Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years.
Parallel translations
- WEB Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
- KJV Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.
- NKJV Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
- NASB Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
- NLT Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Josiah becomes king at eight years old and reigns thirty-one years in Jerusalem. A child king begins a long and notably faithful reign.
Overview
Josiah's youth at accession recalls God's ability to use even children for His purposes. His thirty-one-year reign becomes the era of Judah's last great reformation (cf. 2 Kings 22-23). The verse introduces a king the Chronicler holds up as a model of wholehearted devotion to the Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Zeph 1:1This is the word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah:
- Jer 1:2The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah,
- 1 Sam 2:18Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.
- 2 Chr 24:1Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.
- 1 Kgs 13:2And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, “O altar, O altar, this is what the LORD says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’”
- 2 Chr 33:25But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.
- 1 Sam 2:26And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with man.
- 2 Chr 26:1All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.
- Eccl 4:13Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
- 1 Kgs 3:7–9And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David’s place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in.
- 1 Chr 3:14–15Amon his son, and Josiah his son.
- 2 Kgs 22:1–20Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.
- Matt 1:10–11Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah,
- 2 Chr 33:1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 34:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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