2 Chronicles 34 24

2 Chronicles 34:24 kjv

Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah:

2 Chronicles 34:24 nkjv

"Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah,

2 Chronicles 34:24 niv

'This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people?all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah.

2 Chronicles 34:24 esv

Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book that was read before the king of Judah.

2 Chronicles 34:24 nlt

'This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this city and its people. All the curses written in the scroll that was read to the king of Judah will come true.

2 Chronicles 34 verses

2 Chronicles 34 24 Meaning

2 Chronicles 34:24 declares a direct, divinely ordained judgment from the Lord upon the land of Judah and its people. This "disaster" is identified not as an arbitrary punishment, but as the fulfillment of all the covenant curses explicitly documented in the "Book of the Law," which had just been read before King Josiah. The verse underscores God's faithfulness to His Word, demonstrating that His warnings for disobedience are as certain to be executed as His promises for obedience.

2 Chronicles 34 24 Context

The verse is part of Huldah the prophetess's oracle to King Josiah, following the dramatic discovery of the "Book of the Law" (likely a significant portion of Deuteronomy) in the temple during its renovation. Josiah, a young and righteous king who had initiated widespread religious reforms by purging idolatry from Judah, was profoundly convicted when he heard the words of the Law read to him (2 Chr 34:19). The Law detailed both blessings for obedience and severe curses for disobedience. Realizing the nation's profound and systemic sin against God's covenant, Josiah humbled himself and sought the Lord's will through Huldah. This verse is her direct pronouncement of God's unwavering judgment. Historically, Judah had deeply entrenched itself in idolatry, particularly under kings like Manasseh (Josiah's grandfather), leading to a national spiritual condition beyond a mere turning back by one king.

2 Chronicles 34 24 Word analysis

• Thus says the Lord (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה - koh amar YHWH): This is a classic prophetic formula, unequivocally establishing the divine origin and authority of the message. It signifies that Huldah is not speaking her own thoughts but is a direct conduit for God's word, making the pronouncement irrefutable. It bypasses any human skepticism about the messenger's personal status or the validity of the scroll.
• Behold (הִנֵּה - hinneh): An interjection used to draw immediate attention. It signifies that what follows is certain, important, and imminent. It functions as a warning, preparing the listener for a solemn declaration.
• I will bring (מֵבִיא - mevi'): The Hebrew uses a participle, implying a continuous, active intention and a certainty of execution. God Himself is the active agent in bringing about the disaster, underscoring His sovereignty and direct involvement in upholding His covenant.
• disaster (רָעָה - ra'ah): This word refers to evil or calamity. In this context, it denotes a state of profound distress, harm, and devastation. It encompasses national suffering, war, exile, and the breaking of national identity, as detailed in the curses of the Law. It is the just recompense for persistent moral and spiritual evil.
• upon this place (הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה - hammāqôm hazzéh): Specifically refers to Jerusalem and the land of Judah. This is significant because Jerusalem was the "holy city," where God's temple and name resided. The judgment on "this place" signifies the rejection of the very site intended for God's presence due to the defilement by its inhabitants. It challenges the false security people often felt due to the temple's presence (cf. Jer 7:4).
• and upon its inhabitants (וְעַל־יוֹשְׁבֵיהָ - və‘al-yoshvēhā): The judgment is not just on the land or physical structures but explicitly on the people dwelling within it. They are held responsible for the national sin and will suffer its consequences. The collective responsibility of the nation for its corporate sins is a recurring biblical theme.
• all the curses (כָּל־הַקְּלָלוֹת - kōl-haqqəllālôṯ): "All" emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the judgment. No curse mentioned in the Law would be left unfulfilled. "The curses" specifically point back to passages like Lev 26 and Deut 28, which list severe punishments (famine, plague, warfare, exile, defeat, shame) for covenant unfaithfulness.
• that are written (כְּתוּבֹת - kəthûvôṯ): Emphasizes the permanence, authority, and unalterable nature of these pronouncements. They were not arbitrary or spontaneous but clearly articulated and recorded in God's covenant document. This demonstrates God's prior revelation and Israel's conscious transgression.
• in the book (בַּסֵּפֶר - bassēp̄er): Refers to the "Book of the Law," the rediscovered text that initiated Josiah's reforms. Its being found and read served as the immediate catalyst for Huldah's prophecy. This highlights the foundational role of the written Word of God as the standard for judgment and the revealer of national sin.
• which was read before the king of Judah (אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה - asher niqrā' lifnê melekh yehûdhah): This specifies the precise circumstances and emphasizes the public and official nature of the reading. Josiah, as the nation's representative, had heard and understood the gravity of the nation's transgressions in light of the Law, making the ensuing judgment profoundly significant and demonstrably just.

2 Chronicles 34 24 Bonus section

• Prophetic Authenticity: Huldah, despite being a woman, living in the lower quarter of Jerusalem, was the chosen mouthpiece for God's message over more prominent prophets like Jeremiah or Zephaniah (who were contemporary). This underscores that God chooses His instruments as He wills, validating His word through whomever He appoints.
• Justice and Grace: While judgment on the nation was inevitable, the broader context of 2 Chronicles 34-35 shows that Josiah's personal humility (vv. 27-28) did result in a delay of the full force of the disaster during his lifetime. This demonstrates God's willingness to extend grace to individuals who repent, even when corporate judgment is set.
• The Power of God's Word: The entire narrative hinges on the "Book of the Law" being found and read. Its reintroduction into the public sphere revealed the true state of the nation and precipitated both reform and revelation of judgment. It highlights the living and active nature of Scripture to convict and judge.

2 Chronicles 34 24 Commentary

2 Chronicles 34:24 serves as a solemn declaration of God's unwavering justice. Huldah's prophecy, spoken with absolute divine authority ("Thus says the Lord"), confirms that Judah's deep-seated and generational idolatry had passed a point of no return for the nation as a whole, despite King Josiah's righteous individual efforts. The "disaster" is a direct, precise, and certain fulfillment of the covenant curses God had laid out in His Law centuries prior. The rediscovered Book of the Law not only convicted Josiah but also validated God's impending judgment; the "curses written" were not new threats but ancient warnings finally catching up to a disobedient people. This verse reveals God's commitment to His word, both in its promises and its warnings, and underscores that collective, entrenched sin eventually demands severe national consequences.