Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
- BSB Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
- NKJV Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
- NASB Then the king sent word and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
- NLT Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
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 gathers all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem together. The king assembles the nation to respond corporately to God's Word.
Overview
Having heard God's word personally, Josiah moves to lead the whole people in covenant renewal. Gathering the elders signals a national, public response (cf. 2 Kings 23:1). The verse shows godly leadership directing the community back to the Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 2 Kgs 23:1–3And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
- 2 Chr 30:2For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.
- 1 Chr 29:2–9Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.
- Mark 14:8She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
- 1 Sam 12:23Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 34:29 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.