King Josiah of Judah
(2 Kings 22.12 2)1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. 2 He did what was pleasing to the Lord; he followed the example of his ancestor King David, strictly obeying all the laws of God.
Josiah Attacks Pagan Worship
3 In the eighth year that Josiah was king, while he was still very young, he began to worship the God of his ancestor King David. Four years later he began to destroy the pagan places of worship, the symbols of the goddess Asherah, and all the other idols. 4 Under his direction the altars where Baal was worshiped were smashed, and the incense altars near them were torn down. They ground to dust the images of Asherah and all the other idols and then scattered the dust on the graves of the people who had sacrificed to them. 5 He burned the bones of the pagan priests on the altars where they had worshiped. By doing all this, he made Judah and Jerusalem ritually clean again. 6 He did the same thing in the cities and the devastated areas of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far north as Naphtali. 7 Throughout the territory of the Northern Kingdom he smashed the altars and the symbols of Asherah, ground the idols to dust, and broke into bits all the incense altars. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
The Book of the Law Is Discovered
(2 Kings 22.3-20)8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, after he had purified the land and the Temple by ending pagan worship, King Josiah sent three men to repair the Temple of the Lord God: Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah, the governor of Jerusalem, and Joah son of Joahaz, a high official. 9 The money that the Levite guards had collected in the Temple was turned over to Hilkiah the High Priest. (It had been collected from the people of Ephraim and Manasseh and the rest of the Northern Kingdom, and from the people of Judah, Benjamin, and Jerusalem.) 10 This money was then handed over to the three men in charge of the Temple repairs, and they gave it to 11 the carpenters and the builders to buy the stones and the timber used to repair the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to decay. 12 The men who did the work were thoroughly honest. They were supervised by four Levites: Jahath and Obadiah of the clan of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam of the clan of Kohath. (The Levites were all skillful musicians.) 13 Other Levites were in charge of transporting materials and supervising the workers on various jobs, and others kept records or served as guards.
14 While the money was being taken out of the storeroom, Hilkiah found the book of the Law of the Lord, the Law that God had given to Moses. 15 He said to Shaphan, “I have found the book of the Law here in the Temple.” He gave Shaphan the book, 16 and Shaphan took it to the king. He reported, “We have done everything that you commanded. 17 We have taken the money that was kept in the Temple and handed it over to the workers and their supervisors.” 18 Then he added, “I have here a book that Hilkiah gave me.” And he read it aloud to the king.
19 When the king heard the book being read, he tore his clothes in dismay 20 and gave the following order to Hilkiah, to Ahikam son of Shaphan, to Abdon son of Micaiah, to Shaphan, the court secretary, and to Asaiah, the king's attendant: 21 “Go and consult the Lord for me and for the people who still remain in Israel and Judah. Find out about the teachings of this book. The Lord is angry with us because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the Lord and have not done what this book says must be done.”
22 At the king's command, Hilkiah and the others went to consult a woman named Huldah, a prophet who lived in the newer part of Jerusalem. (Her husband Shallum, the son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas, was in charge of the Temple robes.) They described to her what had happened, 23 and she told them to go back to the king and give him 24 the following message from the Lord: “I am going to punish Jerusalem and all its people with the curses written in the book that was read to the king. 25 They have rejected me and have offered sacrifices to other gods, and so have stirred up my anger by all they have done. My anger is aroused against Jerusalem, and it will not die down. 26 As for the king himself, this is what I, the Lord God of Israel, say: You listened to what is written in the book, 27 and you repented and humbled yourself before me, tearing your clothes and weeping, when you heard how I threatened to punish Jerusalem and its people. I have heard your prayer, 28 and the punishment which I am going to bring on Jerusalem will not come until after your death. I will let you die in peace.”
The men returned to King Josiah with this message.
Josiah Makes a Covenant to Obey the Lord
(2 Kings 23.1-20)29 King Josiah summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, 30 and together they went to the Temple, accompanied by the priests and the Levites and all the rest of the people, rich and poor alike. Before them all the king read aloud the whole book of the covenant, which had been found in the Temple. 31 He stood by the royal column and made a covenant with the Lord to obey him, to keep his laws and commands with all his heart and soul, and to put into practice the demands attached to the covenant, as written in the book. 32 He made the people of Benjamin and everyone else present in Jerusalem promise to keep the covenant. And so the people of Jerusalem obeyed the requirements of the covenant they had made with the God of their ancestors. 33 King Josiah destroyed all the disgusting idols that were in the territory belonging to the people of Israel, and as long as he lived, he required the people to serve the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
Yahuuda mansa Yosiya
(2 Mansoolu 22:1-2)1 Yosiya siyo be nuŋ sanji seyi le, biriŋ a be ke la mansa ti, aduŋ a ye sanji taŋ saba niŋ kiliŋ ne ke maraloo la Yerusalaamu. 2 A baarata kuu betoo le la Yaawe ñaa koto. A bulata a bonsuŋ Dawuda sinnoo le nooma, a maŋ jenke muumeeke.
Mansa Yosiya ye jalambatoo bo
3 A la maraloo sanji seyinjaŋo faŋo le ye a tara a be dindiŋyaariŋ. Wo waatoo le mu, a ye a dati ka a bonsuŋo Dawuda la Alla batu. Sanji taŋ niŋ fulanjaŋo, a ye a dati ka batudulaa tintiŋolu* boyi, Asera* jalaŋ dokoolu, jalaŋ leseriŋolu aniŋ jalaŋ tunkandiŋolu, ka Yerusalaamu niŋ Yahuuda bee seneyandi. 4 Mansa Yosiya la yaamaroo kaŋ, ì ye Baali* jalaŋ sadaabodulaalu* boyi, ì ye cuuraayi siisindidulaalu kuntu, mennu be ì kaŋ santo. Ì ye Asera jalaŋ dokoolu kuntuŋ-kuntuŋ, ka taa jalaŋ leseriŋolu aniŋ jalaŋ tunkandiŋolu. Ì ye ì juru munkoo ti, bituŋ ì ye ñiŋ munkoo yuruyuru moolu la kaburoolu kaŋ, mennu ka sadaa bo ñiŋ jalaŋolu ye. 5 A ye ì la piriisoolu* kuloolu jani ì la jalaŋ sadaabodulaalu kaŋ. A la ñiŋ kuwo kewo ye Yerusalaamu niŋ Yahuuda bee seneyandi. 6 A ye ñiŋ kuu kiliŋo le ke Manase, Efurayimu* aniŋ Simeyoni saatewolu to, ka taa fo Nafutali, aniŋ tumbuŋolu mennu be ì dandaŋo la. 7 A ye jalaŋ sadaabodulaalu boyi, a ye Asera jalaŋ dokoolu niŋ jalaŋ koteŋolu juru munkoo ti. A ye jalaŋ cuuraayi siisindidulaalu bee boyi Banisirayila mansamarali bankoo bee kaŋ. Bituŋ a muruta Yerusalaamu.
Yaawe la Luwaa Kitaaboo jeta
(2 Mansoolu 22:3-20)8 Yosiya la maraloo sanji taŋ niŋ seyinjaŋo la, tuma meŋ a be bankoo niŋ Yaawe Batudulaa Buŋo* seneyandi kaŋ, a ye Asaliya dinkewo Safani kii, aniŋ Maaseya, saatee maralilaa, aniŋ Yowa meŋ mu safeerilaa ti, Yowahasi dinkewo, ka Yaawe, a la Alla Batudulaa Buŋo seyinkaŋ dadaa.
9 Ì naata Hilikiya kaŋ piriisi kuntiyo, ì ye kodoo dii a la, ì ye meŋ bondi naŋ Alla Batudulaa Buŋo to. Lewi lasiloo moolu mennu ka bundaa kantoo ke, wolu le ye ñiŋ kodoo kafu nuŋ ñoo ma ka bo Manase niŋ Efurayimu aniŋ moolu bee bulu mennu tuta Banisirayila ka taa Yahuuda niŋ Benjamini, aniŋ mennu be sabatiriŋ Yerusalaamu. 10 Ì ye kodoo ñiŋ dii moolu la, mennu tombonta ka mara dookuwo ñiŋ ma Yaawe Batudulaa Buŋo to. Bituŋ wolu ye dookuulaalu joo a la, mennu ñanta ñiŋ buŋo lookuu la ka a murundi a ñaama. 11 Ì ye a dii kapintaalu niŋ masoŋolu la ka bere leseriŋolu saŋ, aniŋ babaroo ka buŋolu dadaakuu, Yahuuda mansoolu ye mennu tu jee fo ì tiñaata.
12 Dookuulaalu ñinnu ye dookuwo ñiŋ ke tiliŋo le kono. Ñiŋ Lewi lasiloo moolu le marata ì kunna, Yahati niŋ Obadiya, Merari koomalankoolu, aniŋ Jakariya niŋ Mesullamu, Kohati koomalankoolu. Lewi lasiloo moo doolu mennu ye kuma feŋ kosoo kalamuta kendeke, 13 be marariŋ yorondirilaalu ma, aniŋ ka tara marariŋ moolu ma dookuu siifaa bee to. Ì doolu keta safeerilaa le ti, mansakundaa dookuulaalu aniŋ daa kantalaalu.
14 Kabiriŋ ì be kodoo bondi kaŋ, moolu ye meŋ dii Yaawe Batudulaa Buŋo to, Piriisi Hilikiya ye Luwaa Kitaaboo* je, Yaawe ye meŋ dii ka bo niŋ Annabilayi Musa la. 15 Wo le to Hilikiya ko safeerilaa Safani ye ko, “Ŋa Luwaa Kitaaboo je Yaawe Batudulaa Buŋo kono le.” Bituŋ a ye a dii a la.
16 Safani ye kitaaboo ñiŋ samba naŋ mansa ye, a ye ñiŋ kibaari a ye ko, “I ye i la dookuulaalu bula meŋ bee la, ì be a ke kaŋ ne. 17 Ŋà kodoo ñiŋ taa le, meŋ be nuŋ maaboriŋ Alla Batudulaa Buŋo kono, ŋà a dii dookuulaalu la, aniŋ mennu marata ì ma.” 18 Safeerilaa Safani tententa, a ko mansa ye ko, “Piriisi Hilikiya ye kitaabu le dii n na,” bituŋ a ye a karaŋ a ye.
19 Kabiriŋ mansa ye Luwaa Kitaaboo kumakaŋolu moyi, a ye a la dendikoo fara a faŋ na niikuyaa kamma la. 20 Bituŋ a ye Piriisi Hilikiya kumandi, aniŋ Safani dinkewo Ahikamu, Mika dinkewo Abudoni, Safani meŋ mu mansasuwo safeerilaa ti, aniŋ Asaya meŋ ka tara a faŋo kunna ko, 21 “Ali taa Yaawe ñininkaa n niŋ moo toomaalu ye, mennu tuta Banisirayila niŋ Yahuuda, kitaaboo kumakaŋolu la meŋ jeta teŋ. Yaawe la kamfaa warata ǹ kamma le, kaatu m̀ mumuñolu maŋ Yaawe la kumoo muta ka kuwolu bee ke, ko a be safeeriŋ ñiŋ kitaaboo kono ñaameŋ.”
22 Bituŋ Hilikiya aniŋ mansa ye mennu kii, taata annabiyomu musoo doo yaa, a too mu Huluda le ti. Ate mu Sallumu la musoo le ti, Tokati dinkewo, Hasira mamariŋo. A keemaa le marata duŋ feŋolu maabodulaa ma. Musoo ñiŋ be siiriŋ Yerusalaamu Bajonkoo le to, bituŋ ì ye a ñininkaa ñiŋ kuwo la.
23 A ye ì jaabi ko, “Yaawe, Banisirayila la Alla ye ñiŋ ne fo ko: Meŋ ye ali kii, ali a fo a ye ko, 24 ‘Yaawe, Banisirayila la Alla ko: M be maasiiboo naati la naŋ ñiŋ dulaa niŋ a moolu kaŋ ne, aniŋ dankoo meŋ bee be safeeriŋ ñiŋ kitaaboo kono, meŋ karanta Yahuuda mansa ye, 25 kaatu ì ye ì koo dii n na le, ì ka cuuraayoo siisindi alloolu ye, ì ka n kamfandi ka bo niŋ ì ye jalaŋolu mennu bee dadaa ì buloo la. N na kamfaa be jii la ñiŋ dulaa kaŋ ne, aduŋ a te sumayaa la.’ ”
26 Huluda tententa ko, “Yahuuda mansa la karoo la, meŋ ye ali kii ka naa Yaawe ñininkaa, ali a fo a ye ko, ‘Yaawe Banisirayila la Alla ko, kumakaŋo la kuwo to i ye meŋ moyi kitaaboo ñiŋ kono: 27 Bayiri biriŋ i ye kumakaŋolu moyi meŋ fota ñiŋ dulaa ma, aniŋ a moolu, a ye i sondomoo maa le, aduŋ i ye i fammajii nte Alla ñaa koto, i ye i la dendikoo faŋo fara niikuyaa kamma la, i kumboota. Wo kamma la ŋa n tuloo tu i la duwaa to le. Nte Yaawe le ye a fo. 28 M be a ke la le, i ye kafu i mumuñolu ma, i ye baadee kayiroo kono. Ite ñaa te loo la maasiiboo kaŋ, m be meŋ boyi la ñiŋ dulaa niŋ a moolu kaŋ.’ ” Bituŋ ì ye jaabiroo ñiŋ futandi mansa ma.
Yosiya ye Yaawe niŋ moolu teema kambeŋo kutayandi
(2 Mansoolu 23:1-20)29 Bituŋ mansa ye kiilaa kii ka Yerusalaamu niŋ Yahuuda alifaalu bee bendi ñoo kaŋ. 30 A taata Yaawe Batudulaa Buŋo to, a niŋ Yerusalaamu saatee moolu niŋ Yahuuda moolu bee, ka taa bula fo piriisoolu niŋ Lewi lasiloo moolu la, aniŋ moo bee biriŋ moondiŋ fo moo baa. A ye Kambeŋ Kitaaboo* kumakaŋo bee karaŋ ì ye, meŋ jeta Yaawe Batudulaa Buŋo kono, aduŋ ì tarata i lamoyi kaŋ a la. 31 Bituŋ mansa loota a loodulaa to. A ye kambeŋo kutayandi kuu a niŋ Yaawe teema, ka bula a nooma, ka a la yaamaroolu, a la luwaalu, aniŋ a la kumoolu muta a niyo niŋ a sondomoo bee la, ka baara kambeŋo kumakaŋo la, ko a be safeeriŋ ñiŋ kitaaboo kono ñaameŋ.
32 A ye a ke, mennu bee be jee ka bo Yerusalaamu niŋ Benjamini, ye laahidoo taa ka kambeŋo ñiŋ muta. Mennu be sabatiriŋ Yerusalaamu bulata Alla la kambeŋo nooma, ì mumuñolu la Alla.
33 Mansa Yosiya ye jalaŋolu bee bondi Banisirayila tundoolu bee le to, aduŋ a ye a ke, moolu mennu be Banisirayila ka Yaawe batu, ì la Alla. A baluu tiloo bee, ì maŋ ì koo dii Yaawe batoo la, ì mumuñolu la Alla.
