Verse 3

In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year he began ridding Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, Asherah poles, idols, and images.

Referenced Verses

  • 2 Chr 15:2 : 2 He met Asa and told him,“Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! The LORD is with you when you are loyal to him. If you seek him, he will respond to you, but if you reject him, he will reject you.
  • 2 Chr 33:22 : 22 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, just like his father Manasseh had done. Amon offered sacrifices to all the idols his father Manasseh had made, and worshiped them.
  • Prov 8:17 : 17 I will love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.
  • 2 Chr 33:17 : 17 However, the people continued to offer sacrifices at the high places, but only to the LORD their God.
  • Eccl 12:1 : 1 Fear God Now Because Old Age and Death Come Quickly So remember your Creator in the days of your youth– before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you will say,“I have no pleasure in them”;
  • Matt 6:33 : 33 But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
  • 2 Tim 3:15 : 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
  • Ps 119:9 : 9 ב(Bet) How can a young person maintain a pure life? By guarding it according to your instructions!
  • 2 Chr 30:14 : 14 They removed the altars in Jerusalem; they also removed all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.
  • Lev 26:30 : 30 I will destroy your high places and cut down your incense altars, and I will stack your dead bodies on top of the lifeless bodies of your idols. I will abhor you.
  • 1 Kgs 13:2 : 2 He cried out against the altar with the LORD’S message,“O altar, altar! This is what the LORD has said,‘Look, a son named Josiah will be born to the Davidic dynasty. He will sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who offer sacrifices on you. Human bones will be burned on you.’”
  • 2 Kgs 18:4 : 4 He eliminated the high places, smashed the sacred pillars to bits, and cut down the Asherah pole. He also demolished the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been offering incense to it; it was called Nehushtan.
  • 2 Kgs 23:4 : 4 The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the high-ranking priests, and the guards to bring out of the LORD’s temple all the items that were used in the worship of Baal, Asherah, and all the stars of the sky. The king burned them outside of Jerusalem in the terraces of Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel.
  • 2 Kgs 23:14 : 14 He smashed the sacred pillars to bits, cut down the Asherah poles, and filled those shrines with human bones.
  • 1 Chr 22:5 : 5 David said,“My son Solomon is just an inexperienced young man, and the temple to be built for the LORD must be especially magnificent so it will become famous and be considered splendid by all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for its construction.” So David made extensive preparations before he died.
  • 1 Chr 28:9 : 9 “And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the LORD examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently.
  • 1 Chr 29:1 : 1 The People Contribute to the Project King David said to the entire assembly:“My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is just an inexperienced young man, and the task is great, for this palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.