2 Kings 23:1
New International Version
Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

New Living Translation
Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

English Standard Version
Then the king sent, and all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem were gathered to him.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

King James Bible
And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

New King James Version
Now the king sent them to gather all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to him.

New American Standard Bible
Then the king sent messengers, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

NASB 1995
Then the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

NASB 1977
Then the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

Amplified Bible
King Josiah sent word and they brought to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

Christian Standard Bible
So the king sent messengers, and they gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So the king sent messengers, and they gathered all the elders of Jerusalem and Judah to him.

American Standard Version
And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

Contemporary English Version
King Josiah called together the older leaders of Judah and Jerusalem.

English Revised Version
And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then the king sent for all the respected leaders of Judah and Jerusalem to join him.

Good News Translation
King Josiah summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem,

International Standard Version
At this, the king sent for and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

NET Bible
The king summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem.

New Heart English Bible
The king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

World English Bible
The king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the king sends, and they gather all [the] elderly of Judah and Jerusalem to him,

Young's Literal Translation
And the king sendeth, and they gather unto him all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem,

Smith's Literal Translation
And the king will send and gather to him all the old men of Judah and Jerusalem.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they brought the king word again what she had said. And he sent: and all the ancients of Juda and Jerusalem were assembled to him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they reported to the king what she had said. And he sent, and all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem were gathered to him.

New American Bible
The king then had all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem summoned before him.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the king directed that all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem should be gathered to him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
AND the king sent and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the King sent and assembled to himself all the Elders of Yehuda and of Jerusalem.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
So they reported the word to the king: and the king sent and gathered all the elders of Juda and Jerusalem to himself.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Josiah Renews the Covenant
1Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 2And he went up to the house of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the prophets—all the people small and great—and in their hearing he read all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD.…

Cross References
2 Chronicles 34:29-33
Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. / And he went up to the house of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the Levites—all the people great and small—and in their hearing he read all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD. / So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book. ...

Nehemiah 8:1-3
At that time all the people gathered together in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. / On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand. / So Ezra read it aloud from daybreak until noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, in front of the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

Deuteronomy 31:11-13
when all Israel comes before the LORD your God at the place He will choose, you are to read this law in the hearing of all Israel. / Assemble the people—men, women, children, and the foreigners within your gates—so that they may listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and to follow carefully all the words of this law. / Then their children who do not know the law will listen and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

Joshua 8:34-35
Afterward, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. / There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua failed to read before the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who lived among them.

1 Samuel 10:17-25
After this, Samuel summoned the people to the LORD at Mizpah / and said to the Israelites, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the hands of the Egyptians and of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’ / But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions, and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.” ...

2 Kings 11:17-20
Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people. / So all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. And Jehoiada the priest posted guards for the house of the LORD. / He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD and entered the royal palace by way of the Gate of the Guards. Then Joash took his seat on the royal throne, ...

2 Chronicles 15:9-15
And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, along with those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for great numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. / So they gathered together in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. / At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from all the plunder they had brought back. ...

2 Chronicles 29:20-30
Early the next morning King Hezekiah gathered the city officials and went up to the house of the LORD. / They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And the king commanded the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the LORD. / So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splattered it on the altar. They slaughtered the rams and splattered the blood on the altar. And they slaughtered the lambs and splattered the blood on the altar. ...

Ezra 10:1-4
While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well. / Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, said to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this, there is hope for Israel. / So now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. ...

Jeremiah 36:9-10
Now in the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, a fast before the LORD was proclaimed to all the people of Jerusalem and all who had come there from the cities of Judah. / From the chamber of Gemariah son of Shaphan the scribe, which was in the upper courtyard at the opening of the New Gate of the house of the LORD, Baruch read from the scroll the words of Jeremiah in the hearing of all the people.

Acts 13:15-16
After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.” / Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and began to speak: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who fear God, listen to me!

Acts 15:6-7
So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter. / After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.

Acts 15:30-31
So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they assembled the congregation and delivered the letter. / When the people read it, they rejoiced at its encouraging message.

Acts 20:20-21
I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house, / testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 28:23
So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.


Treasury of Scripture

And the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

the king.

Deuteronomy 31:28
Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.

2 Samuel 6:1
Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

2 Chronicles 29:20
Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.

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2 Kings 23
1. Josiah causes the book to be read in a solemn assembly.
3. He renews the covenant of the Lord.
4. He destroys idolatry.
15. He burns dead men's bones upon the altar of Bethel, as was prophesied.
21. He keeps a most solemn Passover.
24. He puts away witches and all abomination.
26. God's final wrath against Judah.
29. Josiah, provoking Pharaoh Neco, is slain at Megiddo.
31. Jehoahaz, succeeding him,
33. is imprisoned by Pharaoh Neco, who makes Jehoiakim king.
36. Jehoiakim's wicked reign.














Then the king
This phrase refers to King Josiah, one of the most notable kings of Judah, known for his religious reforms and dedication to the worship of Yahweh. The Hebrew word for "king" is "melek," which signifies a ruler or sovereign. Josiah's reign is marked by a return to the covenantal faithfulness that God desired from His people. His actions are a direct response to the discovery of the Book of the Law in the temple, which had been neglected for generations. Josiah's leadership is a reminder of the impact a godly leader can have on a nation, steering it back to righteousness.

summoned
The Hebrew root for "summoned" is "qara," which means to call out, proclaim, or invite. This action by Josiah is not merely a political move but a spiritual one, as he seeks to gather the leaders of the nation to hear and respond to the Word of God. It reflects the urgency and importance of the message he is about to deliver, emphasizing the need for collective repentance and renewal.

all the elders
The term "elders" in Hebrew is "zaqen," referring to the leaders or senior figures within the community. These individuals held positions of authority and respect, often involved in decision-making and governance. By summoning all the elders, Josiah ensures that the message of reform and covenant renewal reaches the entire nation, starting with its leaders. This highlights the biblical principle that leadership carries the responsibility of guiding others in faithfulness to God.

of Judah and Jerusalem
Judah and Jerusalem represent the southern kingdom and its capital, the heart of the Jewish nation. Historically, Jerusalem was the center of religious life, housing the temple where God's presence dwelt. By addressing both Judah and Jerusalem, Josiah acknowledges the need for widespread reform across the entire kingdom. This phrase underscores the unity and collective responsibility of God's people to return to Him, regardless of their specific location within the kingdom.

XXIII.

JOSIAH RENEWS THE COVENANT, ROOTS OUT IDOLTARY, AND HOLDS A SOLEMEN PASSOVER.HIS END.

(1) They gathered.--The right reading is probably that of the Syriac and Vulg., there gathered. Chron., LXX., and Arabic have he gathered.

All the elders.--The representatives of the nation.

Verse 1. - And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem; i.e. all the elders of Jerusalem and of the rest of Judah. (On the important position held by "the elders" in the undivided kingdom, see 1 Kings 8:1, and the comment ad loc.; and on their position in the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, see 1 Kings 20:7, 8; 1 Kings 21:8, 11; 2 Kings 10:1, etc.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the king
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

summoned
וַיִּשְׁלַ֖ח (way·yiš·laḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the elders
זִקְנֵ֥י (ziq·nê)
Adjective - masculine plural construct
Strong's 2205: Old

of Jerusalem
וִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (wî·rū·šā·lim)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

and Judah.
יְהוּדָ֖ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites


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OT History: 2 Kings 23:1 The king sent and they gathered (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 22:20
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