The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 34:20 Explained

2 Chronicles 34:20

KJV: And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,

YLT: and the king commandeth Hilkiah, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Abdon son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, servant of the king, saying,

Darby: And the king commanded Hilkijah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying,

ASV: And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the king  commanded  Hilkiah,  and Ahikam  the son  of Shaphan,  and Abdon  the son  of Micah,  and Shaphan  the scribe,  and Asaiah  a servant  of the king's,  saying, 

What does 2 Chronicles 34:20 Mean?

Context Summary

2Chronicles 34:12-21 - A Disturbing Discovery
The finding of the roll of the Law was a very significant incident. That it should have become so rare-apparently this was the only copy extant-was doubtless due to the destructive and desecrating efforts of Manasseh and other kings. Some pious hand had concealed it from the search of the inquisitors, and the secret had never been divulged. It is small wonder that the king's heart misgave him when he compared the divine ideal with the actual condition of things in Judah and Jerusalem. Here is an illustration of the way in which conscience may awake to the demands of God, which have long been buried amid the drift and rubbish of our lives, ignored and disobeyed. One day this neglect is brought suddenly and sadly home to us, and we cry out in an agony of conviction.
Let us read God's Word carefully and reverently, until we come on something which accuses us, and then stop to listen. We must submit ourselves to its scrutiny. We must allow it to divide between soul and spirit. We must enthrottle it, at whatever cost, as the critic of our lives. We must follow its leadings wherever it points the way. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2Chronicles 34

1  Josiah's good reign
3  He destroys idolatry
8  He takes order for the repair of the temple
14  Hilkiah, having found a book of the law,
21  Josiah sends to Huldah to enquire of the Lord
23  Huldah prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem, but respite thereof in Josiah's time
29  Josiah, causing it to be read in a solemn assembly, renews the covenant with God

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 34:20 mean?

And commanded the king - Hilkiah and Ahikam son of Shaphan Abdon son of Micah and Shaphan the scribe and Asaiah a servant of the king saying
וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־ חִלְקִיָּ֡הוּ וְאֶת־ אֲחִיקָ֣ם בֶּן־ שָׁ֠פָן עַבְדּ֨וֹן בֶּן־ מִיכָ֜ה וְאֵ֣ת ׀ שָׁפָ֣ן הַסּוֹפֵ֗ר וְאֵ֛ת עֲשָׂיָ֥ה עֶֽבֶד־ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵאמֹֽר

וַיְצַ֣ו  And  commanded 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חִלְקִיָּ֡הוּ  Hilkiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִלְקִיָּה 
Sense: father of Eliakim, an officer of Hezekiah.
אֲחִיקָ֣ם  Ahikam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲחִיקָם  
Sense: son of Shaphan, an officer in Josiah’s reign.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
שָׁ֠פָן  of  Shaphan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁפָן 
Sense: rock badger, coney, the hyrax.
עַבְדּ֨וֹן  Abdon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַבְדֹּון 
Sense: a judge of Israel in the time of the judges; perhaps the same as ‘Bedan’.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מִיכָ֜ה  of  Micah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִיכָה  
Sense: the 6th in order of the minor prophets; a native of Moresheth, he prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, and was contemporary with the prophets Hosea, Amos, and Isaiah.
שָׁפָ֣ן  Shaphan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁפָן 
Sense: rock badger, coney, the hyrax.
הַסּוֹפֵ֗ר  the  scribe 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סָפַר 
Sense: to count, recount, relate.
עֲשָׂיָ֥ה  Asaiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֲשָׂיָה  
Sense: a prince of the tribe of Simeon in the time of king Hezekiah of Judah.
עֶֽבֶד־  a  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
לֵאמֹֽר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.