Lesson 37: Josiah and Ezra Read the Scriptures to the People

Primary 6: Old Testament, (1996), 162–66

726 Hezekiah (prophets: Isaiah)

721 Northern Kingdom carried off

642 Amon (prophets: Nahum? )

640 BC Josiah

(prophets: Nahum, Huldah the prophetess, Jeremiah)

609 Jehoahaz (prophets: Obadiah?)

609 Jehoiakim (prophets: Daniel carried captive)

598 Jehoiachin (prophets: Habakkuk)

598 Zedikiah (prophets: Ezekiel)

587 Capture of Jerusalem

458 Ezra

444 Nehemiah

Notes on Josiah:

Josiah -- Bible Dictionary

(1) King of Judah, 641–610 B.C. (see 2 Kgs. 22–24; 2 Chr. 34–35). While still young, he made, under the guidance of Hilkiah, a thorough religious reformation, which extended to the northern tribes. He restored the temple, destroyed idolatrous images and the high places, put down the idolatrous priests, and celebrated a great Passover (2 Kgs. 23:21–23). During this reformation a book of the law was found by Hilkiah (2 Kgs. 22:8–9; 2 Chr. 34:15–16). It made at once a great impression and led to the centralizing of all sacrificial worship at Jerusalem and the abolition of local idolatrous sanctuaries or high places. Josiah became involved in the war between Assyria and Egypt, and, though Pharaoh Necho disclaimed enmity, Josiah met him in battle at Megiddo and was defeated and slain (2 Chr. 35:20–25; see also 2 Kgs. 23:29–30; Jer. 22:10–12, 18; Zech. 12:11).

Ezra -- Bible Dictionary

A famous priest and scribe who brought back part of the exiles from captivity (Ezra 7–10; Neh. 8; 12). The object of his mission was “to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” In 458 B.C. he obtained from Artaxerxes an important edict (Ezra 7:12–26) allowing him to take to Jerusalem any Jewish exiles who cared to go, along with offerings for the temple with which he was entrusted, and giving to the Jews various rights and privileges. He was also directed to appoint magistrates and judges. On arriving in Jerusalem his first reform was to cause the Jews to separate from their foreign wives, and a list is given of those who had offended in this way (Ezra 10). The later history of Ezra is found in the book of Nehemiah, which is a sequel to the book of Ezra. Along with Nehemiah he took steps to instruct the people in the Mosaic law (Neh. 8). Hitherto “the law” had been to a great extent the exclusive possession of the priests. It was now brought within the reach of every Jew. The open reading of “the book of the law” was a new departure and marked the law as the center of Jewish national life.

A good many traditions have gathered around the name of Ezra. He is said to have formed the canon of Hebrew scripture and to have established an important national council, called the Great Synagogue, over which he presided. But for none of these traditions is there trustworthy evidence. The Jews of later days were inclined to attribute to the influence of Ezra every religious development between the days of Nehemiah and the Maccabees.

The book of Ezra contains also an introductory section (Ezra 1–6) describing events that happened from 60 to 80 years before the arrival of Ezra in Jerusalem, that is, the decree of Cyrus, 537 B.C., and the return of Jews under Zerubbabel; the attempt to build the temple and the hindrances due to the Samaritans; the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah and the completion of the temple, 516 B.C. There is no record in the book of any events between this date and the mission of Ezra.

Religious values in the book of Ezra are found in the teaching that (1) the promises of the Lord through His prophets shall all be fulfilled (Ezra 1:1; see also Jer. 25:13; 29:10; D&C 1:37–38; 5:20); (2) discipline and patience are born of disappointment, as one expectation after another was frustrated; (3) there is eternal significance in everyday life; (4) preparation is needed for the rule of Messiah, the law being the schoolmaster to bring men to Christ.

Purpose

To teach the children that reading and following the counsel of the scriptures brings joy.

Preparation

1.
Prayerfully study:

• 2 Kings 22:1–2—Josiah reigns in righteousness.
1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
• 2 Kings 22:3–10—While repairing the temple, Hilkiah finds the book of the law. (Note: Book of the law and book of the covenant are descriptive terms for the scriptures at that time.)
3 ¶And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying,

4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people:

5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house,

6 Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.

7 Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.

8 ¶And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord.

10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
• 2 Kings 22:11–13—Josiah sorrows because of the wickedness of the people.
11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying,

13 Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.
• 2 Kings 22:14–20—Huldah prophesies the desolation of the wicked but promises that Josiah will be blessed.
14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.

15 ¶And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,

16 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:

17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they mightprovoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;

19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heardthee, saith the Lord.

20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
• 2 Kings 23:1–4, 21–25—Josiah reads the book of the law to the people; they make covenants and stop their idolatry.
1 And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

2 And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord.

3 ¶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.

4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el.
1 And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

2 And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord.

3 ¶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 alltheir soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and thekeepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el.
• Nehemiah 8:1–12—Ezra reads and interprets the law of Moses. The people rejoice.
1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.

2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.

3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:

6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.

8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

9 ¶And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

2. Additional reading:
- • Deuteronomy 6:6–7—Moses tells the Israelites to teach the commandments to their children at all times.
- 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
  
  7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
- • 2 Chronicles 34—Another account of the story of Josiah (compare 2 Kings 22).
- 31 And the king stood in his place, 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 his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book.
3. Study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account (see “Preparing Your Lessons,” p. vi, and“Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii). Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will best help the children achieve the purpose of the lesson.
4. Materials needed:
1. a. A Bible for each child.
2. b. A journal, scrapbook, photo album, or baby book (see the attention activity).

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Ask the children if they remember what the first lessons of this course were about. If they remember the general topics, ask for more specific details. Explain that it is hard for us to remember information that we learned a long time ago. Show the children a journal, scrapbook, photo album, baby book, or similar book, and relate the following true experience or a personal experience you have had keeping records.

Some children asked their mother to tell them about what they said and did when they were younger. Their mother had written a journal of some of those experiences. The family read the journal together. The oldest boy learned that the first talk he gave in Primary was about two brothers who decided not to quarrel with one another. He liked knowing this because he always tried to be a peacemaker in his family. One daughter learned that when she was three years old she prayed every night for her neighbors to learn not to smoke and for them to be kept safe from harm. This concern showed the same sensitivity toward others that she continued to have as an older child. Another child learned that in her baby blessing her father had blessed her to have an especially close relationship with her mother. Throughout her life, that blessing had been fulfilled. Even the mother was surprised at some of the stories. Over time she had forgotten many of them. Both the mother and her children felt joy as they read the journal and remembered experiences from their past.

Explain that it is easy to forget things that we aren’t constantly reminded of. Important information should be studied and reviewed continually so that we do not forget it. Show the children your scriptures, and tell them these books contain Heavenly Father’s words to us. Diligent daily study of the scriptures will help us remember and keep his commandments. Tell the children that in this lesson they will learn about the people of Judah at two different historical times: during the reign of King Josiah (about 640 B.C.) and the time of Nehemiah and Ezra (about 450 B.C.) (B.C. means before the birth of Christ). Both groups of people had lost the book of the law—the scriptures the Lord gave to them through Moses—so they forgot the commandments and did not obey them.

Scripture Account

Teach the children the account of Josiah, the boy king of Judah, and of Ezra from the scriptures listed in the “Preparation” section. (For suggested ways to teach the scripture account, see “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.)

Discussion and Application Questions

Study the following questions and the scripture references as you prepare your lesson. Use the questions you feel will best help the children understand the scriptures and apply the principles in their lives. Reading and discussing the scriptures with the children in class will help them gain personal insights.

• What kind of person was King Josiah? (2 Kings 22:2; 2 Kings 23:25. Note: The David mentioned in 2 Kings 22:2 is King David, who was Josiah’s forefather, not his literal father. Josiah’s father was Amon.) Explain that Josiah’s father was a wicked king who was killed by his servants when Josiah was eight years old. Josiah inherited the throne, and he was a righteous king.
• In the eighteenth year of King Josiah’s reign, what was done to the temple? (2 Chronicles 34:8–11.) What did Hilkiah, the high priest, find in the temple when it was being repaired? (2 Kings 22:8.) Explain that book of the law was another name for the scriptures.
• After King Josiah had the book of the law read to him, what did he do that showed his great sorrow? (2 Kings 22:11–13.) Explain that “rent his clothes” means he ripped or tore his clothes to signify his deep sorrow that his people had strayed so far from God’s laws.
• How had the people shown they had forgotten the Lord’s laws? (2 Kings 22:16–17.) How did King Josiah abolish idol worship and the other evil practices of his people? (2 Kings 23:4, 24–25.)
• How did King Josiah help his people repent of their sins? (2 Kings 23:2–3.) What made the people realize they had done wrong? Explain that reading the scriptures taught the people the Lord’s ways. Because the book of the laws and covenants had been lost, the people had forgotten the commandments and had been led astray. How can the scriptures help us? What habits can we develop that will help us remember God’s words? (See enrichment activity 4.)
• What righteous practice did King Josiah reestablish? (2 Kings 23:21–23.)
• Who was Nehemiah? (Nehemiah 8:9. Note: The footnote in Nehemiah 7:65 indicates that Tirshatha means governor. Nehemiah was a righteous leader of his people.) (See also “Nehemiah” in the LDS Bible Dictionary [p. 738].)
• Who was Ezra? (Nehemiah 8:9.) Explain that Ezra was a priest and a scribe, and as a scribe he was a teacher of the law. The Jews at this time (about 450 B.C.) had been in captivity in the Persian Empire for many years, and they had not been allowed to have their laws read to them. They had fallen into the evil ways of those around them. Some of the Jews, including Ezra and Nehemiah, were allowed to return to Jerusalem to reestablish their culture and religious beliefs.
• To whom did Ezra read the book of the law of Moses? (Nehemiah 8:1–3, 5.) Explain that the LDS Bible Dictionary under the heading“Ezra” (p. 669) points out that before this time the law had been available only to the priests. Reading the book of the law in the open street made it available to everyone. What was the people’s reaction to hearing the book of the law? (Nehemiah 8:3, 9.) How should we read the scriptures?
• Who helped the people understand the scriptures? (Nehemiah 8:7–8.) Point out that the spirit of the Lord was with the people as the priests explained what was being read to them. How did the people feel when they understood the scriptures that were read? (Nehemiah 8:12.) How do you feel when you read and understand the scriptures? (See enrichment activity 2.) How can we develop the kind of excitement for the scriptures that these people had?

Enrichment Activities

You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.

1. Tell the children you are going to whisper something to them that you want them to try to remember. Whisper this scripture to each child: “The king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments” (2 Chronicles 34:31). After you have whispered this to each child, ask them to repeat it. If they have a hard time remembering it, explain that the value of having written scriptures is that we can study and read them often to help us remember. Then as a class read the verse out loud from the scriptures. At the end of the lesson, ask if the children remember the scripture that you whispered to them and they read together. If you have repeated it several times, some of them will probably remember. Read it out loud in unison again. Point out that we remember important truths by hearing and reading them again and again.
2. My thought: When could I read the scriptures? (Where could I keep the scriptures handy to read?)
Write on the chalkboard two headings: “Why might it be hard to read the scriptures?” and “Ways to overcome these difficulties.” Ask the children why it might be hard for them to read the scriptures, and then have them suggest ways to overcome these difficulties. Discuss each idea with the children, listing their answers in the appropriate column. Problems with reading the scriptures might be that they are hard to understand or that the children can’t read well enough. Possible solutions to these problems could be to read out loud, to read and discuss with an adult, to pray for understanding, or to read the suggested home reading included at the end of each lesson while the lesson is still fresh in their minds. Challenge the children to read the assigned verses from this lesson and each lesson. Explain that when a person reads regularly from the scriptures, the scriptures become more familiar and easier to understand.
3. If these items are available, dip a toothpick for each child into a small amount of honey. Have the children taste the honey. Emphasize the sweetness of the honey, and then read Psalm 19:8, 10.
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure,enlightening the eyes. . . .

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Have the children think about how the scriptures can be sweeter than honey in their lives. Point out that through the scriptures we can feel Heavenly Father’s love for us, and we can receive help in facing our problems. These and other things bring a sweetness, or joy, in our lives. Encourage the children to share something they love about the scriptures.
4.
Play charades by having a child pantomime one of the following situations. Have the rest of the class guess what they are doing.
1. a. Driving to a gas station and putting fuel in the gas tank of an automobile.
2. b. Eating dinner.
3. c. Planting and watering a plant.
4. d. Reading the scriptures.
Play until all four situations have been correctly guessed. Discuss what similarities there are in these different activities. Point out that in each case an object needs fuel so that it will have the energy to keep going. Just as a car, a plant, or our physical bodies need fuel or food for energy, our spirit needs to be fed so that it too can be healthy. Discuss how we can feed our spirits. Discuss how often our spirits need to be fed. Read Deuteronomy 6:6–7 with the children, and emphasize that we should think of the Lord’s words to us at all times in everything we do. Challenge the children to read from the scriptures each day in the coming week.

5. Remind the children that in order to obey the commandments, they have to be able to remember them. To help them remember, play a memory game. Write the names of the following people from the Old Testament on separate 3″ x 5″ cards. On other cards write the phrases that describe each person. Have the children take turns matching the card with the name of the person on it with the card that says what he or she did. When the children have matched all the cards, discuss the spiritual qualities they remember about each person.

Person	Action
Adam	Left the Garden of Eden
Enoch	His righteous city was translated
Noah	Built an ark
Abraham	Willing to sacrifice his son
Rebekah	Left her family to marry Isaac
Joseph	Forgave his brothers
Moses	Saved his people from bondage
Ruth	Accepted the gospel from her mother-in-law
David	With the strength of the Lord, killed a giant
Elijah	Fed by ravens during a drought

6. Help the children understand and memorize the eighth article of faith. Or read Isaiah 40:8 and discuss ways in which the scriptures will “stand for ever.” Explain that, for example, the Ten Commandments given to Moses thousands of years ago “stand for ever”; they are still commandments in our time. Invite the children to share their favorite scriptures and the reasons they love them.
8 We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe theBook of Mormon to be the word of God.

8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

7. Sing or read the words to “Search, Ponder, and Pray” (Children’s Songbook, p. 109).

Conclusion

Testimony

Share your feelings about the great blessing the scriptures are in your life and the joy and peace they bring to you as you remember to obey Heavenly Father’s laws. Encourage the children to read the scriptures regularly at home.

Suggested Family Sharing

Encourage the children to share with their families a specific part of the lesson, such as a story, question, or activity, or to read with their families the “Suggested Home Reading.”

Primary Old Testament

Pages

Sunday, October 19, 2014