1And HaMelekh sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Yehudah and of Yerushalayim. 2And HaMelekh went up to Beit יהוה , and all the men of Yehudah and all the inhabitants of Yerushalayim with him, and the Kohenim, and the Nevi’im, and all the people, both small and great; and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the Brit which was found in Beit יהוה . And3 HaMelekh stood on the platform, and made a Brit before יהוה , to walk after יהוה , and to keep His Mitzvot, and His Edot, and His Khukot, with all his heart, and all his soul, to confirm the words of this Brit that were written in this book; and all the people stood in the Brit. 4And HaMelekh commanded Khilki-Yahu, The Kohen HaGadol, and the Kohenim of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the Heikhal of יהוה all the vessels that were made for Ba’al, and for the Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them without Yerushalayim in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beit El. 5And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the Melakhim of Yehudah had ordained to offer in the high places in the cities of Yehudah, and in the places round about Yerushalayim; them also that offered unto Ba’al, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven. 6And he brought out the Asherah from Beit יהוה , without Yerushalayim, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the common people. 7And he broke down the houses of the temple prostitutes, that were in Beit יהוה , where the women wove coverings for the Asherah. 8And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Yehudah, and defiled the high places where the priests had made offerings, from Geva to Be’er Sheva; and he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Yehoshua, the governor of the city, which were on a man’s left hand as he entered the gate of the city. 9Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the Mizbe’akh of יהוה in Yerushalayim, but they did eat unleavened bread among their brethren. 10And he defiled Tofet, which is in Gei B’nei Khinom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molekh. 11And he took away the horses that the Melakhim of Yehudah had given to the sun, at the entrance of Beit יהוה , by the chamber of Netan Melekh the officer, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. 12And the altars that were on the roof of the upper chamber of Akhaz, which the Melakhim of Yehudah had made, and the altars which Menasheh had made in the two courts of Beit יהוה , did HaMelekh break down, and beat them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron. 13And the high places that were before Yerushalayim, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Shlomo HaMelekh Yisra’el had built for Ashtoret, the detestation of the Tzidonim, and for Khemosh, the detestation of Mo’av, and for Milkom, the abomination of the children of Amon, did HaMelekh defile. 14And he broke in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Asherim, and filled their places with the bones of men. 15Moreover the altar that was at Beit El, and the high place which Yaravam Ben Nevat, who made Yisra’el to sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down; and he burned the high place and stamped it small to powder, and burned the Asherah. 16And as Yoshi-Yahu turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount; and he sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and defiled it, according to the D’var יהוה which the man of Elohim proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. 17Then he said, “What monument is that which I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of Elohim, who came from Yehudah, and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Beit El.” 18And he said, “Let him be; let no man move his bones.” So they let his bones alone, with the bones of HaNavi that came out of Shomron. 19And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Shomron, which the kings of Yisra’el had made to provoke [ יהוה ], Yoshi-Yahu took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Beit El. 20And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there, upon the altars, and burned men’s bones upon them; and he returned to Yerushalayim.
21And HaMelekh commanded all the people, saying, “Keep the Pesakh unto יהוה your Elohim, as it is written in this Sefer HaBrit.” 22For there was not kept such a Pesakh from the days of the judges that judged Yisra’el, nor in all the days of the kings of Yisra’el, nor of the Melakhim of Yehudah; 23but in the eighteenth year of Melekh Yoshi-Yahu was this Pesakh kept to יהוה in Yerushalayim. 24Moreover them that divined by a ghost or a familiar spirit, and the terafim, and the idols, and all the detestable things that were spied in the land of Yehudah and in Yerushalayim, did Yoshi-Yahu put away, that he might confirm the words of the Torah which were written in the book that Khilki-Yahu the Kohen found in Beit יהוה . And25 like unto him was there no Melekh before him, that turned to יהוה with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Torah of Moshe; neither after him arose there any like him. 26Notwithstanding יהוה turned not from the fierceness of His great wrath, wherewith His anger was kindled against Yehudah, because of all the provocations wherewith Menasheh had provoked Him. 27And יהוה said, “I will remove Yehudah also out of My sight, as I have removed Yisra’el, and I will cast off this city which I have chosen, even Yerushalayim, and the house of which I said, ‘My Name shall be there’.”
28Now the rest of the acts of Yoshi-Yahu, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of HaMelakhim Yehudah? 29In his days Paroh Nekho king of Mitzrayim went up against the king of Ashur to the river Perat; and Melekh Yoshi-Yahu went against him; and he slew him at Megido, when he had seen him. 30And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megido, and brought him to Yerushalayim, and buried him in his own tomb. And the people of the land took Yeho’akhaz Ben Yoshi-Yahu, and anointed him, and made him Melekh in his father’s stead.
31Yeho’akhaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Yerushalayim; and his mother’s name was Khamutal Bat Yirme-Yahu, of Livnah. 32And he did that which was evil in the sight of יהוה , according to all that his fathers had done. 33And Paroh Nekho put him in bands at Rivlah in the land of Khamat, that he might not reign in Yerushalayim; and put the land to a fine of a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. 34And Paroh Nekho made El Yakim Ben Yoshi-Yahu Melekh in the room of Yoshi-Yahu his father, and changed his name to Yehoyakim; but he took Yeho’akhaz away; and he came to Mitzrayim, and died there. 35And Yehoyakim gave the silver and the gold to Paroh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Paroh; he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Paroh Nekho.
36Yehoyakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Yerushalayim; and his mother’s name was Zevudah Bat Pedayah, of Rumah. 37And he did that which was evil in the sight of יהוה , according to all that his fathers had done.
אוַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ; וַיַּאַסְפוּ אֵלָיו כָּל זִקְנֵי יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִָם. בוַיַּעַל הַמֶּלֶךְ בֵּית יהוה וְכָל אִישׁ יְהוּדָה וְכָל יֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם אִתּוֹ וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַנְּבִיאִים וְכָל הָעָם לְמִקָּטֹן וְעַד גָּדוֹל; וַיִּקְרָא בְאָזְנֵיהֶם אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית הַנִּמְצָא בְּבֵית יהוה . גוַיַּעֲמֹד הַמֶּלֶךְ עַל הָעַמּוּד וַיִּכְרֹת אֶת הַבְּרִית לִפְנֵי יהוה לָלֶכֶת אַחַר יהוה וְלִשְׁמֹר מִצְוֹתָיו וְאֶת עֵדְוֹתָיו וְאֶת חֻקֹּתָיו בְּכָל לֵב וּבְכָל נֶפֶשׁ לְהָקִים אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית הַזֹּאת הַכְּתֻבִים עַל הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה; וַיַּעֲמֹד כָּל הָעָם בַּבְּרִית. דוַיְצַו הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת חִלְקִיָּהוּ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל וְאֶת כֹּהֲנֵי הַמִּשְׁנֶה וְאֶת שֹׁמְרֵי הַסַּף לְהוֹצִיא מֵהֵיכַל יהוה אֵת כָּל הַכֵּלִים הָעֲשׂוּיִם לַבַּעַל וְלָאֲשֵׁרָה וּלְכֹל צְבָא הַשָּׁמָיִם; וַיִּשְׂרְפֵם מִחוּץ לִירוּשָׁלִַם בְּשַׁדְמוֹת קִדְרוֹן וְנָשָׂא אֶת עֲפָרָם בֵּית אֵל. הוְהִשְׁבִּית אֶת הַכְּמָרִים אֲשֶׁר נָתְנוּ מַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה וַיְקַטֵּר בַּבָּמוֹת בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וּמְסִבֵּי יְרוּשָׁלִָם; וְאֶת הַמְקַטְּרִים לַבַּעַל לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְלַיָּרֵחַ וְלַמַּזָּלוֹת וּלְכֹל צְבָא הַשָּׁמָיִם. ווַיֹּצֵא אֶת הָאֲשֵׁרָה מִבֵּית יהוה מִחוּץ לִירוּשָׁלִַם אֶל נַחַל קִדְרוֹן וַיִּשְׂרֹף אֹתָהּ בְּנַחַל קִדְרוֹן וַיָּדֶק לְעָפָר; וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶת עֲפָרָהּ עַל קֶבֶר בְּנֵי הָעָם. זוַיִּתֹּץ אֶת בָּתֵּי הַקְּדֵשִׁים אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית יהוה : אֲשֶׁר הַנָּשִׁים אֹרְגוֹת שָׁם בָּתִּים לָאֲשֵׁרָה. חוַיָּבֵא אֶת כָּל הַכֹּהֲנִים מֵעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וַיְטַמֵּא אֶת הַבָּמוֹת אֲשֶׁר קִטְּרוּ שָׁמָּה הַכֹּהֲנִים מִגֶּבַע עַד בְּאֵר שָׁבַע; וְנָתַץ אֶת בָּמוֹת הַשְּׁעָרִים אֲשֶׁר פֶּתַח שַׁעַר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שַׂר הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר עַל שְׂמֹאול אִישׁ בְּשַׁעַר הָעִיר. טאַךְ לֹא יַעֲלוּ כֹּהֲנֵי הַבָּמוֹת אֶל מִזְבַּח יהוה בִּירוּשָׁלִָם: כִּי אִם אָכְלוּ מַצּוֹת בְּתוֹךְ אֲחֵיהֶם. יוְטִמֵּא אֶת הַתֹּפֶת אֲשֶׁר בְּגֵי בני (בֶן) הִנֹּם: לְבִלְתִּי לְהַעֲבִיר אִישׁ אֶת בְּנוֹ וְאֶת בִּתּוֹ בָּאֵשׁ לַמֹּלֶךְ. יאוַיַּשְׁבֵּת אֶת הַסּוּסִים אֲשֶׁר נָתְנוּ מַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מִבֹּא בֵית יהוה אֶל לִשְׁכַּת נְתַן מֶלֶךְ הַסָּרִיס אֲשֶׁר בַּפַּרְוָרִים; וְאֶת מַרְכְּבוֹת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ שָׂרַף בָּאֵשׁ. יבוְאֶת הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת אֲשֶׁר עַל הַגָּג עֲלִיַּת אָחָז אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ מַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה וְאֶת הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה מְנַשֶּׁה בִּשְׁתֵּי חַצְרוֹת בֵּית יהוה נָתַץ הַמֶּלֶךְ; וַיָּרָץ מִשָּׁם וְהִשְׁלִיךְ אֶת עֲפָרָם אֶל נַחַל קִדְרוֹן. יגוְאֶת הַבָּמוֹת אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם אֲשֶׁר מִימִין לְהַר הַמַּשְׁחִית אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה שְׁלֹמֹה מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעַשְׁתֹּרֶת שִׁקֻּץ צִידֹנִים וְלִכְמוֹשׁ שִׁקֻּץ מוֹאָב וּלְמִלְכֹּם תּוֹעֲבַת בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן טִמֵּא הַמֶּלֶךְ. ידוְשִׁבַּר אֶת הַמַּצֵּבוֹת וַיִּכְרֹת אֶת הָאֲשֵׁרִים; וַיְמַלֵּא אֶת מְקוֹמָם עַצְמוֹת אָדָם. טווְגַם אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית אֵל הַבָּמָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יָרָבְעָם בֶּן נְבָט אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל גַּם אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ הַהוּא וְאֶת הַבָּמָה נָתָץ; וַיִּשְׂרֹף אֶת הַבָּמָה הֵדַק לְעָפָר וְשָׂרַף אֲשֵׁרָה. טזוַיִּפֶן יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ וַיַּרְא אֶת הַקְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר שָׁם בָּהָר וַיִּשְׁלַח וַיִּקַּח אֶת הָעֲצָמוֹת מִן הַקְּבָרִים וַיִּשְׂרֹף עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וַיְטַמְּאֵהוּ כִּדְבַר יהוה אֲשֶׁר קָרָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר קָרָא אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה. יזוַיֹּאמֶר מָה הַצִּיּוּן הַלָּז אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי רֹאֶה; וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר הַקֶּבֶר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר בָּא מִיהוּדָה וַיִּקְרָא אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ עַל הַמִּזְבַּח בֵּית אֵל. יחוַיֹּאמֶר הַנִּיחוּ לוֹ אִישׁ אַל יָנַע עַצְמוֹתָיו; וַיְמַלְּטוּ עַצְמוֹתָיו אֵת עַצְמוֹת הַנָּבִיא אֲשֶׁר בָּא מִשֹּׁמְרוֹן. יטוְגַם אֶת כָּל בָּתֵּי הַבָּמוֹת אֲשֶׁר בְּעָרֵי שֹׁמְרוֹן אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַכְעִיס הֵסִיר יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ; וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם כְּכָל הַמַּעֲשִׂים אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בְּבֵית אֵל. כוַיִּזְבַּח אֶת כָּל כֹּהֲנֵי הַבָּמוֹת אֲשֶׁר שָׁם עַל הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת וַיִּשְׂרֹף אֶת עַצְמוֹת אָדָם עֲלֵיהֶם; וַיָּשָׁב יְרוּשָׁלִָם.
כאוַיְצַו הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת כָּל הָעָם לֵאמֹר עֲשׂוּ פֶסַח לַיהוה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם כַּכָּתוּב עַל סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית הַזֶּה. כבכִּי לֹא נַעֲשָׂה כַּפֶּסַח הַזֶּה מִימֵי הַשֹּׁפְטִים אֲשֶׁר שָׁפְטוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְכֹל יְמֵי מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה. כגכִּי אִם בִּשְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה לַמֶּלֶךְ יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ: נַעֲשָׂה הַפֶּסַח הַזֶּה לַיהוה בִּירוּשָׁלִָם. כדוְגַם אֶת הָאֹבוֹת וְאֶת הַיִּדְּעֹנִים וְאֶת הַתְּרָפִים וְאֶת הַגִּלֻּלִים וְאֵת כָּל הַשִּׁקֻּצִים אֲשֶׁר נִרְאוּ בְּאֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה וּבִירוּשָׁלִַם בִּעֵר יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ: לְמַעַן הָקִים אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַכְּתֻבִים עַל הַסֵּפֶר אֲשֶׁר מָצָא חִלְקִיָּהוּ הַכֹּהֵן בֵּית יהוה . כהוְכָמֹהוּ לֹא הָיָה לְפָנָיו מֶלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר שָׁב אֶל יהוה בְּכָל לְבָבוֹ וּבְכָל נַפְשׁוֹ וּבְכָל מְאֹדוֹ כְּכֹל תּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה; וְאַחֲרָיו לֹא קָם כָּמֹהוּ. כואַךְ לֹא שָׁב יהוה מֵחֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ הַגָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר חָרָה אַפּוֹ בִּיהוּדָה עַל כָּל הַכְּעָסִים אֲשֶׁר הִכְעִיסוֹ מְנַשֶּׁה. כזוַיֹּאמֶר יהוה גַּם אֶת יְהוּדָה אָסִיר מֵעַל פָּנַי כַּאֲשֶׁר הֲסִרֹתִי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל; וּמָאַסְתִּי אֶת הָעִיר הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי אֶת יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְאֶת הַבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי יִהְיֶה שְׁמִי שָׁם.
כחוְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ וְכָל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה: הֲלֹא הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה. כטבְּיָמָיו עָלָה פַרְעֹה נְכֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם עַל מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר עַל נְהַר פְּרָת; מִמְּגִדּוֹ וַיְבִאֻהוּ יְרוּשָׁלִַם וַיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ בִּקְבֻרָתוֹ; וַיִּקַּח עַם הָאָרֶץ אֶת יְהוֹאָחָז בֶּן יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ וַיִּמְשְׁחוּ אֹתוֹ וַיַּמְלִיכוּ אֹתוֹ תַּחַת אָבִיו.
לאבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים וְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנָה יְהוֹאָחָז בְּמָלְכוֹ וּשְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם; וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ חֲמוּטַל בַּת יִרְמְיָהוּ מִלִּבְנָה. לבוַיַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יהוה כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֲבֹתָיו. לגוַיַּאַסְרֵהוּ פַרְעֹה נְכֹה בְרִבְלָה בְּאֶרֶץ חֲמָת במלך (מִמְּלֹךְ) בִּירוּשָׁלִָם; וַיִּתֶּן עֹנֶשׁ עַל הָאָרֶץ מֵאָה כִכַּר כֶּסֶף וְכִכַּר זָהָב. לדוַיַּמְלֵךְ פַּרְעֹה נְכֹה אֶת אֶלְיָקִים בֶּן יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ תַּחַת יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ אָבִיו וַיַּסֵּב אֶת שְׁמוֹ יְהוֹיָקִים; וְאֶת יְהוֹאָחָז לָקַח וַיָּבֹא מִצְרַיִם וַיָּמָת שָׁם. להוְהַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב נָתַן יְהוֹיָקִים לְפַרְעֹה אַךְ הֶעֱרִיךְ אֶת הָאָרֶץ לָתֵת אֶת הַכֶּסֶף עַל פִּי פַרְעֹה: אִישׁ כְּעֶרְכּוֹ נָגַשׂ אֶת הַכֶּסֶף וְאֶת הַזָּהָב אֶת עַם הָאָרֶץ לָתֵת לְפַרְעֹה נְכֹה.
לובֶּן עֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה יְהוֹיָקִים בְּמָלְכוֹ וְאַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם; וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ זבידה (זְבוּדָּה) בַת פְּדָיָה מִן רוּמָה. לזוַיַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יהוה כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֲבֹתָיו.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 