וּלְחַזֵּק הַבָּיִת. יאוַיִּתְּנוּ לֶחָרָשִׁים וְלַבֹּנִים לִקְנוֹת אַבְנֵי מַחְצֵב וְעֵצִים לַמְחַבְּרוֹת; וּלְקָרוֹת אֶת הַבָּתִּים אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁחִיתוּ מַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה. יבוְהָאֲנָשִׁים עֹשִׂים בֶּאֱמוּנָה בַּמְּלָאכָה וַעֲלֵיהֶם מֻפְקָדִים יַחַת וְעֹבַדְיָהוּ הַלְוִיִּם מִן בְּנֵי מְרָרִי וּזְכַרְיָה וּמְשֻׁלָּם מִן בְּנֵי הַקְּהָתִים לְנַצֵּחַ; וְהַלְוִיִּם כָּל מֵבִין בִּכְלֵי שִׁיר. יגוְעַל הַסַּבָּלִים וּמְנַצְּחִים לְכֹל עֹשֵׂה מְלָאכָה לַעֲבוֹדָה וַעֲבוֹדָה; וּמֵהַלְוִיִּם סוֹפְרִים וְשֹׁטְרִים וְשׁוֹעֲרִים. ידוּבְהוֹצִיאָם אֶת הַכֶּסֶף הַמּוּבָא בֵּית יהוה מָצָא חִלְקִיָּהוּ הַכֹּהֵן אֶת סֵפֶר תּוֹרַת יהוה בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה. טווַיַּעַן חִלְקִיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל שָׁפָן הַסּוֹפֵר סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה מָצָאתִי בְּבֵית יהוה ; וַיִּתֵּן חִלְקִיָּהוּ אֶת הַסֵּפֶר אֶל שָׁפָן. טזוַיָּבֵא שָׁפָן אֶת הַסֵּפֶר אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיָּשֶׁב עוֹד אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּבָר לֵאמֹר: כֹּל אֲשֶׁר נִתַּן בְּיַד עֲבָדֶיךָ הֵם עֹשִׂים. יזוַיַּתִּיכוּ אֶת הַכֶּסֶף הַנִּמְצָא בְּבֵית יהוה ; וַיִּתְּנוּהוּ עַל יַד הַמֻּפְקָדִים וְעַל יַד עוֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה. יחוַיַּגֵּד שָׁפָן הַסּוֹפֵר לַמֶּלֶךְ לֵאמֹר סֵפֶר נָתַן לִי חִלְקִיָּהוּ הַכֹּהֵן; וַיִּקְרָא בוֹ שָׁפָן לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ. יטוַיְהִי כִּשְׁמֹעַ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה וַיִּקְרַע אֶת בְּגָדָיו. כוַיְצַו הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת חִלְקִיָּהוּ וְאֶת אֲחִיקָם בֶּן שָׁפָן וְאֶת עַבְדּוֹן בֶּן מִיכָה וְאֵת שָׁפָן הַסּוֹפֵר וְאֵת עֲשָׂיָה עֶבֶד הַמֶּלֶךְ לֵאמֹר, כאלְכוּ דִרְשׁוּ אֶת יהוה בַּעֲדִי וּבְעַד הַנִּשְׁאָר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִיהוּדָה עַל דִּבְרֵי הַסֵּפֶר אֲשֶׁר נִמְצָא: כִּי גְדוֹלָה חֲמַת יהוה אֲשֶׁר נִתְּכָה בָנוּ עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא שָׁמְרוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אֶת דְּבַר יהוה לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּכָל הַכָּתוּב עַל הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה. כבוַיֵּלֶךְ חִלְקִיָּהוּ וַאֲשֶׁר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל חֻלְדָּה הַנְּבִיאָה אֵשֶׁת שַׁלֻּם בֶּן תוקהת (תָּקְהַת) בֶּן חַסְרָה שׁוֹמֵר הַבְּגָדִים וְהִיא יוֹשֶׁבֶת בִּירוּשָׁלִַם בַּמִּשְׁנֶה; וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלֶיהָ כָּזֹאת. כגוַתֹּאמֶר לָהֶם כֹּה אָמַר יהוה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: אִמְרוּ לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח אֶתְכֶם אֵלָי. כדכֹּה אָמַר יהוה הִנְנִי מֵבִיא רָעָה עַל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְעַל יוֹשְׁבָיו: אֵת כָּל הָאָלוֹת הַכְּתוּבוֹת עַל הַסֵּפֶר אֲשֶׁר קָרְאוּ לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה. כהתַּחַת אֲשֶׁר עֲזָבוּנִי ויקטירו (וַיְקַטְּרוּ) לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים לְמַעַן הַכְעִיסֵנִי בְּכֹל מַעֲשֵׂי יְדֵיהֶם; וְתִתַּךְ חֲמָתִי בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְלֹא תִכְבֶּה. כווְאֶל מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה הַשֹּׁלֵחַ אֶתְכֶם לִדְרוֹשׁ בַּיהוה כֹּה תֹאמְרוּ אֵלָיו: כֹּה אָמַר יהוה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר שָׁמָעְתָּ. כזיַעַן רַךְ לְבָבְךָ וַתִּכָּנַע מִלִּפְנֵי אֱלֹהִים בְּשָׁמְעֲךָ אֶת דְּבָרָיו עַל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְעַל יֹשְׁבָיו וַתִּכָּנַע לְפָנַי וַתִּקְרַע אֶת בְּגָדֶיךָ וַתֵּבְךְּ לְפָנָי; וְגַם אֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי נְאֻם יהוה . כחהִנְנִי אֹסִפְךָ אֶל אֲבֹתֶיךָ וְנֶאֱסַפְתָּ אֶל קִבְרוֹתֶיךָ בְּשָׁלוֹם וְלֹא תִרְאֶינָה עֵינֶיךָ בְּכֹל הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מֵבִיא עַל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְעַל יֹשְׁבָיו; וַיָּשִׁיבוּ אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּבָר. כטוַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ; וַיֶּאֱסֹף אֶת כָּל זִקְנֵי יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִָם. לוַיַּעַל הַמֶּלֶךְ בֵּית יהוה וְכָל אִישׁ יְהוּדָה וְיֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וְכָל הָעָם מִגָּדוֹל וְעַד קָטָן; וַיִּקְרָא בְאָזְנֵיהֶם אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית הַנִּמְצָא בֵּית יהוה . לאוַיַּעֲמֹד הַמֶּלֶךְ עַל עָמְדוֹ וַיִּכְרֹת אֶת הַבְּרִית לִפְנֵי יהוה לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֵי יהוה וְלִשְׁמוֹר אֶת מִצְוֹתָיו וְעֵדְוֹתָיו וְחֻקָּיו בְּכָל לְבָבוֹ וּבְכָל נַפְשׁוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית הַכְּתוּבִים עַל הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה. לבוַיַּעֲמֵד אֵת כָּל הַנִּמְצָא בִירוּשָׁלִַם וּבִנְיָמִן; וַיַּעֲשׂוּ יוֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם כִּבְרִית אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם. לגוַיָּסַר יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ אֶת כָּל הַתֹּעֵבוֹת מִכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת אֲשֶׁר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּעֲבֵד אֵת כָּל הַנִּמְצָא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲבוֹד אֶת יהוה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם: כָּל יָמָיו לֹא סָרוּ מֵאַחֲרֵי יהוה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 