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.

Eight years old was Josiah when he became king, and thirty and one years did he reign in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Yedidah, the daughter of 'Adayah of Bozkath.

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 what is right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right 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 it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azalyahu, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying,

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 up to Chilkiyahu the high-priest, that he may collect up all the money which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the door-keepers have gathered from 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 them deliver it into the hand of those who overlook the workmen, that have been appointed as overseers of the house of the Lord; and let them give it to those who do the work who are in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house:

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

Unto the carpenters, and the builders, and the masons, and to buy timber and hewn stones to repair the house.

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

Nevertheless shall there be no reckoning made with them for the money that is delivered into their hand, because they deal faithfully.

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 Chilkiyahu the high-priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, A book of the law have I found in the house of the Lord. And Chilkiyah gave the book to Shaphan, 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 Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have taken out all the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of those who overlook the workmen, that have been appointed overseers of the house 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 Shaphan the scribe also told the king, saying, A book hath Chilkiyahu the priest given me. And Shaphan read it before the king.

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

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

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 the king commanded Chilkiyah the priest, and Achikam the son of Shaphan, and 'Achbor the son of Michayah, and Shaphan the scribe, and 'Assahyah a servant of the king's, 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 ye, inquire of the Lord in my behalf, and in behalf of the people, and in behalf of all Judah, concerning the words of this book that hath been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that hath been kindled against us, because our fathers did not hearken unto the words of this book, to do in accordance with all that is prescribed concerning 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.

And Chilkiyahu the priest, and Achikam, and 'Achbor, and Shaphan, and 'Assahyah, went unto Chuldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah the son of Charchass, the keeper of the wardrobe; [now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the suburb; ] and they spoke unto 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 unto them, Thus hath said the Lord the God of Israel, Say unto the man that hath 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 hath said the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book which the king of Judah 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 burnt incense unto other gods, in order to provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands: therefore is my wrath 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 with respect to the king of Judah who sendeth you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus hath said the Lord the God of Israel, Concerning the words which thou hast heard;

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.

Because thy heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I had spoken against this place, and against its inhabitants, that they should become an astonishment and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me: I also have heard it, 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, behold, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy graves in peace; and thy eyes shall not look on all the evil which I am bringing over this place. And they brought the king word again.