2 Kings 23

1 Then the king sent and got together all the responsible men of Judah and of Jerusalem.

And thei telden to the kyng that, that sche seide; `which kyng sente, and alle the elde men of Juda, and of Jerusalem, weren gaderid to hym.

2 And the king went up to the house of the Lord, with all the men of Judah and all the people of Jerusalem, and the priests and the prophets and all the people, small and great; and they were present at his reading of the book of the law which had come to light in the house of the Lord.

And the kyng stiede in to the temple of the Lord, and alle the men of Juda, and alle men that dwelliden in Jerusalem with hym, the preestis, and the prophetis, and al the puple, fro litil `til to greet; and he redde, while alle men herden, alle the wordis of the book of boond of pees of the Lord, which book was foundun in the hows of the Lord.

3 And the king took his place by the pillar, and made an agreement before the Lord, to go in the way of the Lord, and keep his orders and his decisions and his rules with all his heart and all his soul, and to keep the words of the agreement recorded in the book; and all the people gave their word to keep the agreement.

And the kyng stood on the grees; and he smoot boond of pees bifor the Lord, that thei schulden go aftir the Lord, and kepe hise comaundementis and witnessyngis and cerymonyes in al the herte and in al the soule, that thei schulden reise the wordis of this boond of pees, that weren writun in that book; and the puple assentide to the couenaunt.

4 Then the king gave orders to Hilkiah, the chief priest, and to the priests of the second order, and to the keepers of the door, to take out of the house of the Lord all the vessels made for Baal and for the Asherah and for all the stars of heaven; and he had them burned outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and took the dust of them to Beth-el.

And the kyng comaundide to Helchie, the bischop, and to the preestis of the secounde ordre, and to the porteris, that thei schulden caste out of the temple alle the vesselis, that weren maad to Baal, and in the wode, and to al the knyythod of heuene; and he brente tho vessels with out Jerusalem, in the euene valey of Cedron, and he bar the poudir of tho `vessels in to Bethel.

5 And he put an end to the false priests, who had been put in their positions by the kings of Judah to see to the burning of offerings in the high places in the towns of Judah and the outskirts of Jerusalem, and all those who made offerings to Baal and to the sun and the moon and the twelve signs and all the stars of heaven.

And he dide awei false dyuynours `that dyuynyden in the entrailis of beestis sacrified to idols, whiche the kingis of Juda hadden sett to make sacrifice in hiy thingis bi the citees of Juda, and in the cumpas of Jerusalem; and he dide awey hem that brenten encense to Baal, and to the sunne, and to the moone, and to twelue signes, and to al the knyythod of heuene.

6 And he took the Asherah from the house of the Lord, outside Jerusalem to the stream Kidron, burning it by the stream and crushing it to dust, and he put the dust on the place where the bodies of the common people were put to rest.

And he made the wode to be borun out of the hows of the Lord without Jerusalem in the euene valey of Cedron, and he brente it there; and he droof it in to poudir, and castide it forth on the sepulcris of the comyn puple.

7 And he had the houses pulled down of those who were used for sex purposes in the house of the Lord, where women were making robes for the Asherah.

Also he distriede the litle housis of `men turnyd into wommens condiciouns, whiche housis weren in the hows of the Lord; for whiche the wymmen `maden as litil howsis of the wode.

8 And he made all the priests from the towns of Judah come into Jerusalem, and he made unclean the high places where the priests had been burning offerings, from Geba to Beer-sheba; and he had the high places of the evil spirits pulled down which were by the doorway of Joshua, the ruler of the town, on the left side of the way into the town.

And he gaderide alle the preestis fro the citees of Juda, and he defoulide the hiye thingis, where the preestis maden sacrifice, fro Gabaa `til to Bersabee; and he distriede the auters of yatis in the entryng of the dore of Josie, prince of a citee, which dore was at the lift half of the yate of the cytee.

9 Still the priests of the high places never came up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem; but they took their food of unleavened bread among their brothers.

Netheles the preestis of hiye thingis stieden not to the auter of the Lord in Jerusalem, but oneli thei eten therf looues in the myddis of her britheren.

10 And Topheth, in the valley of the sons of Hinnom, he made unclean, so that no man might make his son or his daughter go through the fire to Molech.

Also he defoulide Tophet, which is in the euene valey of the sone of Ennon, that no man schulde halewe his sone ether his douytir bi fier to Moloch.

11 And he took away the horses which the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the way into the house of the Lord, by the room of Nathan-melech, the unsexed servant, which was in the outer part of the building, and the carriages of the sun he put on fire.

Also he dide awei horsis, whiche the kyngis of Juda hadden youe to the sunne, in the entryng of the temple of the Lord, bisidis the chaumbir of Nathanmalech, geldyng, that was in Pharurym; forsothe he brente bi fier the charis of the sunne.

12 And the altars on the roof of the high room of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two outer squares of the house of the Lord, were pulled down and crushed to bits, and the dust of them was put into the stream Kidron.

Also the kyng distriede the auteris, that weren on the roouys of the soler of Achaz, whiche auteris the kyngis of Juda hadden maad; and the kyng distriede the auteris, whiche Manasses hadde maad in the twei grete placis of the temple of the Lord; and he ran fro thennus, and scateride the askis of tho in to the strond of Cedron.

13 And the high places before Jerusalem, on the south side of the mountain of destruction, which Solomon, king of Israel, had made for Ashtoreth, the disgusting god of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, and for Milcom, the disgusting god of the children of Ammon, the king made unclean.

Also the kyng defoulide the hiye thingis, that weren in Jerusalem at the riyt part of the hil of offencioun, whiche Salomon, kyng of Israel, hadde bildid to Astroth, the ydol of Sidoneis, and to Chamos, the offencioun of Moab, and to Melchon, abhominacioun of the sones of Amon;

14 The stone pillars were broken to bits and the wood pillars cut down, and the places where they had been were made full of the bones of the dead.

and he al to-brak ymagis, and kittide doun wodis, and fillide the places of tho with the boonys of deed men.

15 And the altar at Beth-el, and the high place put up by Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel do evil, that altar and that high place were pulled down; and the high place was burned and crushed to dust and the Asherah was burned.

Ferthermore also he distriede the auter that was in Bethel, and `he distriede the hiye thing, which Jeroboam, sone of Nabath, hadde maad, that made Israel to do synne; and he distriede that hiy autir, and brente it, and al to brak it in to poudir, and kittide doun also the wode.

16 Then Josiah, turning round, saw on the mountain the places of the dead, and he sent and had the bones taken out of their places and burned on the altar, so making it unclean, as the Lord had said by the man of God when Jeroboam was in his place by the altar on that feast-day. And he, turning his eyes to the resting-place of the man of God who had given word of these things, said:

And Josias turnyde, and siy there sepulcris that weren in the hil; and he sente, and took the boonys fro the sepulcris, and brente tho on the auter, and defoulide it bi the word of the Lord, which word the man of God spak, that biforseide these wordis.

17 What is that headstone I see over there? And the men of the town said to him, It is the resting-place of the man of God who came from Judah and gave word of all these things which you have done to the altar of Beth-el.

And the kyng seide, What is this biriel, which Y se? And the citeseyns of that citee answeriden to hym, It is the sepulcre of the man of God, that cam fro Juda, and biforseide these wordis, whiche thou hast doon on the auter of Bethel.

18 So he said, Let him be; let not his bones be moved. So they let his bones be with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria.

And the kyng seide, Suffre ye hym; no man moue hise boonys. And hise boonys dwelliden vntouchid with the boones of the prophete, that cam fro Samarie.

19 Then Josiah took away all the houses of the high places in the towns of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had put up, moving the Lord to wrath, and he did with them as he had done in Beth-el.

Ferthermore also Josias dide awei alle the templis of hiye thingis, that weren in the citees of Samarie, whiche the kyngis of Israel hadden maad to terre the Lord to ire; and he dide to tho templis bi alle thingis whiche he hadde do in Bethel.

20 And all the priests of the high places there he put to death on the altars, burning the bones of the dead on them; and then he went back to Jerusalem.

And he killide alle the preestis of hiye thingis, that weren there on the auteris, and he brente mennus boonus on tho auteris; and he turnede ayen to Jerusalem;

21 And the king gave orders to all the people, saying, Keep the Passover to the Lord your God, as it says in this book of the law.

and comaundide to al the puple, and seide, Make ye pask to `youre Lord God, vp that, that is writun in the book of this boond of pees.

22 Truly, such a Passover had not been kept in all the days of the judges of Israel or of the kings of Israel or the kings of Judah;

Forsothe sich pask was not maad, fro the daies of iugis that demyden Israel, and of alle daies of the kyngis of Israel and of Juda,

23 In the eighteenth year of the rule of King Josiah this Passover was kept to the Lord in Jerusalem.

as this pask was maad to the Lord in Jerusalem in the eiytenthe yeer of kyng Josias.

24 And all those who had control of spirits, and the wonder-workers, and the images, and the false gods, and all the disgusting things which were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, Josiah put away, so that he might give effect to the words of the agreement recorded in the book which Hilkiah the priest made discovery of in the house of the Lord.

But also Josias dide awei men hauynge fendis spekinge in her wombis, and false diuinouris in auteris, and `he dide awei the figuris of idols, and alle vnclennessis, and abhomynaciouns, that weren in the lond of Juda and in Jerusalem, that he schulde do the wordis of the lawe, that weren writun in the book, `which book Elchie, the preest, foond in the temple of the Lord.

25 Never before had there been a king like him, turning to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his power, as the law of Moses says; and after him there was no king like him.

No kyng bifor him was lijk hym, `that turnede ayen to the Lord in al his herte, and in al his soule, and in al his vertu, bi al the lawe of Moises; nether aftir hym roos ony lijk hym.

26 But still the heat of the Lord's wrath was not turned back from Judah, because of all Manasseh had done in moving him to wrath.

Netheles the Lord was not turned awei fro the ire of his greet veniaunce, bi which his strong veniaunce was wrooth ayens Juda, for the terryngis to ire by whiche Manasses hadde terrid hym to ire.

27 And the Lord said, I will send Judah away from before my face, as I have sent Israel; I will have nothing more to do with this town, which I had made mine, even Jerusalem, and the holy house of which I said, My name will be there.

Therfor the Lord seide, Y schal do awei also Juda fro my face, as Y dide awei Israel; and Y schal caste awei this citee, which Y chees, Jerusalem, and the hows `of which Y seide, My name schal be there.

28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all he did, are they not recorded in the book of the history of the kings of Judah?

Forsothe the residue of wordis of Josias, and alle thingis whiche he dide, whether these ben not writun in the book of wordis of daies of the kyngis of Juda?

29 In his days, Pharaoh-necoh, king of Egypt, sent his armies against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates; and King Josiah went out against him; and he put him to death at Megiddo, when he had seen him.

In the daies of hym Farao Nechao, kyng of Egipt, stiede ayens the kyng of Assiriens, to the flood Eufrates; and Josias, kyng of Juda, yede in to metyng of hym, and Josias was slayn in Magedo, whanne he hadde seyn hym.

30 And his servants took his body in a carriage from Megiddo to Jerusalem, and put him into the earth there. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah, and put the holy oil on him and made him king in place of his father.

And `hise seruauntis baren hym deed fro Magedo, and brouyte him in to Jerusalem, and birieden hym in his sepulcre; and the puple of the lond took Joachaz, sone of Josias, and anoyntiden hym, and maden hym kyng for his fadir.

31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, ruling in Jerusalem for three months; his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

Joachaz was of thre and twenti yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnede thre monethis in Jerusalem; the name of his modir was Amychal, douyter of Jeremye of Lobna.

32 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his fathers had done.

And he dide yuel bifor the Lord, bi alle thingis which hise fadris hadden do.

33 And Pharaoh-necoh put him in chains at Riblah in the land of Hamath, so that he might not be king in Jerusalem; and took from the land a tax of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

And Farao Nechao boond hym in Reblatha, which is in the lond of Emath, that he schulde not regne in Jerusalem; and he settide `peyne, ether raunsum, to the lond, in an hundrid talentis of siluer, and in a talent of gold.

34 Then Pharaoh-necoh made Eliakim, the son of Josiah, king in place of Josiah his father, changing his name to Jehoiakim; but Jehoahaz he took away to Egypt, where he was till his death.

And Farao Nechao made kyng Eliachim, sone of Josias, for Josias, his fadir; and he turnede the name of hym Joachym; forsothe Farao took Joachaz, and ledde hym in to Egipt.

35 And Jehoiakim gave the silver and gold to Pharaoh, taxing the land by his orders to get the money; the people of the land had to give silver and gold, everyone as he was taxed, to make the payment to Pharaoh-necoh.

Sotheli Joachym yaf siluer and gold to Farao, whanne he hadde comaundid to the lond bi alle yeeris, that it schulde be brouyt, bi the comaundement of Farao; and he reiside of ech man bi hise myytis bothe siluer and gold, of the puple of the lond, that he schulde yyue to Pharao Nechao.

36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king; he was ruling in Jerusalem for eleven years; his mother's name was Zebidah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.

Joachym was of fyue and twenti yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnede eleuene yeer in Jerusalem; the name of his modir was Zebida, douyter of Phadaia of Ruma.

37 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord as his fathers had done.

And he dide yuel bifor the Lord, bi alle thingis which hise fadris hadden do.