2 Kings 22

1 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.

Josias was eight years old when he began to reign: he reigned one and thirty years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Idida, the daughter of Hadaia, of Besecath.

2 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.

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

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

And in the eighteenth year of king Josias, the king sent Saphan the son of Assia, the son of Messulam, the scribe of the temple of the Lord, saying to him:

4 “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.

Go to Helcias the high priest, that the money may be put together which is brought into the temple of the Lord, which the doorkeepers of the temple have gathered of the people.

5 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,

And let it be given to the workmen by the overseers of the house of the Lord: and lot them distribute it to those that work in the temple of the Lord, to repair the temple:

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

That is, to carpenters and masons, and to such as mend breaches: and that timber may be bought, and stones out of the quarries, to repair the temple of the Lord.

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

But let there be no reckoning made with them of the money which they receive, but let them have it in their power, and in their trust.

8 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.

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

9 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.”

And Saphan the scribe came to the king, and brought him word again concerning that which he had commanded, and said: Thy servants have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and they have given it to be distributed to the workmen, by the overseers of the works of the temple of the Lord.

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

And Saphan the scribe told the king, saying: Helcias the priest hath delivered to me a book. And when Saphan had read it before the king,

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

And the king had heard the words of the law of the Lord, he rent his garments.

12 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,

And he commanded Helcias the priest, and Ahicam the son of Saphan, and Achobor the son of Micha, and Saphan the scribe, and Asaia the king’s servant, saying:

13 “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.”

Go and consult the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Juda, concerning the words of this book which is found: for the great wrath of the Lord is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened to the words of this book, to do all that is written for us.

14 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.

So Helcias the priest, and Ahicam, and Achobor, and Saphan, and Asaia went to Holda the prophetess the wife of Sellum the son of Thecua, the son of Araas keeper of the wardrobe, who dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second: and they spoke to her.

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

And she said to them: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Tell the man that sent you to me:

16 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.

Thus saith the Lord: Behold, I will bring evils upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, all the words of the law which the king of Juda hath read:

17 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.

Because they have forsaken me, and have sacrificed to strange gods, provoking me by all the works of their hands: therefore my indignation shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

18 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—

But to the king of Juda, who sent you to consult the Lord, thus shall you say: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Forasmuch as thou hast heard the words of the book,

19 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.

And thy heart hath been moved to fear, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, hearing the words against this place, and the inhabitants thereof, to wit, that they should become a wonder and a curse: and thou hast rent thy garments, and wept before me, I also have heard thee, saith the Lord:

20 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.

Therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy sepulchre in peace, that thy eyes may not see all the evils which I will bring; upon this place.