2 Kings 23:3

1 Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

2 And he went up to the house of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the prophets—all the people small and great—and in their hearing he read all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD.

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 this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

4 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.

5 Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
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 this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.
KJV
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.
WEB
The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to walk after the LORD and to keep his commandments, his testimonies, and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book; and all the people agreed to the covenant.
ASV
And the king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before Jehovah, to walk after Jehovah, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all [his] heart, and all [his] soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book: and all the people stood to the covenant.
DARBY
And the king stood on the dais, and made a covenant before Jehovah, to walk after Jehovah, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all [his] heart, and with all [his] soul, to establish the words of this covenant that are written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
BLB
And the king stood by the pillar, and he cut the covenant before the face of YHWH, to walk after YHWH and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all the heart and with all the soul, to establish the words of this covenant written in this book. And all the people stood in the covenant.
ÅB
Og kongen sto på forhøyningen og gjorde den pakt for Herrens åsyn at de skulle følge Herren og holde hans bud og hans vitnesbyrd og hans forskrifter av alt sitt hjerte og av all sin sjel - at de skulle holde denne pakts ord, de som var skrevet i denne bok. Og alt folket trådte inn i pakten.
OTB
Så stod kongen ved søylen og inngikk en pakt for Herrens åsyn, om å vandre etter Herren og å holde Hans bud, Hans vitnesbyrd og Hans forskrifter med hele sitt hjerte og hele sin sjel, for å oppfylle ordene i denne pakten som var skrevet i denne boken. Og hele folket bekreftet pakten.
B1930
Og kongen stod på forhøiningen og gjorde den pakt for Herrens åsyn at de skulde følge Herren og holde hans bud og hans vidnesbyrd og hans forskrifter av alt sitt hjerte og av all sin sjel - at de skulde holde denne pakts ord, de som var skrevet i denne bok. Og alt folket trådte inn i pakten.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

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!”

    Read in context
  • 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.

    Read in context
  • 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.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 24:24–25

    So the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God and obey His voice.”

    Read in context
  • 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.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 50:5

    They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and join themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.

    Read in context
  • Nehemiah 9:38

    In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 4:45

    These are the testimonies, statutes, and ordinances that Moses proclaimed to them after they had come out of Egypt,

    Read in context