Month: February 2026

Then Josiah announced that the Passover of the Lord should be celebrated in Jerusalem, and so the Passover Lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month. Josiah also assigned priests to their duties and encouraged them in their work at the Temple of the Lord. He issued this order to the Levites, who were to teach all Israel and who had be set apart to serve the Lord. “Put the holy Ark in the Temple that was built by Solomon son of David, the king of Israel. You no longer need to carry it back and forth on your shoulders. Now spend your time serving the Lord your God and His people Israel. Report or duty according to the family divisions of King David of Israel and his directions of his son Solomon.” (vv. 1-4, NLT)

The entire for the Lord’sPassover was completed that day. All the burnt offerings were sacrificed on the altar of the Lord, as King Josiah had commanded. All the Israelites present in Jerusalem celebrated Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Never since the time of the prophet Samuel had there been such a Passover. None of the kings of Israel had ever kept Passover as Josiah did, involving all the priests and Levites, all the people of Jerusalem, and all the people from all over Judah and Israel. This passover celebration took place in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign. (vv. 16-19, NLT)

Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up to the Temple of the Lord with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, along with the priests and the Levites-all the people from greatest to least. There the king read to the the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the Lord’s Temple. The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the Lord’s presence. He pledge to obey the Lord by keeping all His commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. He promised to obey all the terms of the covenant that were written in the scroll. And he required everyone in Jerusalem and the people of Benjamin to make a similar pledge. The people of Jerusalem did so, renewing their covenant with God, the God of their ancestors.

So Josiah removed all the detestable idols from the entire land of Israel and required everyone to worship the Lord their God. And throughout the rest of his lifetime, they did not turn away from the Lord, the God of their ancestors. (vv. 29-33, NLT)

She [the prophet Huldah]said to them, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken! Go back and tell the mane who sent you. This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this city and its people. All the curses written in the scroll that was read to the king of Judah will come true. For My people have abandoned Me and offered sacrifices to pagan gods, and I am very angry with them for everything they have done. My anger will be poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.”

“But go to the king of Judah who sent you to seek the Lord and tell him: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says, concerning the message you have just heard: You were sorry and humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against the city and its people. You humbled yourself and tore your clothing in despair and wept before Me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the Lord. So I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace. You yourself will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this city and its people.'”

So they took her message back to the king. (vv. 23-28, NLT)

While they were bringing out the money collected at the Lord’s Temple, Hilkiah, the priest found the Book of Law of the Lord that was written by Moses. Hilkiah said to Shapan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of Law in the Lord’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.

Shaphan took the scroll to the king and reported, “Your officials are doing everything they were assigned to do. The money that was collected at the Temple of the Lord has been turned over to the supervisors and workmen.” Shaphan also told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has give me a scroll.” So Shaphan read it to the king.

When the king heard what was written in the Law, he tore his clothes in dispair. Then he gave these order to HIlkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphgan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary and Asiah the king’s personal adviser: “Go to the Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for all the remnant of Israel and Judah. Inquire about the words written in the scroll that has been found. For the Lord’s great anger has been poured out on us because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the Lord. We have not been doing everything this scrolls says we must do.”

So Hilkiah and the other men went to the New Quarter of Jerusalem to consult with the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tivah, son of Harhas, the keeper of the Temple wardrobe. (vv. 14-22, NLT)

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. Hd did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his ancestor, David. He did not turn away from doing what was right.

During the eight year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David. Then in the twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all the pagan shrines, the Asherah poles, and the carved idols, and the cast images were smashed and shattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. He burned the bones of the pagan priests on their own altars, and so he purified Judah and Jerusalem.

In the eighteenth year of his reign, after Josiah had purified the land and the Temple, Josiah appointed Shapan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of Jerusalem, and Joah son of Joahaz, the royal historian, to repair the Temple of the Lord his God. They give Hilkiah the high priest the money that had been collected by the Levites who served as gatekeepers at the Temple of God. The gifts were brought by all people from Manasseh, Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, as well as from all Judah, Benjamin, and the people of Jerusalem. (vv. 1-9, NLT)

About that time, Hezekiah became deathly ill. He prayed to the Lord, who healed him and gave him a miraculous sign. But Hezekiah did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown hm, and he became proud. So the Lord’s anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah humbled himself and repented of his pride, as did the people of Jerusalem. So the Lord’s anger did not fall on them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.

Hezekiah was very wealthy and highly honored. He built special treasury buildings for his silver, gold, precious stones, and spices, and for his shields and other valuable items. He also constructed many storehouses for his grain, new wine, and olive oil; and he made many stalls for his cattle and pens for his flocks of sheep and goats. He built many towns and required vast flocks and herds, for God had given him great wealth. He blocked up the spring of Gihon and brought water down through a tunnel to the west side of the City of David. And he succeeded in everything he did.

However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the remarkable events that taken place in the land, God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and see what was really in his heart. (vv. 24-31, NLT)

And Sennacherib’s officers further mocked the Lord God and His servant Hezekiah. The king also sent letters scorning the Lord God of Israel. He wrote, “Just as the gods of all the other nations failed to rescue their people from my power, so the God of Hezekiah will also fall.” The Assyrian officials who brought the letters shouted in Hebrew to the people gathered on the walls of the city, trying to terrify them so if would be easier to capture the city. These officers talked about the God of Jerusalem as though He were one of the pagan gods, made by human hands.

Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to God in heaven. And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army with all its commanders and officers. So Sennacherib was forced to return home in disgrace to his own land. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him there with a sword.

This is how the Lord rescued Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from King Sennacherib of Assyria and from all the others who threatened the. So there was peace throughout the land. From then on King Hezekiah became highly respected among all the surrounding nations, and many gifts for the Lord arrived at Jerusalem, with valuable presents for King Hezekiah, too. (vv. 16-23, NLT)

After Hezekiah had faithfully carried out this work, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified towns giving orders for his army to break through their walls. When Hezekiah realized that Sennacherib. also intended to attack Jerusalem, he consulted with his officials and military advisers, and they decided to stop the flow o the springs outside the city. They organized a huge work crew to stop the flow of the springs, cutting off the brook that ran through the fields. For they said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come her and find plenty of water.” (vv. 1-4, NLT)

He [Hezekiah] appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate. Then Hezekiah encouraged them by saying, “Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king or of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!” Hezekiah’s words greatly encouraged the people. (vv. 6-8, NLT)

Then the Levites went to King Hezekiah and gave him this report: “We have cleansed the Temple of the Lord, the altar of burnt offerings with all its utensils, and the table of the Bread of the Presence with all its utensils. We have also recovered the items discarded by King Ahaz when he was unfaithful and closed thge Temple. They are now in front of the altar of the Lord, purified and ready for use.”(vv. 18-19, NLT)

King Hezekiah then stationed the Levites at the Temple of the Lord with cymbals, lyres, and harps. He obeyed all the commandments that the Lord had given to King David through Gad, the king’s seer, and the prophet Nathan. The Levites then took their positions around the Temple with the trumpets.

Then Hezekiah ordered that the burnt offering be placed on the altar. As the burnt offering was presented, songs of praise to the Lord were begun, accompanied by the trumpets and other instruments of David, the former king of Israel. (v. 27, NLT)

So the Temple of the Lord was restored to service. And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had done for the people, for everything had been accomplished so quickly. (vv. 35b-36, NLT)