1
Yoshiyahu was eight years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for thirty-one years in Yerushalayim.
2
He did what was right from ADONAI's perspective, living entirely in the manner of David his ancestor and turning away neither to the right nor to the left.
3
For in the eighth year of his reign, when he was still young, he began seeking after the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year, he began cleansing Y'hudah and Yerushalayim from the high places, the sacred poles, and the carved and cast metal images.
4
In his presence they broke down the altars of the ba'alim, and he chopped down the pillars for sun-worship mounted above them. He smashed the sacred poles and the carved and cast metal images, grinding them to dust, which he threw on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
5
He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, thus cleansing Y'hudah and Yerushalayim.
6
He did likewise in the cities of M'nasheh, Efrayim, Shim'on and even as far as Naftali, in their surrounding ruins.
7
He broke down the altars, beat the sacred poles and carved images to powder and chopped down the pillars for sun-worship throughout all the land of Isra'el. Then he returned to Yerushalayim.
8
In the eighteenth year of his reign, after he had cleansed the land and the house, he sent Shafan the son of Atzalyahu, Ma'aseiyah the governor of the city and Yo'ach the son of Yo'achaz the recorder to repair the house of ADONAI his God.
9
They went to Hilkiyahu the cohen hagadol and handed over to him the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the L'vi'im who guarded the doors had collected from M'nasheh, Efrayim, the rest of Isra'el and all Y'hudah and Binyamin. Then they returned to Yerushalayim.