And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.
Read it in contextJosiah's Reforms and Covenant Renewal
Start reading at 2 Chronicles 34:1 (2 Chronicles 34:1 to 2 Chronicles 34:33).
The entire chapter details Josiah's righteous reign, beginning with his ascent to the throne and culminating in his comprehensive reforms and the people's commitment to the covenant.
34:1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.
34:2And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
34:3For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
34:4And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.
34:5And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
34:6And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.
34:7And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
34:8Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.
34:9And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.
34:10And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house:
34:11Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.
34:12And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick.
34:13Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.
34:14And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses.
34:15And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.
34:16And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it.
34:17And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.
34:18Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
34:19And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.
34:20And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,
34:21Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book.
34:22And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect.
34:23And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me,
34:24Thus saith the LORD, 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 the king of Judah:
34:25Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.
34:26And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard;
34:27Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.
34:28Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.
34:29Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
34:30And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.
34:31And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book.
34:32And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
34:33And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.
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Who
Who wrote the book? Ezra is the traditional Jewish attribution, while the final compiler is not known with certainty. First and Second Chronicles are parts of the same historical work. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (2 Chronicles 34:1–35:27): Josiah, priests, royal officials, Huldah, and the gathered people are involved in reform, the discovered law, and Passover; the final scene concerns Josiah's battle with Egypt. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? The Jewish community after exile, especially those concerned with the temple, worship, the Davidic kings, and the call to return and rebuild. Biblical references: 2 Chronicles 36:20; 2 Chronicles 36:22; 2 Chronicles 36:23. book background
What
What is the main event or theme? The main event is Josiah's comprehensive reform, where he removed all idolatrous practices and objects from the land of Israel and compelled the people to serve the LORD their God, ensuring their faithfulness throughout his reign.
What is God revealing? God is revealing His desire for His people to serve Him alone, free from idolatry and abominations. He also reveals the impact of righteous leadership, as Josiah's actions led the entire nation to follow the LORD.
What is the literary style? The literary style is narrative history.
When
When was it written? The book of 2 Chronicles was written between approximately 450 and 425 B.C.
When does the event take place? The event takes place during the reign of King Josiah, who reigned for thirty-one years (2 Chronicles 34:1). The reforms described in this chapter began in his eighth year and continued through his eighteenth year and beyond, with the verse summarizing the state of affairs for 'all his days'.
Where
Where did it happen? The reforms took place throughout 'all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel', including Judah, Jerusalem, and the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and Naphtali. stated in the text
Where was the author located? The author was located in Jerusalem. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in Josiah's Reforms and Covenant Renewal (2 Chronicles 34:1 to 2 Chronicles 34:33).
Start reading at 2 Chronicles 34:1. The entire chapter details Josiah's righteous reign, beginning with his ascent to the throne and culminating in his comprehensive reforms and the people's commitment to the covenant.
How
How does it fit the broader context? This verse serves as a summary and culmination of Josiah's extensive religious reforms described in 2 Chronicles 34:3-32. Following the discovery of the Book of the Law and the subsequent covenant renewal, Josiah ensured that the entire nation, not just Judah, returned to serving the LORD, and they remained faithful throughout his lifetime. stated in the text
How does it point to Christ? Josiah's zealous cleansing of the land from abominations and his leadership in turning the people to serve the LORD their God foreshadow the ultimate cleansing and spiritual restoration brought by Christ. As the perfect King, Christ leads His people to serve the one God, removing the idols of the heart and establishing a new covenant of true worship and obedience. interpretation
How do I apply it today? Believers today are called to actively remove 'abominations' (sins, idols, anything that takes God's rightful place) from their lives and commit to serving the LORD their God wholeheartedly. Just as Josiah led the people to follow God's word, we should seek to live in obedience to God's commands and encourage others to do the same. interpretation
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of 2 Chronicles 34
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Second Chronicles follows Solomon and the kings of Judah, emphasizing the temple, worship, and responses to prophetic warning. The closing proclamation of Cyrus points beyond exile toward return. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Major reforms are set beside the sins of intervening reigns, preserving the tension between renewal and approaching judgment.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. Major reforms are set beside the sins of intervening reigns, preserving the tension between renewal and approaching judgment.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of 2 Chronicles
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Second Chronicles follows Solomon and the kings of Judah, emphasizing the temple, worship, and responses to prophetic warning. The closing proclamation of Cyrus points beyond exile toward return.
Connection to the wholeJerusalem's fall is explained in relation to rejected warnings, and Cyrus' proclamation opens the possibility of return and rebuilding.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.