Page 741 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

TN_07_MacArthur_Bible_July.qxd 8/8/03 16:07 Page 722

JULY 19
Others of the Levites, all of whom were skillful
July 19 with instruments of music, were over the bur-
13
den bearers and were overseers of all who did
work in any kind of service. And some of the
Levites were scribes, officers, and gatekeepers.
2 Chronicles 34:1–36:23
14 Now when they brought out the money that
Josiah was eight years old when he was brought into the house of the LORD,
34 became king, and he reigned thirty-one Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of
years in Jerusalem. And he did what was right the LORD given by Moses. Then Hilkiah
2
15
in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I
ways of his father David; he did not turn aside have found the Book of the Law in the house
to the right hand or to the left. of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to
3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he Shaphan. So Shaphan carried the book to the
16
was still young, he began to seek the God of king, bringing the king word, saying, “All that
his father David; and in the twelfth year he was committed to your servants they are
began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the doing. And they have gathered the money
17
high places, the wooden images, the carved that was found in the house of the LORD, and
images, and the molded images. They broke have delivered it into the hand of the over-
4
down the altars of the Baals in his presence, seers and the workmen.” Then Shaphan the
18
and the incense altars which were above them scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest
he cut down; and the wooden images, the has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it
carved images, and the molded images he before the king.
broke in pieces, and made dust of them and 19 Thus it happened, when the king heard
scattered it on the graves of those who had the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes.
sacrificed to them. He also burned the bones 20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam
5
of the priests on their altars, and cleansed Ju- the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah,
dah and Jerusalem. And so he did in the cities Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of
6
of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as the king, saying, “Go, inquire of the LORD for
21
7
Naphtali and all around, with axes. When he me, and for those who are left in Israel and Ju-
had broken down the altars and the wooden dah, concerning the words of the book that is
images, had beaten the carved images into found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is
powder, and cut down all the incense altars poured out on us, because our fathers have
throughout all the land of Israel, he returned not kept the word of the LORD, to do according
to Jerusalem. to all that is written in this book.”
8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, when 22 So Hilkiah and those the king had appoint-
he had purged the land and the temple, he ed went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of
sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of
the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in
Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they
9
the LORD his God. When they came to Hilkiah spoke to her to that effect.
the high priest, they delivered the money that 23 Then she answered them, “Thus says the
was brought into the house of God, which the LORD God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you
24
Levites who kept the doors had gathered from to Me, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will
the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all bring calamity on this place and on its inhabi-
the remnant of Israel, from all Judah and Ben- tants, all the curses that are written in the
jamin, and which they had brought back to Je- book which they have read before the king of
25
10
rusalem. Then they put it in the hand of the Judah, because they have forsaken Me and
foremen who had the oversight of the house of burned incense to other gods, that they might
the LORD; and they gave it to the workmen who provoke Me to anger with all the works of
worked in the house of the LORD, to repair and their hands. Therefore My wrath will be
restore the house. They gave it to the crafts- poured out on this place, and not be
11
men and builders to buy hewn stone and tim- quenched.’ ” ’ But as for the king of Judah,
26
ber for beams, and to floor the houses which who sent you to inquire of the LORD, in this
12
the kings of Judah had destroyed. And the manner you shall speak to him, ‘Thus says the
men did the work faithfully. Their overseers LORD God of Israel: “Concerning the words
27
were Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the which you have heard— because your heart
sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, was tender, and you humbled yourself before
of the sons of the Kohathites, to supervise. God when you heard His words against this
722