Kings IV 22

1 Josias [was] eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name [was] Jedia, daughter of Edeia of Basuroth.

Josiah was eight when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. His mother's name was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah. She came from Bozkath.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father; he turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

He did what was right in the Lord's sight, and followed all the ways of David his forefather—he did not deviate to the right or to the left.

3 And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josias, in the eighth month, the king sent Sapphan the son of Ezelias the son of Mesollam, the scribe of the house of the Lord, saying,

In the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah sent Shaphan, son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, to the Lord's Temple. He said,

4 Go up to Chelcias the high priest, and take account of the money that is brought into the house of the Lord, which they that keep the door have collected of the people.

“Go to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money the doorkeepers have collected from the people coming to the Lord's Temple.

5 And let them give it into the hand of the workmen that are appointed in the house of the Lord. And he gave it to the workmen in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house,

Then hand it over to those who are supervising the work on Lord's Temple, and have them pay the workmen doing the repairing of the Lord's Temple,

6 [even] to the carpenters, and builders, and masons, [and] also to purchase timber and hewn stones, to repair the breaches of the house.

the carpenters, the builders and the masons. In addition have them purchase timber and cut stone to repair the Temple.

7 Only they did not call them to account for the money that was given to them, because they dealt faithfully.

Don't ask for any accounts from the men who received the money because they deal honestly.”

8 And Chelcias the high priest said to Saphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Chelcias gave the book to Sapphan, and he read it.

Hilkiah the high priest told Shaphan the scribe, “I've found the Book of the Law in the Lord's Temple.” He gave it to Shaphan who read it.

9 And he went into the house of the Lord to the king, and reported the matter to the king, and said, Thy servants have collected the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and have given it into the hand of the workmen that are appointed in the house of the Lord.

Shaphan the scribe went to the king and to give him a report, saying, “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the Lord's Temple and have handed it over to those appointed to supervise the work at the Lord's Temple.”

10 And Sapphan the scribe spoke to the king, saying, Chelcias the priest has given me a book. And Sapphan read it before the king.

Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” Shaphan read it to the king.

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

When the king heard what was in the book of the Law, he tore his clothes.

12 And the king commanded Chelcias the priest, and Achikam the son of Sapphan, and Achobor the son of Michaias, and Sapphan the scribe, and Asaias the king's servant, saying,

Then he gave orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, son of Shaphan, Acbor, son of Micaiah, Shaphan, the scribe, and Asaiah the king's assistant, saying,

13 Go, enquire of the Lord for me, and for all the people, and for all Juda, and concerning the words of this book that has been found: for the wrath of the Lord that has been kindled against us [is] great, because our fathers hearkened not to the words of this book, to do according to all the things written concerning us.

“Go and talk to the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all of Judah, about what is said in the book that's been found. For the Lord must be really angry with us, because our forefathers have not obeyed the Lord's instructions in this book; they have not been doing what is written there for us to do.”

14 So Chelcias the priest went, and Achicam, and Achobor, and Sapphan, and Asaias, to Olda the prophetess, the mother of Sellem the son of Thecuan son of Aras, keeper of the robes; and she dwelt in Jerusalem in Masena; and they spoke to her.

Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, custodian of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the city's second quarter.

15 And she said to them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Say to the man that sent you to me,

She told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,

16 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I bring evil upon this place, and upon them that dwell in it, [even] all the words of the book which the king of Juda has read:

this is what the Lord says: I am about to bring disaster down on this place and on its people, in accordance with everything written in the book that has been read to the king of Judah.

17 because they have forsaken me, and burnt incense to other gods, that they might provoke me with the works of their hands: therefore my wrath shall burn forth against this place, and shall not be quenched.

They have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to other gods, making me angry by everything they've done. My anger will be poured out upon this place and will not be stopped.

18 And to the king of Juda that sent you to enquire of the Lord, —thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, [As for] the words which thou hast heard;

But tell the king of Judah who sent you to ask the Lord, tell him this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: As for what you heard read to you—

19 because thy heart was softened, and thou was humbled before [me], when thou heardest all that I spoke against this place, and against the inhabitants of it, that it should be utterly destroyed and accursed, and thou didst rend thy garments, and weep before me; I also have heard, saith the Lord.

because you were receptive and repentant before God when you heard his warnings against this place and against its people—that would become desolate and a curse—and because you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I have also heard you, declares the Lord.

20 It shall not be so [therefore]: behold, I [will] add thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy tomb in peace, and thine eyes shall not see [any] among all the evils which I bring upon this place.

All this will not happen until after you have died, and you will die in peace. You will not see all the disaster that I'm going to bring down on this place.” They went back to the king and gave him her response.