³ Next, the king stood by the pillar^[a](A) and made a covenant^(B) in the Lord’s presence to follow the Lord and to keep his commands, his decrees, and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul^(C) in order to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book; all the people agreed to^[b] the covenant.^(D)

Josiah’s Reforms

⁴ Then the king commanded the high priest Hilkiah^(E) and the priests of the second rank^(F) and the doorkeepers to bring out of the Lord’s sanctuary all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the stars in the sky.^(G) He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.^{(H) 5} Then he did away with the idolatrous priests the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense at the high places^(I) in the cities of Judah and in the areas surrounding Jerusalem. They had burned incense to Baal, and to the sun, moon, constellations, and all the stars in the sky.^(J)