2 Kings 23:3

So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — King Josiah stands before the assembled people of Judah and Jerusalem immediately after the Book of the Covenant is read aloud in the temple. He addresses the entire assembly, from the smallest to the greatest, to formalize their collective response.

The words — The text highlights וַ/יִּכְרֹת (va/i.yikh.Rot), meaning "and he made," and הַ/בְּרִית (ha./be.Rit), meaning "the covenant," describing the formal establishment of a binding agreement anchored at the temple pillar.

The thread — This covenant pattern recurs in 2 Kings 11:14 and 2 Kings 11:17 during Jehoiada's restoration, while its demand for wholehearted obedience echoes Deuteronomy 13:4.

Why it lands — The verse requires a public, voluntary commitment to obey the written law, extending the king's personal vow to the entire population.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיַּעֲמֹ֣דva/i.ya.'a.Modand/ he stood הַ֠מֶּלֶךְHa./Me.lekhthe/ king עַֽל־'al-at הָ֨עַמּ֜וּדha./'a.Mudthe/ pillar וַיִּכְרֹ֥תva/i.yikh.Rotand/ he made אֶֽת־'et-<obj.>הַבְּרִ֣ית׀ha./be.Ritthe/ covenant לִפְנֵ֣יli/f.Nei<to>/ before יְהוָ֗הYah.wehYahweh לָלֶ֜כֶתla./Le.khetto/ walk אַחַ֤ר'a.Charafter יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahweh וְלִשְׁמֹ֨רve./li/sh.Morand/ to/ keep מִצְוֹתָ֜יוmitz.vo.Ta/vcommandments/ his וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>עֵדְוֹתָ֤יו'e.de.vo.Ta/vtestimonies/ his וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>חֻקֹּתָיו֙chu.ko.Ta/vstatutes/ his בְּכָל־be./kholwith/ all לֵ֣בlevheart וּבְכָל־u./ve./Khol-and/ with/ all נֶ֔פֶשׁNe.feshbeing לְהָקִ֗יםle./ha.Kimto/ establish אֶת־'et-<obj.>דִּבְרֵי֙div.Rei[the] words of הַבְּרִ֣יתha./be.Ritthe/ covenant הַזֹּ֔אתha./Zot<the>/ this הַכְּתֻבִ֖יםha./ke.tu.Vimwhich/ were written עַל־'al-on הַסֵּ֣פֶרha./Se.ferthe/ scroll הַזֶּ֑הha./Zeh<the>/ this וַיַּעֲמֹ֥דva/i.ya.'a.Modand/ it took its stand כָּל־kol-all הָעָ֖םha./'Amthe/ people בַּבְּרִֽית׃ba./be.Ritin the/ covenant

King James Version

And the king stood by a pillar, 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 their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

Cross-references

2 Kings 11:14 And she looked out and saw the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”
2 Kings 11:17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.
Deuteronomy 13:4 You are to follow the LORD your God and fear Him. Keep His commandments and listen to His voice; serve Him and hold fast to Him.
Exodus 24:3 When Moses came and told the people all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all responded with one voice: “All the words that the LORD has spoken, we will do.”
Exodus 24:7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people, who replied, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”
Deuteronomy 4:45 These are the testimonies, statutes, and ordinances that Moses proclaimed to them after they had come out of Egypt,
Deuteronomy 5:1 Then Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I declare in your hearing this day. Learn them and observe them carefully.
Deuteronomy 6:1 These are the commandments and statutes and ordinances that the LORD your God has instructed me to teach you to follow in the land that you are about to enter and possess,
Deuteronomy 6:5 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Deuteronomy 8:19 If you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods to worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish.