22:1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.
22:2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.
22:3 In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the LORD. He said:
22:4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.
22:5 Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the LORD–
22:6 the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple.
22:7 But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are acting faithfully.”
22:8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.
22:9 Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.”
22:10 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.
22:11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.
22:12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant:
22:13 “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’S anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”
22:14 Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophetess Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.
22:15 She said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,
22:16 ‘This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read.
22:17 Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and provoked me to anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’
22:18 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard:
22:19 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD.
22:20 Therefore I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’” So they took her answer back to the king.
22:1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath.
22:2 And he did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah and walked in all the way of David his father and did not turn to the right or to the left.
22:3 In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Jehovah, saying,
22:4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him sum up the money that is brought to the house of Jehovah, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.
22:5 And let them deliver it into the hand of those who do the work, who have the oversight of the house of Jehovah; and let them deliver it to those who do the work who are in the house of Jehovah, for the repair of what was broken in the house,
22:6 To the carpenters and the builders and the masons, and for the purchase of timber and hewn stones to repair the house.
22:7 But do not ask them for an accounting of the money delivered into their hand, for they work faithfully.
22:8 Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
22:9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought back word to the king and said, Your servants have emptied out the money which was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of those who do the work, who have the oversight of the house of Jehovah.
22:10 And Shaphan the scribe reported to the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest has given me a book. And Shaphan read it aloud before the king.
22:11 And when the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.
22:12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam the son of Shaphan and Achbor the son of Micaiah and Shaphan the scribe and Asaiah the king s servant, saying,
22:13 Go; inquire of Jehovah for me and for the people and for all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found, for the anger of Jehovah which is kindled against us is great, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book by doing according to all that is written concerning us.
22:14 So Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam and Achbor and Shaphan and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the second quarter), and they spoke to her.
22:15 And she said to them, Thus says Jehovah the God of Israel: Tell the man who has sent you to me,
22:16 Thus says Jehovah, I am now bringing evil to this place and upon its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read;
22:17 Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods, so as to provoke Me to anger with all the work of their hands. Therefore My anger is kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched.
22:18 But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of Jehovah, thus shall you say to him: Thus says Jehovah the God of Israel, regarding the words which you have heard,
22:19 Because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Jehovah when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you, declares Jehovah.
22:20 Therefore I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought back word to the king.