2 Chronicles 34

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years.

كَانَ يُوشِيَّا فِي الثَّامِنَةِ مِنْ عُمْرِهِ حِينَ مَلَكَ، وَدَامَ حُكْمُهُ إِحْدَى وَثَلاثِينَ سَنَةً فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ.

He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

وَكَانَ مَلِكاً صَالِحاً سَارَ فِي طَرِيقِ جَدِّهِ دَاوُدَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَحِيدَ عَنْهُ يَمِيناً أَوْ شِمَالاً.

In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols.

وَفِي السَّنَةِ الثَّامِنَةِ مِنْ مُلْكِهِ، وَهُوَ بَعْدُ فَتىً، ابْتَدَأَ يَعْبُدُ إِلَهَ جَدِّهِ دَاوُدَ. وَفِي السَّنَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ عَشْرَةَ شَرَعَ يُطَهِّرُ أَرْضَ يَهُوذَا وَأُورُشَلِيمَ مِنَ الْمُرْتَفَعَاتِ وَتَمَاثِيلِ عَشْتَارُوثَ وَالأَصْنَامِ وَالْمَسْبُوكَاتِ.

Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles and the idols. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

وَهَدَمَ رِجَالُهُ مَذَابِحَ الْبَعْلِ وَحَطَّمُوا تَمَاثِيلَ عِبَادَةِ الشَّمْسِ الْقَائِمَةَ فَوْقَهَا، وَكَسَّرُوا السَّوَارِيَ وَالتَّمَاثِيلَ وَالْمَسْبُوكَاتِ وَدَقُّوهَا وَذَرَّوْهَا عَلَى قُبُورِ الَّذِينَ قَرَّبُوا لَهَا.

He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and so he purged Judah and Jerusalem.

وَأَحْرَقُوا عِظَامَ كَهَنَةِ الأَوْثَانِ عَلَى مَذَابِحِهِمْ وَطَهَّرُوا أَرْضَ يَهُوذَا وَأُورُشَلِيمَ.

In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them,

وَكَذَلِكَ فَعَلَ فِي مُدُنِ أَسْبَاطِ مَنَسَّى وَأَفْرَايِمَ وَشِمْعُونَ حَتَّى نَفْتَالِي وَخَرَائِبِهَا الْمُحِيطَةِ بِها،

he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

فَهَدَمَ السَّوَارِيَ وَدَقَّ الأَصْنَامَ نَاعِماً وَحَطَّمَ تَمَاثِيلَ الشَّمْسِ فِي كُلِّ أَرْضِ إِسْرَائِيلَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ.

In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.

وَفِي السَّنَةِ الثَّامِنَةِ عَشْرَةَ لِمُلْكِهِ، بَعْدَ أَنْ قَامَ بِتَطْهِيرِ الْبِلادِ وَالْهَيْكَلِ بَعَثَ شَافَانَ بْنَ أَصَلْيَا، وَمَعَسِيَا مُحَافِظَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَيُوآخَ بْنَ يُوأَحَازَ الْمُسَجِّلَ لِيُرَمِّمُوا هَيْكَلَ اللهِ إِلَهِهِ.

They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the gatekeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

فَجَاءُوا إِلَى حِلْقِيَا رَئِيسِ الْكَهَنَةِ، وَأَعْطَوْهُ الْفِضَّةَ الَّتِي تَمَّ تَقْدِيمُهَا إِلَى هَيْكَلِ اللهِ الَّتِي جَمَعَهَا اللّاوِيُّونَ حُرَّاسُ بَابِ الْهَيْكَلِ مِنْ أَسْبَاطِ مَنَسَّى وَأَفْرَايِمَ وَسَائِرِ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَيَهُوذَا وَبَنْيَامِينَ وَأَهَالِي أُورُشَلِيمَ،

Then they entrusted it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the Lord’s temple. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple.

ثُمَّ أَوْدَعُوهَا عِنْدَ الْمُوَكَّلِينَ عَلَى الإِشْرَافِ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ فِي هَيْكَلِ الرَّبِّ، الَّذِينَ دَفَعُوهَا بِدَوْرِهِمْ لِلْعَامِلِينَ عَلَى إصْلاحِ الْهَيْكَلِ وَتَرْمِيمِهِ.

They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.

وَكَذَلِكَ أَعْطَوْا مِنْهَا لِلنَّجَّارِينَ وَالْبَنَّائِينَ لِيَشْتَرُوا حِجَارَةً مَنْحُوتَةً، وَأَخْشَاباً لِلْوَصْلاتِ، وَعَوَارِضَ لِسُقُوفِ الْبُيُوتِ الَّتِي تَرَكَهَا مُلُوكُ يَهُوذَا تَتَدَاعَى.

The workers labored faithfully. Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites—all who were skilled in playing musical instruments—

فَقَامَ الرِّجَالُ بِعَمَلِهِمْ بِكُلِّ أَمَانَةٍ، تَحْتَ إِشْرَافِ يَحَثَ وَعُوبَدْيَا اللّاوِيَّيْنِ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّةِ مَرَارِي، وَزَكَرِيَّا وَمَشُلّامَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّةِ الْقَهَاتِيِّينَ. كَمَا أَشْرَفَ اللّاوِيُّونَ الْمَاهِرُونَ عَلَى الْعَزْفِ عَلَى الآلاتِ الْمُوسِيقِيَّةِ،

had charge of the laborers and supervised all the workers from job to job. Some of the Levites were secretaries, scribes and gatekeepers.

The Book of the Law Found

وَعَلَى أَعْمَالِ الْحَمَّالِينَ، وَعَلَى سَائِرِ الْعُمَّالِ الْقَائِمِينَ بِمُخْتَلَفِ أَنْوَاعِ الْخِدْمَةِ، كَمَا كَانَ بَعْضُ اللّاوِيِّينَ كُتَّاباً، وَعُرَفَاءَ وَحُرَّاساً عَلَى الأَبْوَابِ.

العثور على سفر الشريعة

While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses.

وَفِيمَا كَانُوا يُخْرِجُونَ الْفِضَّةَ الَّتِي تَمَّ إِدْخَالُهَا فِي مَخَازِنِ هَيْكَلِ الرَّبِّ، عَثَرَ حِلْقِيَا الْكَاهِنُ عَلَى سِفْرِ شَرِيعَةِ الرَّبِّ الَّذِي أَوْصَى بِهِ عَلَى لِسَانِ مُوسَى.

Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan.

فَقَالَ حِلْقِيَا لِشَافَانَ الْكَاتِبِ: «قَدْ عَثَرْتُ عَلَى سِفْرِ الشَّرِيعَةِ فِي هَيْكَلِ الرَّبِّ». وَسَلَّمَ حِلْقِيَا السِّفْرَ إِلَى شَافَانَ.

Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them.

فَحَمَلَهُ شَافَانُ إِلَى الْمَلِكِ. وَقَدَّمَ لَهُ تَقْرِيراً قَائِلاً: «إِنَّ عَبِيدَكَ يُنَفِّذُونَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عَهِدْتَ بِهِ إِلَيْهِمْ،

They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.”

وَقَدْ أَفْرَغُوا الْفِضَّةَ الْمَوْجُودَةَ فِي الْهَيْكَلِ وَأَوْدَعُوهَا عِنْدَ الْمُوَكَّلِينَ بِالإِشْرَافِ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ، وَعِنْدَ الْعُمَّالِ».

Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

ثُمَّ أَطْلَعَ شَافَانُ الْكَاتِبُ الْمَلِكَ عَلَى السِّفْرِ قَائِلاً: «قَدْ أَعْطَانِي حِلْقِيَا الْكَاهِنُ سِفْراً». وَقَرَأَهُ شَافَانُ أَمَامَ الْمَلِكِ.

When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes.

فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الْمَلِكُ نَصَّ الشَّرِيعَةِ مَزَّقَ ثِيَابَهُ،

He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah,^[a] Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant:

وَأَمَرَ حِلْقِيَا وَأَخِيقَامَ بْنَ شَافَانَ وَعَبْدُونَ بْنَ مِيخَا وَشَافَانَ الْكَاتِبَ وَعَسَايَا خَادِمَ الْمَلِكِ:

“Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”

«اذْهَبُوا وَاسْأَلُوا الرَّبَّ عَمَّا يَكُونُ مَصِيرِي وَمَصِيرُ مَنْ بَقِيَ مِنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَيَهُوذَا، بِنَاءً عَلَى مَا وَرَدَ فِي نَصِّ هَذَا السِّفْرِ الَّذِي تَمَّ الْعُثُورُ عَلَيْهِ، إِذْ إِنَّ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ الْمُنْسَكِبَ عَلَيْنَا عَظِيمٌ، لأَنَّ آبَاءَنَا لَمْ يُطِيعُوا كَلامَ هَذَا السِّفْرِ وَلَمْ يُمَارِسُوا كُلَّ مَا وَرَدَ فِيهِ».

Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him^[b] went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath,^[c] the son of Hasrah,^[d] keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.

فَانْطَلَقَ حِلْقِيَا وَمَنْ أَرْسَلَهُمْ مَعَهُ الْمَلِكُ، إِلَى خَلْدَةَ النَّبِيَّةِ، زَوْجَةِ شَلُّومَ بْنِ تُوقَهَةَ بْنِ حَسْرَةَ، حَارِسِ الثِّيَابِ الْمَلَكِيَّةِ، الْمُقِيمَةِ فِي الْمِنْطَقَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ، وَخَاطَبُوهَا (بِمَا أَوْصَاهُمْ بِهِ الْمَلِكُ).

She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,

فَقَالَتْ: «هَذَا مَا يَقُولُهُ الرَّبُّ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ: قُولُوا لِلرَّجُلِ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَكُمْ إِلَيَّ:

‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people—all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah.

هَكَذَا يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ: هَا أَنَا جَالِبٌ عَلَى هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ وَعَلَى أَهْلِهِ كُلَّ اللَّعَنَاتِ الْوَارِدَةِ فِي السِّفْرِ الَّذِي قُرِئَ أَمَامَ مَلِكِ يَهُوذَا،

Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all that their hands have made,^[e] my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’

لأَنَّهُمْ نَبَذُونِي وَأَوْقَدُوا لآلِهَةٍ أُخْرَى، لِيُثِيرُوا سَخَطِي بِمَا تَجْنِيهِ أَيْدِيهِمْ مِنْ آثَامٍ، فَيَنْسَكِبُ غَضَبِي الَّذِي لَا يَنْطَفِئُ عَلَى هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ.

Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard:

أَمَّا مَلِكُ يَهُوذَا الَّذِي أَرْسَلَكُمْ لِتَسْتَشِيرُوا الرَّبَّ، فَهَذَا مَا تَقُولُونَ لَهُ: إِلَيْكَ مَا يَقُولُهُ الرَّبُّ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ: بِشَأْنِ مَا سَمِعْتَ مِنْ كَلامٍ:

Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord.

مِنْ حَيْثُ أَنَّ قَلْبَكَ قَدْ رَقَّ، وَتَذَلَّلْتَ أَمَامَ اللهِ لَدَى سَمَاعِكَ مَا قَضَتْ بِهِ الشَّرِيعَةُ عَلَى هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ وَعَلَى أَهْلِهِ، وَتَوَاضَعْتَ أَمَامِي وَمَزَّقْتَ ثِيَابَكَ وَبَكَيْتَ فِي حَضْرَتِي، فَإِنَّنِي قَدِ اسْتَجَبْتُ لَكَ أَنَا أَيْضاً، يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ.

Now I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.’”

So they took her answer back to the king.

لِذَلِكَ هَا أَنَا أَتَوَفَّاكَ فَتُدْفَنُ فِي قَبْرِكَ بِسَلامٍ، وَلا تَشْهَدُ عَيْنَاكَ مَا سَأُنْزِلُ بِهَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ وَأَهْلِهِ مِنْ شَرٍّ». فَحَمَلَ الرِّجَالُ رَدَّهَا إِلَى الْمَلِكِ.

Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

عِنْدَئِذٍ اسْتَدْعَى الْمَلِكُ إِلَيْهِ كُلَّ شُيُوخِ يَهُوذَا وَأُورُشَلِيمَ،

He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord.

وَتَوَجَّهَ إِلَى هَيْكَلِ الرَّبِّ، يُرَافِقُهُ كُلُّ رِجَالِ يَهُوذَا وَسُكَّانِ أُورُشَلِيمَ، وَالْكَهَنَةُ وَاللّاوِيُّونَ وَسَائِرُ الشَّعْبِ مِنْ صِغَارٍ وَكِبَارٍ، وَقَرَأَ فِي مَسَامِعِهِمْ كُلَّ كَلامِ سِفْرِ الشَّرِيعَةِ الَّذِي تَمَّ الْعُثُورُ عَلَيْهِ فِي بَيْتِ الرَّبِّ.

The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.

وَوَقَفَ الْمَلِكُ عَلَى مِنْبَرِهِ وَقَطَعَ عَهْداً أَمَامَ الرَّبِّ أَنْ يَتْبَعَ الرَّبَّ وَيَحْفَظَ وَصَايَاهُ وَشَهَادَاتِهِ وَفَرَائِضَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ الْقَلْبِ وَالنَّفْسِ، وَيُطَبِّقَ كَلامَ هَذَا الْعَهْدِ الْمُدَوَّنِ فِي هَذَا السِّفْرِ.

Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

ثُمَّ أَخَذَ الْمَلِكُ عَهْداً عَلَى كُلِّ الْمَوْجُودِينَ مِنْ أَهْلِ أُورُشَلِيمَ وَمِنْ رِجَالِ بِنْيَامِينَ أَنْ يَسْلُكُوا حَسَبَ عَهْدِ اللهِ إِلَهِ آبَائِهِمْ.

Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

وَأَزَالَ يُوشِيَّا جَمِيعَ الرَّجَاسَاتِ مِنْ كُلِّ أَرَاضِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَطَالَبَ جَمِيعَ الْمَوْجُودِينَ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ أَنْ يَعْبُدُوا الرَّبَّ إِلَهَهُمْ، فَلَمْ يَزُغِ الشَّعْبُ عَنْ عِبَادَةِ الرَّبِّ طَوَالَ أَيَّامِ حَيَاتِهِ.