2 Chronicles 35:26-27 Meaning: Measured by the Law
26Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his good deeds, according to that which is written in Yahweh’s law,
27and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
26Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to that which was written in the law of the Lord,
27And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
26Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his good deeds, according to that which is written in the law of Jehovah,
27and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
26And the rest of the matters of Josiah, and his kind acts, according as it is written in the law of Jehovah,
27even his matters, the first and the last, lo, they are written on the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
26And the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his good deeds, according to that which is written in the law of Jehovah,
27and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
Meaning in one sentence
These closing verses sum up Josiah's reign by measuring his acts against God's law. They affirm that a life of faithfulness is recorded and remembered.
Context
The Chronicler brings Josiah's story to a close with a quiet summary. Josiah has just died in battle at Megiddo, a sudden end for a king who had led a great revival. But the writer does not dwell on the tragedy. Instead, he ends with an epilogue that measures Josiah's life against God's law. That choice is deliberate. In 2 Kings, Josiah's death is linked to God's wrath because of Manasseh's sins. Here, the Chronicler passes over that explanation. He simply notes that Josiah's good deeds were in line with the law, and that his full record is written in the books of the kings. The message: what matters is not how Josiah died, but how he lived before God.
Key Words
Two Hebrew words give this passage its weight. The phrase 'good deeds' translates chasadaiv, a word built from hesed, meaning covenant loyalty, faithful love. These are not random kindnesses but acts flowing from a heart committed to God. Josiah's goodness was the fruit of his covenant with the Lord.
Second, 'the law' is torah, God's instruction. It is not a list of rules to earn favor, but a gift that shows how to walk with Him. Finally, 'written' (katuv) appears twice, once for the law and once for the record of Josiah's acts. The same root ties his life to Scripture. His deeds were measured by God's word and kept in God's memory. That double writing gives us a picture: the King of Israel lived in a way that matched the scroll, and that life is permanently recorded.
How Christians Read This Verse
Different readers have drawn different lessons from this closing summary. Reformed commentators like Matthew Henry emphasize Josiah's goodness according to the law, presenting him as a model of faithfulness even in the face of tragedy. Keil and Delitzsch note that the Chronicler purposefully omits the theological explanation for Josiah's death found in 2 Kings, choosing instead to highlight the king's devotion. Jewish tradition, reflected in the Targum quoted by Adam Clarke, expands on Josiah's reforms from his early years. Across these perspectives, all agree that the Chronicler intended to end not with a question mark but with a simple declaration that Josiah's life, measured by God's law, was recorded and remembered.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers treat these verses as nothing more than a standard formula tacked onto every king's reign. They skim past, missing the weight. In fact, the Chronicler could have ended with Josiah's tragic death or with God's anger. He chose instead to close on a note of faithfulness. The formula is not empty. It declares that a life shaped by Scripture matters more than the circumstances of its ending.
Living This Out
This passage invites you to consider what will be said at the end of your story. Not the headlines or the accidents, but the quiet record of how you loved God and kept His word. You might be nursing a disappointment right now, a plan that failed, a kindness that went unnoticed. Josiah's ending says: that is not the final word. What you do for the Lord, even when it leads to unexpected places, is written down. It is seen. It is kept. You can go into this week with a lighter heart, knowing that your faithfulness is recorded in heaven, not measured by earthly outcomes.
Main takeaway: Josiah's life was measured by its faithfulness to God's law, and that faithfulness remains recorded and honored before God.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
King Josiah tried to do what God said. Even when sad things happened, God remembered that Josiah obeyed His rules. You can do good things because you love God, and He sees you.
For ages 9, 12
Josiah became king when he was only eight, and he worked hard to follow God's commands. He died in a battle, which was sad, but the Bible does not end his story there. It says his good deeds were written down in God's book. That shows us that what matters most is not how our story ends, but that we live faithfully. God sees even the small good things you do, and He remembers them.
Questions People Ask
Why does 2 Chronicles end Josiah's story differently than 2 Kings?
The two books have different purposes. 2 Kings includes a theological explanation: God's wrath remained because of Manasseh's sins. The Chronicler deliberately leaves that out. He wants to end Josiah's reign by emphasizing his faithfulness to the law, not by explaining his death. The Chronicler writes to encourage a post-exile community, and Josiah's obedience serves as a model.
What does 'good deeds' mean in 2 Chronicles 35:26?
The Hebrew word is chasadaiv, which comes from hesed, a rich term for covenant loyalty, steadfast love, and faithful kindness. It is not generic niceness. It refers to acts that flow from a life bound to God in covenant. Josiah's reforms and his obedience to the law are the 'good deeds' that match God's instruction.
What is the 'book of the kings of Israel and Judah'?
This likely refers to an official court record or chronicle kept by scribes in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Several Old Testament books reference similar sources. These records were used by the authors of Kings and Chronicles as source material. They are no longer known today, having been lost to history.
Does this verse teach that we are saved by good works?
Christians across traditions agree that salvation is a gift from God, received by faith, not earned by deeds. This verse does not contradict that. It describes how Josiah's life was consistent with God's covenant law and was remembered as faithful. Good works in the Bible are the fruit of a saving relationship with God, not the root of it.
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