Skip to content
All of 2 Chronicles

Bible Chapter Summary

2 Chronicles 34 Summary

Josiah's Reforms and Book of the Law

Josiah becomes king at age eight and walks in the ways of David without turning aside. In his eighth year he seeks the God of David, and in his twelfth year he begins a thorough purge of Judah and Jerusalem, destroying altars of Baalim, beating graven images to powder, and burning the bones of priests upon their altars throughout all the northern tribes. In the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah sends officials to repair the house of the LORD and its vessels. During repairs, Hilkiah the high priest discovers the book of the law of the LORD given by Moses. When Josiah hears the words of the law, he tears his clothes, and through inquiry to the prophetess Huldah learns that judgment will come upon Judah for forsaking God, yet Josiah himself will be gathered to his grave in peace. Josiah then gathers all the people, reads the book of the covenant, makes a covenant before the LORD to keep all His commandments, and causes all Israel to serve the LORD their God.

Key themes

Reform and purificationBook of the law foundCovenant renewalYouthful obedience

Key verses

2 Chronicles 34:3-5

For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 34:14-15

And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses. And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

2 Chronicles 34:31-33

And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book. And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.

Read 2 Chronicles 34 in full

Study the complete chapter with interlinear Hebrew & Greek, verse-by-verse, in the Gospel Daily reader.

Open the full chapter

Highlight verses · Track progress · Unlock AI tools — free to start.