The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 34:2 Explained

2 Chronicles 34:2

KJV: And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.

YLT: and he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, and walketh in the ways of David his father, and hath not turned aside -- right or left.

Darby: And he did what was right in the sight of Jehovah, and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand nor to the left.

ASV: And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he did  [that which was] right  in the sight  of the LORD,  and walked  in the ways  of David  his father,  and declined  [neither] to the right hand,  nor to the left. 

What does 2 Chronicles 34:2 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Chronicles 34:1-11 - A Toting King's Noble Leadership
Josiah was as much better than his father Amon, as Manasseh had been worse than Hezekiah. How strange to find such a pure young soul in the heart of Amon's court! What led the boy to such moral and religious attainments? Perhaps his grandfather, Manasseh, unable to change his son, focused his prayers and influence on his grandson. It is probable, also, that considerable influence for good resulted from the discovery that he had been the subject of prophecy. See 1 Kings 13:2. He felt encouraged to apprehend that for which he had been apprehended years before. Though no prophet's voice has predicted the program and attainments of our lives, they are well known in heaven, and we are summoned to realize God's great ideals for us.
The call of Jeremiah, also so nearly coincides with the commencement of Josiah's reforms that we can scarcely regard the two facts as unconnected. At any rate the king's earlier efforts seem to have been coincident with the first appearance of the prophet-statesman in the king's court at Jerusalem. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 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 34:2 mean?

And he did [what was] right in the sight of Yahweh and walked in the ways of David his father and [not] [he] did turn aside to the right hand or to the left
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ בְּדַרְכֵי֙ דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֔יו וְלֹא־ סָ֖ר יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹֽאול

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ  And  he  did  [what  was] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הַיָּשָׁ֖ר  right 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
בְּעֵינֵ֣י  in  the  sight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ  and  walked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּדַרְכֵי֙  in  the  ways 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common plural construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
דָּוִ֣יד  of  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אָבִ֔יו  his  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וְלֹא־  and  [not] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
סָ֖ר  [he]  did  turn  aside 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
יָמִ֥ין  to  the  right  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָמִין  
Sense: right, right hand, right side.
וּשְׂמֹֽאול  or  to  the  left 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׂמֹאל  
Sense: the left, the left hand, the left side.