2 Chronicles 34
2 Chronicles 34 is the thirty-fourth chapter of the Second Book of Chronicles in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or of the second part of the Books of Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible. The book was compiled from older sources by an unknown person or group, designated by modern scholars as "the Chronicler", and had the final shape established in late fifth or fourth century BCE. This chapter belongs to the section focusing on the kingdom of Judah until its destruction by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar and the beginning of restoration under Cyrus the  Great of Persia (2 Chronicles 10 to 36). It contains the regnal accounts of Josiah the king of Judah. Text. This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language and is divided into 33 verses. Textual witnesses. Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Leningradensis (1008). There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; formula_1; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; formula_1; 5th century ). Josiah king of Judah (34:1–7). While 2 Kings 22–23 record Josiah's deed from the eighteenth year of his reign, the Chronicler noted that since he was still young (16 years old), Josiah already started to 'seek God', but as he was not yet of age, the public measures he planned were carried out in the twelfth year of his reign (when he was considered an adult at 20 years of age, verse 3). The inclusion of the area used to belong to the former northern kingdom in his reform showed a legitimate control of the whole Israel (cf. , 21 , 33) and later in 35:17–18. The phrase 'he returned to Jerusalem' (cf. ) underlines the direct involvement of the king for the reform. The Book of the Law found (34:8–21). The collection of donations for the temple's improvement was described in more detail in verses 8–13 than in 2 Kings 22 with the collection of tithes from the entire population (cf. 2 Chronicles 24:5–9 and David's approach for temple's construction (1 Chronicles 29), emphasizing the co-operation of all inhabitants, including people from the north. The Levites have similar duties as in 1 Chronicles 26. The discovery account  of the Book of Law (verses 14–33) is very similar to 2 Kings 22, with some minor details, especially linking the finding of the book to the exemplary behavior of Josiah and his people. The Chronicles record that this is "the book of the law, which was written by Moses", so it was not only Deuteronomy, but the entire Pentateuch. Therefore, Shaphan read 'from' it (cf. "read it" in 2 Kings 22) rather than 'all of it', before the king (cf. verse 18). The Chronicles clarify in verse 24 about 'all the curses that are written in the book', instead  of 'all the words of the book' in 2 Kings 22, which refer to Deuteronomy 27–29 (and Leviticus 26). Huldah prophesies disaster (34:22–28). The prophetess Huldah pointed out the inevitability that the kingdom of Judah would suffer destruction because of the people's apostasy, although she showed supports for Josiah's reforms and indicated that Josiah's righteousness would earn him a peaceful death before the catastrophe striked. Josiah restores true worship (34:29–33). In verse 30, 'the Levites' replaced 'the prophets' in 2 Kings 22, indicating the Chronicler's conviction that in that period the Levites had a role of  announcing God's word, although the prophets still had their place of honour in the books of Chronicles. Verse 33 is an extremely shortened summary of 2 Kings 23:4–20, which together with verses. 3–7, show two different forms of cleansing.