2 Chronicles 34:1

 2 Chronicles 34:1

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.

a. NLT: Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: A son of eight years is Josiah in his reigning, and thirty and one years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: Josiah was eight years old when he began his thirty-one-year reign in Jerusalem. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. I & II Chronicles: Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. [THE ARTSCROLL SERIES THE WRITINGS: CHRONICLES Ⓒ Copyright 2017 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ltd.]  

f. Peshitta Eastern Text: Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT.Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1961 by A.J. Holmon Co.; Copyright  Ⓒ 1939 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1967  by A.J. Holmon Co.;  Copyright  Ⓒ 1940 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; Copyright  Ⓒ 1957 by A.J. Holmon Co. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

g. NIV: Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

1. “Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign…”

a. Josiah [Strong: 2977 Yo'shiyah yo-shee-yaw' or {yo-she-yaw'-hoo}; from the same root as 803 and 3050; founded of Jah; Joshijah, the name of two Israelites:-- Josiah.[

b. [was] eight [Strong: 8083 shmoneh shem-o-neh' or shmowneh {shem-o-neh'}; feminine shmonah {shem-o-naw'}; or shmownah {shem-o-naw'}; apparently from 8082 through the idea of plumpness; a cardinal number, eight (as if a surplus above the "perfect" seven); also (as ordinal) eighth:--eight((-een, -eenth)), eighth.]

c. years [Strong: 8141 shaneh shaw-neh' (in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year (as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old, year(X -ly).]

d. old [Strong: 1121 ben bane from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

e. [when he] began to reign [Strong: 4427 malak maw-lak' a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel:--consult, X indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to) reign(-ing), rule, X surely.]

1). Josiah began to reign after his father Amon was assassinated. 

a). 2 Chronicles 33:20-25 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house [garden]. And Amon his son reigned in his stead.

33:21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began his two-year reign in Jerusalem.

33:22 But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did Manasseh his father; for Amon sacrificed to all the images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them,

33:23 And he did not humble himself before the Lord, as Manasseh his father [finally] did; but Amon trespassed and became more and more guilty.

33:24 And his servants conspired against him and killed him in his own house.

33:25 But the people of the land slew all those who had conspired against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his stead.

b). Amon was 24 when he was murdered, it is likely that perhaps the leaders of Judah waited until Josiah was 8 to crown him king. I have trouble believing that at Amon’s death at 24 that he had an eight year old son. 

2. “...and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.”

a. [and he] reigned [Strong: 4427 malak maw-lak' a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel:--consult, X indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to) reign(-ing), rule, X surely.]

b. [in] Jerusalem [Strong: 3389 Yruwshalaim yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im rarely Yruwshalayim {yer-oo- shaw-lah'-yim}; a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of 3390)); probably from (the passive participle of) 3384 and 7999; founded peaceful; Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine:--Jerusalem.]

c. one [Strong: 259 'echad ekh-awd' a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), + eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,]

d. [and] thirty [Strong: 7970 shlowshiym shel-o-sheem' or shloshiym {shel-o-sheem'}; multiple of 7969; thirty; or (ordinal) thirtieth:--thirty, thirtieth.]

e. years [Strong: 8141 shaneh shaw-neh' (in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year (as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old, year(X -ly).]

1). Josiah died at 39 years old when he went to battle against Pharaoh Necho (2 Kings 23:29, 30; 2 Chronicles 35:20-24).