2 Kings 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.

Eight years old, was Josiah when he began to reign, and, thirty-one years, reigned he in Jerusalem, —and, this mother’s name, was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah, of Bozkath.

2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

And he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, —and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left.

3 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the scribe, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the house of the LORD, saying,

And it came to pass, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Yahweh, saying—

4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.

Go up unto Hilkiah, the high priest, that he pour out the silver that hath been brought into the house of Yahweh, —which the keepers of the entrance-hall have gathered from the people,

5 And let them deliver it into the hands of the supervisors of those doing the work on the house of the LORD, who in turn are to give it to the workmen repairing the damages to the house of the LORD—

that they may give it into the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh, that they may give it to the doers of the work, who are in the house of Yahweh, to repair the breaches of the house;

6 to the carpenters, builders, and masons—to buy timber and dressed stone to repair the temple.

to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, —and to buy timber, and hewn stones, for repairing the house.

7 But they need not account for the money put into their hands, since they work with integrity.”

Howbeit there used to be no reckoning made with them, as to the silver that was given into their hand, —because, with faithfulness, were they dealing.

8 Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD!” And he gave it to Shaphan, who read it.

Then said Hilkiah the high priest, unto Shaphan the scribe—The book of the law, have I found, in the house of Yahweh. So Hilkiah delivered the book unto Shaphan, and he read it.

9 And Shaphan the scribe went to the king and reported, “Your servants have paid out the money that was found in the temple and have put it into the hands of the workers and supervisors of the house of the LORD.”

Then came Shaphan the scribe unto the king, and brought the king word again, —and said—Thy servants have poured out the silver that was found in the house, and have delivered it unto the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh.

10 Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.

Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying—A book, hath Hilkiah the priest delivered unto me. And Shaphan read it before the king.

11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes

And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

12 and commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the servant of the king:

And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Achbor son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying:

13 “Go and inquire of the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah concerning the words in this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book by doing all that is written about us.”

Go ye—enquire of Yahweh, for me and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book which hath been found, —for, great, is the wrath of Yahweh, in that it hath fired up against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according to all which is written concerning us.

14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.

So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas keeper of the vestments, she having her dwelling in Jerusalem, in the new city, —and they spake unto her.

15 And Huldah said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell the man who sent you

And she said unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Say ye unto the man who hath sent you unto me:

16 that this is what the LORD says: I am about to bring calamity on this place and on its people, according to all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read,

Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! about to bring calamity upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, —all the words of the book, which, the king of Judah, hath read:

17 because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be kindled against this place and will not be quenched.’

Because they have forsaken me, and burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger, with all the workmanship of their hands; and so my wrath shall fire up against this place, and shall not be quenched:

18 But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for the words that you heard,

But, unto the king of Judah, who hath sent you to enquire of Yahweh, thus, shall ye say unto him, —Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard:

19 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its people, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,’ declares the LORD.

Because, tender, was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before Yahweh when thou heardest what I had spoken against this place and against the inhabitants thereof—that they should become a desolation and a curse, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, therefore also, I, have hearkened—declareth Yahweh.

20 ‘Therefore I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place.’” So they brought her answer back to the king.

For this cause, behold me! about to gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy graves, in peace, and so thine eyes shall not look upon all the misfortune which I am about to bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.