2 Kings 23 · Verse 1

2 Kings 23:1

And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
2 Kings 23:1, King James Version

2 Kings 23:1 in other translations

BSBThen the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
WEBThe king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
ASVAnd the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
YLTAnd the king sendeth, and they gather unto him all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem,
DARBYAnd the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
BBEThen the king sent and got together all the responsible men of Judah and of Jerusalem.
WebsterAnd the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

What does 2 Kings 23:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Kings 23:1-3
2Ki 23:1-3. Josiah Causes the Law to Be Read. 1-3. the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders--This pious and patriotic king, not content with the promise of his own security, felt, after Huldah's response, an increased desire to avert the threatened calamities from his kingdom and people. Knowing the richness of the divine clemency and grace to the penitent, he convened the elders of the people, and placing himself at their head, accompanied by the collective body of the inhabitants, went in solemn procession to the temple, where he ordered the book of the law to be read to the assembled audience, and covenanted, with the unanimous concurrence of his subjects, to adhere steadfastly to all the commandments of the Lord. It was an occasion of solemn interest, closely connected with a great national crisis, and the beautiful example of piety in the highest quarter would exert a salutary influence over all classes of the people in animating their devotions and encouraging their return to the faith of their fathers.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Josiah reads in the temple to the elders of Judah, the priests, the prophets, and the people, the book of the covenant which had been found, 2Kgs 23:1, 2Kgs 23:2. He makes a covenant, and the people stand to it, 2Kgs 23:3. He destroys the vessels of Baal and Asherah, and puts down the idolatrous priests; breaks down the houses of the sodomites, and the high places; defiles Topheth; takes away the horses of the sun; destroys the altars of Ahaz; breaks in pieces the images; and breaks down and burns Jeroboam's altar at Beth-el, 2Kgs 23:4-15. Fulfills the word of the prophet, who cried against the altar at Beth-el, 2Kgs 23:16-18. Destroys the high places in Samaria, slays the idolatrous priests, and celebrates a great passover, 2Kgs 23:19-23; and puts away all the dealers with familiar spirits, etc., 2Kgs 23:24. His eminent character; he is mortally wounded at Megiddo, and buried at Jerusalem, 2Kgs 23:25-30. Jehoahaz reigns in his stead, and does evil in the sight of the Lord, 2Kgs 23:31, 2Kgs 23:32. Is dethroned by Pharaoh-nechoh; and Eliakim, his brother, called also Jehoiakim, made king in his stead; the land is laid under tribute by the king of Egypt, and Jehoiakim reigns wickedly, 2Kgs 23:33-37.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 23:1-3
Josiah slain by Pharaoh-nechoh. (25-30)
  • Wicked reigns of Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim. (31-37)
Verses 1-3 Josiah had received a message from God, that there was no preventing the ruin of Jerusalem, but that he should only deliver his own soul; yet he does his duty, and leaves the event to God. He engaged the people in the most solemn manner to abolish idolatry, and to serve God in righteousness and true holiness. Though most were formal or hypocritical herein, yet much outward wickedness would be prevented, and they were accountable to God for their own conduct.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Kings 23:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֖חvai.yish.Lachand he sentH7971
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
וַיַּאַסְפ֣וּvai.ya.'as.Fuand they gatheredH622
אֵלָ֔יו'e.Lavto himH413
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
זִקְנֵ֥יzik.Nei[the] elders ofH2205
יְהוּדָ֖הye.hu.DahJudahH3063
וִירוּשָׁלִָֽם\׃vi.ru.sha.Limand JerusalemH3389

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 23:1

  • 2 Chronicles 34:29-33

    Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord. And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book. And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. …

  • 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 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.

  • 2 Chronicles 30:2

    For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

  • 2 Samuel 6:1

    Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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 Beth-el, as was fore-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-nechoh, is slain at Megiddo.
31 Jehoahaz, succeeding him, is imprisoned by Pharaoh-nechoh, who makes Jehoiakim king.
36 Jehoiakim's wicked reign.

the king.
De 31:28; 2Sa 6:1; 2Ch 29:20; 30:2; 34:29,30-33

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 23:1

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

  • 2 Kings 23:2

    And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord.

Read all of 2 Kings 23

2 Kings 23:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		ENTONCES el rey envió, y juntaron á él todos los ancianos de Judá y de Jerusalem.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le roi envoya, et on assembla vers lui tous les anciens de Juda et de Jérusalem.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und der König sandte hin, und man versammelte zu ihm alle Ältesten von Juda und von Jerusalem.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et renuntiaverunt regi quod dixerat. Qui misit: et congregati sunt ad eum omnes senes Juda et Jerusalem.