1Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.2He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.3In 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:4‘Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and make him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the Lord, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.5Make them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And make these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the Lord –6the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also make them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple.7But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings.’8Hilkiah 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.9Then 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.’10Then 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.11When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.12He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant:13‘Go and enquire 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 those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.’14Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.15She said to them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: tell the man who sent you to me,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.17Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made,[1] my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.”18Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the Lord, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard:19because 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 a curse[2] and be laid waste – and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. (Jer 29:22)20Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, 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.
2 Kings 22
English Standard Version
Josiah Reigns in Judah
1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. (Jos 15:39; 2Ch 34:1)2And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left. (De 5:32)
Josiah Repairs the Temple
3In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the house of the Lord, saying,4“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money that has been brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people. (2Ki 12:4; 2Ki 12:9; 2Ki 12:10)5And let it be given into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the Lord, and let them give it to the workmen who are at the house of the Lord, repairing the house (2Ki 12:11; 2Ki 12:14)6(that is, to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons), and let them use it for buying timber and quarried stone to repair the house.7But no accounting shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into their hand, for they deal honestly.” (2Ki 12:15)
Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law
8And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “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. (De 31:24; 2Ch 34:14)9And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the Lord.”10Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.11When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. (Jos 7:6)12And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, (2Ki 25:22; 2Ch 34:20; Jer 26:24; Jer 39:14; Jer 40:5)13“Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” (De 29:27)14So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter), and they talked with her. (2Ch 34:22; Zep 1:10)15And she said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me,16Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read.17Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched. (De 29:25; 2Ki 21:22; 2Ki 22:13)18But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard,19because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. (Le 26:31; 1Ki 21:29; 2Ki 22:11; 2Ch 30:7; Ps 51:17; Isa 57:15; Jer 24:9; Jer 25:18; Jer 26:6; Jer 44:22; Mic 6:16)20Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.’” And they brought back word to the king. (Ps 37:37; Isa 57:1)