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2 Crônicas 34

BLIVRE · Chapter 34/36

1De oito anos era Josias quando começou a reinar, e trinta e um anos reinou em Jerusalém.

2Este fez o que era correto aos olhos do SENHOR, e andou nos caminhos de Davi seu pai, sem desviar-se à direita nem à esquerda.

3A os oito anos de seu reinado, sendo ainda jovem, começou a buscar ao Deus de Davi seu pai; e aos doze anos começou a limpar a Judá e a Jerusalém dos altos, bosques, esculturas, e imagens de fundição.

4E derrubaram diante dele os altares dos baalins, e fez pedaços as imagens do sol, que estavam postas encima; despedaçou também os bosques, e as esculturas e estátuas de fundição, e esmigalhou-as, e dispersou o pó sobre os sepulcros dos que a elas haviam sacrificado.

5Queimou ademais os ossos dos sacerdotes sobre seus altares, e limpou a Judá e a Jerusalém.

6O mesmo fez nas cidades de Manassés, Efraim, e Simeão, até em Naftali, com seus lugares assolados ao redor.

7E quando havia derrubado os altares e os bosques, e quebrado e esmigalhado as esculturas, e destruído todos os ídolos por toda a terra de Israel, voltou-se a Jerusalém.

8Aos dezoito anos de seu reinado, depois de haver limpado a terra, e a casa, enviou a Safã filho de Azalias, e a Maaseias governador da cidade, e a Joá filho de Jeoacaz, chanceler, para que reparassem a casa do SENHOR seu Deus.

9Os quais vieram a Hilquias, grande sacerdote, e deram o dinheiro que havia sido posto na casa do SENHOR, que os levitas que guardavam a porta haviam recolhido da mão de Manassés e de Efraim e de todas as restantes de Israel, e de todo Judá e Benjamim, havendo depois voltado a Jerusalém.

10E entregaram-no em mão dos que faziam a obra, que eram capatazes na casa do SENHOR; os quais o davam aos que faziam a obra e trabalhavam na casa do SENHOR, para reparar e restaurar o templo.

11Davam também aos oficiais e pedreiros para que comprassem pedra lavrada, e madeira para as juntas, e para cobertura das casas, as quais haviam destruído os reis de Judá.

12E estes homens procediam com fidelidade na obra: e eram seus governadores Jaate e Obadias, levitas dos filhos de Merari; e Zacarias e Mesulão dos filhos de Coate, para que ativassem a obra; e dos levitas, todos os entendidos em instrumentos musicais.

13Também supervisionavam sobre os operários, e eram capatazes dos que se ocupavam em qualquer classe de obra; e dos levitas havia escribas, governadores, e porteiros.

14E ao tirar o dinheiro que havia sido posto na casa do SENHOR, Hilquias o sacerdote achou o livro da lei do SENHOR dada por meio de Moisés.

15E dando conta Hilquias, disse a Safã escriba: Eu ei achado o livro da lei na casa do SENHOR. E deu Hilquias o livro a Safã.

16E Safã o levou ao rei, e contou-lhe o negócio, dizendo: Teus servos cumpriram tudo o que lhes foi encarregado.

17Reuniram o dinheiro que se achou na casa do SENHOR, e o entregaram em mão dos comissionados, e em mão dos que fazem a obra.

18A mais disto, declarou Safã escriba ao rei, dizendo: O sacerdote Hilquias me deu um livro. E leu Safã nele diante do rei.

19E logo que o rei ouviu as palavras da lei, rasgou suas vestes;

20E mandou a Hilquias e a Aicã filho de Safã, e a Abdom filho de Mica, e a Safã escriba, e a Asaías servo do rei, dizendo:

21Andai, e consultai ao SENHOR de mim, e dos restantes de Israel e de Judá, acerca das palavras do livro que se achou; porque grande é o furor do SENHOR que há caído sobre nós, porquanto nossos pais não guardaram a palavra do SENHOR, para fazer conforme tudo o que está escrito neste livro.

22Então Hilquias e os do rei foram a Hulda profetisa, mulher de Salum, filho de Tocate, filho de Harás, guarda das vestimentas, a qual morava em Jerusalém na segunda parte [da cidade] e disseram-lhe as palavras ditas.

23E ela respondeu: o SENHOR o Deus de Israel disse assim: Dizei ao homem que vos enviou a mim, que assim disse o SENHOR:

24Eis que eu trago mal sobre este lugar, e sobre os moradores dele, e todas as maldições que estão escritas no livro que leram diante do rei de Judá:

25Por quanto me deixaram, e sacrificaram a deuses alheios, provocando-me à ira em todas as obras de suas mãos; portanto meu furor destilará sobre este lugar, e não se apagará.

26Mas ao rei de Judá, que vos enviou a consultar ao SENHOR, assim lhe direis: o SENHOR o Deus de Israel disse assim: Porquanto ouviste as palavras do livro,

27E teu coração se enterneceu, e te humilhaste diante de Deus ao ouvir suas palavras sobre este lugar, e sobre seus moradores, e te humilhaste diante de mim, e rasgaste tuas vestes, e choraste em minha presença, eu também te ei ouvido, diz o SENHOR.

28Eis que eu te recolherei com teus pais, e serás recolhido em teus sepulcros em paz, e teus olhos não verão todo o mal que eu trago sobre este lugar, e sobre os moradores dele. E eles referiram ao rei a resposta.

29Então o rei enviou e juntou todos os anciãos de Judá e de Jerusalém.

30E subiu o rei à casa do SENHOR, e com ele todos os homens de Judá, e os moradores de Jerusalém, e os sacerdotes, e os levitas, e todo o povo desde o maior até o menor; e leu a ouvidos deles todas as palavras do livro do pacto que havia sido achado na casa do SENHOR.

31E estando o rei em pé em seu lugar, fez aliança diante do SENHOR de caminhar após o SENHOR, e de guardar seus mandamentos, seus testemunhos, e seus estatutos, de todo seu coração e de toda sua alma, praticando as palavras do pacto que estavam escritas naquele livro.

32E fez que se obrigassem a ele todos os que estavam em Jerusalém e em Benjamim: e os moradores de Jerusalém fizeram conforme ao pacto de Deus, do Deus de seus pais.

33E tirou Josias todas as abominações de todas as terras dos filhos de Israel, e fez a todos os que se acharam em Israel servirem ao SENHOR seu Deus. Não se desviaram de seguir o SENHOR o Deus de seus pais, todo o tempo que ele viveu.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Josiah becomes king while still a child and, as a young man, begins deep religious reforms. During repairs to the temple, an ancient lost book of the law is found, and upon hearing its contents, Josiah tears his clothes in anguish and leads the people in a renewed covenant of obedience to God.

Explanation

The discovery of the 'book of the law' — probably a copy of Deuteronomy that had been lost or forgotten during previous idolatrous reigns — is a moment of great historical and spiritual significance: an entire people had drifted so far that the very foundational texts of their faith had been literally lost within the temple itself. Josiah's reaction, tearing his clothes in genuine anguish upon realizing how far the people were from the standards God had set, shows a rare spiritual sensitivity, especially notable given his youth and his upbringing under the shadow of his grandfather Manasseh's idolatrous reign. His decisive leadership in promoting sweeping religious reforms, including consulting the prophetess Huldah to confirm the authenticity and seriousness of the message, establishes Josiah as one of the last and most remarkable faithful kings before Judah's final exile.

Fun facts

  • Many biblical scholars identify the 'book of the law' found during the temple repairs as a copy of the book of Deuteronomy, given the strong theme of covenant renewal and warnings about exile that characterize both that book and Josiah's subsequent reforms.
  • Huldah, the prophetess consulted by Josiah to confirm the message of the found book, is one of the few women explicitly identified as a prophetess in the Old Testament, showing that women also held recognized and respected prophetic roles in Israelite society.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 2 Crônicas 34:1Josiah was only eight years old when he began to reign, and he ruled thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
  2. 2 Crônicas 34:2The Chronicler gives one of the most complete tributes in the book: Josiah did what was right, walking in the ways of David without turning aside to the right or to the left.
  3. 2 Crônicas 34:3Josiah begins seeking God while still a teenager, at sixteen, and begins tearing down idolatry across the whole country at twenty, even before finding the book of the law mentioned later in the chapter. His reform already came from personal conviction, not just from the discovery of a document.
  4. 2 Crônicas 34:4In Josiah’s own presence, the people tear down the altars of Baal, cut down the images dedicated to the sun, and grind the sacred poles and idols to dust, scattering the remains over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
  5. 2 Crônicas 34:5Josiah goes even further: he burns the bones of the idolatrous priests on their own altars, completing the purification of Judah and Jerusalem.
  6. 2 Crônicas 34:6This reform also extends to the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and even Naphtali, regions of the former northern kingdom already in ruins.
  7. 2 Crônicas 34:7After tearing down altars, sacred poles, and images throughout the land of Israel, grinding everything to dust, Josiah returns to Jerusalem.
  8. 2 Crônicas 34:8In the eighteenth year of his reign, with the land and the temple now purified, Josiah sends three trusted men to organize the physical repair of the temple.
  9. 2 Crônicas 34:9These men hand over to Hilkiah the high priest the money collected by the Levite gatekeepers, gathered from all the remaining Israel, and from Judah and Benjamin.
  10. 2 Crônicas 34:10The money is passed on to those in charge of the work, who oversee the repair of the temple.
  11. 2 Crônicas 34:11Part of the money goes to buy cut stone and timber, used to rebuild parts of the temple that earlier kings had let fall into ruin.
  12. 2 Crônicas 34:12The workers act faithfully, supervised by Levites such as Jahath and Obadiah, of the family of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the Kohathite family — all of them also experienced musicians.
  13. 2 Crônicas 34:13Other Levites take care of the carriers and general supervisors of the work, while still others serve as scribes, officials, and gatekeepers.
  14. 2 Crônicas 34:14While the collected money is being brought out, the priest Hilkiah finds a copy of the book of the law that had been given through Moses — the great discovery of the chapter.
  15. 2 Crônicas 34:15During the repair of the temple, the priest Hilkiah finds a copy of the book of the law, and the king’s reaction on hearing its contents is to tear his own clothes in shock. The fact that finding the law is treated as a rare discovery shows just how much religious forgetfulness had set in.
  16. 2 Crônicas 34:16Shaphan brings the book to the king and also reports that the workers are carrying out everything that was ordered for the repair of the temple.
  17. 2 Crônicas 34:17Shaphan reports that the money found in the temple has already been handed over to the supervisors and workers in charge of the project.
  18. 2 Crônicas 34:18Along with his report, Shaphan tells the king about the book Hilkiah gave him, and reads it aloud in front of Josiah himself.
  19. 2 Crônicas 34:19On hearing the words of the law, Josiah tears his own clothes, a traditional gesture of shock and mourning at the seriousness of what he has heard.
  20. 2 Crônicas 34:20Josiah summons Hilkiah and other trusted officials for an urgent mission.
  21. 2 Crônicas 34:21Josiah asks them to inquire of the Lord about the words of this newly found book, recognizing that God’s wrath must be burning because their ancestors did not obey what was written.
  22. 2 Crônicas 34:22Hilkiah and the others sent go to the prophetess Huldah, married to a keeper of the royal wardrobe, who lived in Jerusalem, to seek the word of the Lord.
  23. 2 Crônicas 34:23The prophetess Huldah confirms that the judgment announced in the book will indeed happen, but not during Josiah’s lifetime, because of his humility on hearing the news. It’s significant that the king’s own officials go specifically to a woman prophet as the authority on this matter.
  24. 2 Crônicas 34:24Huldah confirms that God will bring the disaster announced on Jerusalem and its people, fulfilling every curse written in that book read before the king.
  25. 2 Crônicas 34:25The reason given is clear: the people abandoned the Lord and burned incense to other gods, provoking the wrath that will now pour out without relief on that place.
  26. 2 Crônicas 34:26But for the king himself, who ordered the inquiry, Huldah has a different message from the general words of judgment.
  27. 2 Crônicas 34:27She acknowledges that Josiah’s heart was moved and he humbled himself before God on hearing the words against that place, weeping and tearing his clothes — and because of this the Lord heard him.
  28. 2 Crônicas 34:28Because of this humility, God promises that Josiah will die in peace, without seeing with his own eyes the disaster still to fall on Jerusalem — and the messengers carry this answer back to the king.
  29. 2 Crônicas 34:29Josiah then summons all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to a great assembly.
  30. 2 Crônicas 34:30The king goes up to the temple with all the people, priests, and Levites, from the greatest to the least, and reads aloud the entire content of the book of the covenant found in the temple.
  31. 2 Crônicas 34:31Josiah stands in his place and makes a covenant before the Lord, committing to follow His commandments with all his heart and all his soul, carrying out everything written in that book.
  32. 2 Crônicas 34:32He makes everyone present in Jerusalem and Benjamin commit to this same covenant, and they begin to act according to the covenant of the God of their ancestors.
  33. 2 Crônicas 34:33Josiah removes all idolatrous practices from the whole territory of Israel and requires the people to serve the Lord; as long as he lives, the people do not turn away from this faithfulness.

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