Daily Text and Bible Reading: Wednesday, May 28 [Press play below]

34.1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for 31 years in Jerusalem.
34.2 He did what was right in Jehovah’s eyes and walked in the ways of David his forefather, and he did not deviate to the right or to the left.
34.3 In the 8th year of his reign, while he was still a boy, he started to search for the God of David his forefather; and in the 12th year, he started to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places and the sacred poles, the graven images, and the metal statues.
34.4 Further, they tore down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and he cut down the incense stands that were up above them. He also broke into pieces the sacred poles, the graven images, and the metal statues and reduced them to powder and sprinkled it over the graves of those who used to sacrifice to them.
34.5 And he burned the bones of priests on their altars. Thus he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
34.6 And in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and clear to Naphtali, in their surrounding ruins,
34.7 he tore down the altars and he crushed the sacred poles and the graven images, reducing them to powder; and he cut down all the incense stands in all the land of Israel, after which he returned to Jerusalem.
34.8 In the 18th year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the chief of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder to repair the house of Jehovah his God.
34.9 They came to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought to the house of God, which the Levites serving as doorkeepers had collected from Manasseh, Ephraim, and all the rest of Israel, as well as from Judah, Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
34.10 Then they gave it to those who were appointed over the work in the house of Jehovah. In turn the workers in the house of Jehovah used it to mend and repair the house.
34.11 They gave it to the craftsmen and the builders to buy hewn stones and timbers for braces and to build with beams the houses that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.
34.12 And the men did the work faithfully. Over them were appointed the Levites Jahath and Obadiah of the Merarites, and Zechariah and Meshullam of the Kohathites, to serve as overseers. And the Levites, all of whom were skilled musicians,
34.13 were in charge of the common laborers and were overseers of all those who were doing the work in every kind of service; and some of the Levites were secretaries, officers, and gatekeepers.
34.14 While they were taking out the money that had been brought to the house of Jehovah, Hilkiah the priest found the book of Jehovah’s Law given through Moses.
34.15 So Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary: “I have found the book of the Law in the house of Jehovah.” With that Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.
34.16 Then Shaphan brought the book to the king and told him: “Your servants are doing everything that was assigned to them.
34.17 They have poured out the money that was found in the house of Jehovah, and they have handed it over to the appointed men and to those doing the work.”
34.18 Shaphan the secretary also told the king: “There is a book that Hilkiah the priest has given me.” Then Shaphan began to read from it before the king.
34.19 As soon as the king heard the words of the Law, he ripped his garments apart.
34.20 Then the king gave this order to Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant:
34.21 “Go, inquire of Jehovah in my behalf and in behalf of those who remain in Israel and in Judah concerning the words of the book that has been found; for Jehovah’s rage that will be poured out against us is great because our forefathers did not carry out the word of Jehovah by observing all that is written in this book.”
34.22 So Hilkiah, along with those sent by the king, went to Huldah the prophetess. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah son of Harhas, the caretaker of the wardrobe, and she was dwelling in the Second Quarter of Jerusalem; and they spoke to her there.
34.23 She said to them: “This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says, ‘Tell the man who sent you to me:
34.24 “This is what Jehovah says, ‘I will bring calamity on this place and its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book that they read before the king of Judah.
34.25 Because they have abandoned me and are making sacrifices smoke to other gods in order to offend me with all the works of their hands, my rage will pour out on this place and it will not be extinguished.’”
34.26 But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of Jehovah, this is what you should say to him, “This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says: ‘Regarding the words that you have heard,
34.27 because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God on hearing his words concerning this place and its inhabitants and you humbled yourself before me and ripped your garments apart and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares Jehovah.
34.28 That is why I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be laid in your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.’”’” Then they brought the reply to the king.
34.29 So the king sent word and summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
34.30 After that the king went up to the house of Jehovah with all the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites—all the people, the great as well as the small. He read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the house of Jehovah.
34.31 The king stood in his place and made a covenant before Jehovah that he would follow Jehovah and keep his commandments, his reminders, and his regulations with all his heart and with all his soul by carrying out the words of the covenant that were written in this book.
34.32 Furthermore, he had all those who were in Jerusalem and Benjamin to agree to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem acted according to the covenant of God, the God of their forefathers.
34.33 Josiah then removed all the detestable things out of all the lands that belonged to the Israelites, and he made everyone in Israel serve Jehovah their God. Throughout his lifetime they did not deviate from following Jehovah the God of their forefathers.

35.1 Josiah held a Passover to Jehovah in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover sacrifice on the 14th day of the first month.
35.2 He assigned the priests to their duties and encouraged them to carry out their service of the house of Jehovah.
35.3 Then he said to the Levites, the instructors of all Israel, those who were holy to Jehovah: “Put the holy Ark in the house that Solomon the son of David the king of Israel built; you are no longer to carry it on your shoulders. Now serve Jehovah your God and his people Israel.
35.4 And prepare yourselves by your paternal houses according to your divisions, following what was written by King David of Israel and by his son Solomon.
35.5 Stand in the holy place grouped by the paternal houses of your brothers, the rest of the people, with a corresponding group of the paternal house of the Levites.
35.6 Slaughter the Passover sacrifice and sanctify yourselves and make preparation for your brothers to carry out the word of Jehovah through Moses.”
35.7 Josiah contributed flocks to the people, male lambs and young male goats, for the Passover sacrifices for all who were present, a total of 30,000, as well as 3,000 cattle. These were from the king’s own property.
35.8 His princes also made a contribution as a voluntary offering for the people, the priests, and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the leaders of the house of the true God, gave to the priests 2,600 Passover sacrifices and 300 cattle.
35.9 Conaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, along with Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, contributed to the Levites 5,000 Passover sacrifices and 500 cattle.
35.10 The service was prepared, and the priests stood at their places and the Levites by their divisions, as the king had commanded.
35.11 They slaughtered the Passover sacrifices, and the priests sprinkled the blood they received from them, while the Levites were skinning the animals.
35.12 Next they prepared the burnt offerings so as to distribute them to the rest of the people, who were grouped by paternal house, so that they could be presented to Jehovah as it is written in the book of Moses; and they did the same with the cattle.
35.13 They cooked the Passover offering over the fire according to the custom; and they cooked the holy offerings in pots, cauldrons, and pans, after which they brought it quickly to all the rest of the people.
35.14 Then they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were offering up the burnt sacrifices and the fat pieces until nightfall, so the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
35.15 And the singers, the sons of Asaph, were at their positions by the commandment of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the visionary of the king; and the gatekeepers were at the different gates. There was no need for them to leave their service, because their brothers the Levites made preparations for them.
35.16 So all the service of Jehovah was prepared on that day to hold the Passover and to offer up the burnt offerings on the altar of Jehovah, according to the order of King Josiah.
35.17 The Israelites who were present held the Passover at that time and the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days.
35.18 There had never been held a Passover like it in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet; nor had any of the other kings of Israel held a Passover like that held by Josiah, the priests, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
35.19 This Passover was held in the 18th year of Josiah’s reign.
35.20 After all of this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, King Necho of Egypt came up to fight at Carchemish by the Euphrates. Then Josiah went out against him.
35.21 So he sent messengers to him, saying: “What does this have to do with you, O king of Judah? I am not coming against you today, but my fight is against another house, and God says that I should hurry. For your own sake, refrain from opposing God, who is with me, or he will bring you to ruin.”
35.22 However, Josiah would not turn away from him, but he disguised himself to fight against him and would not listen to the words of Necho, which were from the mouth of God. So he came to fight in the Plain of Megiddo.
35.23 And the archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants: “Get me out of here, for I am severely wounded.”
35.24 So his servants took him out of the chariot and had him ride in his second war chariot and brought him to Jerusalem. Thus he died and was buried in the tomb of his forefathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned Josiah.
35.25 And Jeremiah chanted over Josiah, and all the male and female singers keep singing about Josiah in their dirges down to this day; and a decision was made that they should be sung in Israel, and they are written among the dirges.
35.26 As for the rest of the history of Josiah and his deeds of loyal love, in keeping with what is written in the Law of Jehovah,
35.27 and what he did, from beginning to end, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and of Judah.

36.1 Then the people of the land took Josiah’s son Jehoahaz and made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father.
36.2 Jehoahaz was 23 years old when he became king, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem.
36.3 However, the king of Egypt deposed him in Jerusalem and fined the land 100 silver talents and a gold talent.
36.4 Furthermore, the king of Egypt made Jehoahaz’ brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem and changed his name to Jehoiakim; but Necho took his brother Jehoahaz and brought him to Egypt.
36.5 Jehoiakim was 25 years old when he became king, and he reigned for 11 years in Jerusalem. He continued to do what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah his God.
36.6 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up against him in order to bind him with two copper fetters to take him off to Babylon.
36.7 And Nebuchadnezzar took some of the utensils of the house of Jehovah to Babylon and put them in his palace in Babylon.
36.8 As for the rest of the history of Jehoiakim, the detestable things that he did and what was found against him, it is written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and of Judah; and his son Jehoiachin became king in his place.
36.9 Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king, and he reigned for three months and ten days in Jerusalem; and he continued to do what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes.
36.10 At the start of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent to have him brought to Babylon, along with valuable articles of the house of Jehovah. And he made his father’s brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.
36.11 Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became king, and he reigned for 11 years in Jerusalem.
36.12 He continued to do what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah his God. He did not humble himself before the prophet Jeremiah, who spoke at the order of Jehovah.
36.13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath by God, and he remained stubborn and hardhearted and refused to turn to Jehovah the God of Israel.
36.14 All the chiefs of the priests as well as the people were exceedingly unfaithful, practicing all the detestable things of the nations, and they defiled the house of Jehovah that he had sanctified in Jerusalem.
36.15 Jehovah the God of their forefathers kept warning them by means of his messengers, warning them again and again, because he felt compassion for his people and for his dwelling place.
36.16 But they kept ridiculing the messengers of the true God, and they despised his words and mocked his prophets, until the rage of Jehovah came up against his people, until they were beyond healing.
36.17 So he brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary; he felt no compassion for young man or virgin, old or infirm. God gave everything into his hand.
36.18 All the utensils of the house of the true God, great and small, as well as the treasures of the house of Jehovah and the treasures of the king and his princes, everything he brought to Babylon.
36.19 He burned down the house of the true God, tore down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its fortified towers with fire, and destroyed everything of value.
36.20 He carried off captive to Babylon those who escaped the sword, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia began to reign,
36.21 to fulfill Jehovah’s word spoken by Jeremiah, until the land had paid off its sabbaths. All the days it lay desolate it kept sabbath, to fulfill 70 years.
36.22 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order that Jehovah’s word spoken by Jeremiah would be fulfilled, Jehovah stirred the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his kingdom, which he also put in writing, saying:
36.23 “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says, ‘Jehovah the God of the heavens has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has commissioned me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, may Jehovah his God be with him, and let him go up.’”