< 2 Kings 22 >
1 Iosiah was eight yeere olde when he beganne to reigne, and hee reigned one and thirtie yeere in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Iedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozcath.
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah (she was the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath).
2 And hee did vprightly in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the wayes of Dauid his father, and bowed neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh. He walked in all the way of David his ancestor, and he did not turn away either to the right or to the left.
3 And in the eighteenth yeere of King Iosiah, the King sent Shaphan the sonne of Azaliah the sonne of Meshullam the chanceller to ye house of the Lord, saying,
It came about that in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Yahweh, saying,
4 Goe vp to Hilkiah the high Priest, that hee may summe the siluer which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the doore haue gathered of the people.
“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and tell him to count the money that has been brought into the house of Yahweh, which the temple guards have gathered from the people.
5 And let them deliuer it into the hande of them that doe the worke, and haue the ouersight of the house of the Lord: let them giue it to them that worke in the house of the Lord, to repaire the decayed places of the house:
Let it be given into the hand of the workmen who are in charge of the house of Yahweh, and let them give it to the workmen who are in the house of Yahweh, for them to make repairs to damage in the temple.
6 To wit, vnto the artificers and carpenters and masons, and to bye timber, and hewed stone to repaire the house.
Let them give money to the carpenters, the builders, and the masons, and also to buy timber and cut stone to repair the temple.”
7 Howebeit, let no rekoning bee made with them of the money, that is deliuered into their hand: for they deale faithfully.
But no accounting was required for the money that was given to them, because they handled it faithfully.
8 And Hilkiah the high Priest sayde vnto Shaphan the chanceller, I haue found the booke of the Lawe in the house of the Lord: and Hilkiah gaue the booke to Shaphan, and hee reade it.
Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of Yahweh.” So Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
9 So Shaphan the chanceller came to ye King, and brought him word againe, and saide, Thy seruants haue gathered the money, that was found in the house, and haue deliuered it vnto the hands of them that doe the worke, and haue the ouersight of the house of the Lord.
Shaphan went and took the book to the king, and also reported to him, saying, “Your servants have spent the money that was found in the temple and they have given it into the hand of the workmen who supervise the care for the house of Yahweh.”
10 Also Shaphan the chanceller shewed the King saying, Hilkiah the Priest hath deliuered me a booke. And Shaphan read it before the King.
Then Shaphan the scribe said to the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” Then Shaphan read it to the king.
11 And when the King had heard the wordes of the booke of the Law, he rent his clothes.
It came about that when the king had heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.
12 Therefore the King commanded Hilkiah the Priest, and Ahikam the sonne of Shaphan, and Achbor the sonne of Michaiah, and Shaphan the chanceller, and Asahiah the Kings seruant, saying,
The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, his own servant, saying,
13 Go ye and inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Iudah concerning the wordes of this booke that is founde: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against vs, because our fathers haue not obeyed the wordes of this booke, to doe according vnto all that which is written therein for vs.
“Go and consult with Yahweh for me, and for the people and for all Judah, because of the words of this book that has been found. For great is the anger of Yahweh that has been kindled against us because our ancestors have not listened to the words of this book so as to obey all that was written concerning us.”
14 So Hilkiah the Priest and Ahikam, and Achbor and Shaphan, and Asahiah went vnto Huldah the Prophetesse the wife of Shallum, ye sonne of Tikuah, the sonne of Harhas keeper of the wardrobe: (and she dwelt in Ierusalem in the colledge) and they communed with her.
So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter), and they spoke with her.
15 And shee answered them, Thus sayth the Lord God of Israel, Tel the man that sent you to mee,
She said to them, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: 'Tell the man who sent you to me,
16 Thus sayth the Lord, Behold, I wil bring euill vpon this place, and on the inhabitants thereof, euen al the words of the booke which ye King of Iudah hath read,
“This is what Yahweh says: 'See, I will bring disaster to this place and to its inhabitants, according to everything written in the book that the king of Judah has read.
17 Because they haue forsaken mee, and haue burnt incense vnto other gods, to anger me with all ye works of their hands: my wrath also shalbe kindled against this place and shall not be queched:
Because they have forsaken me and have burned incense to other gods, so that they might provoke me to anger with all the deeds they have committed—therefore my anger has been kindled against this place, and it will not be extinguished.'”
18 But to the King of Iudah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, so shall ye say vnto him, Thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel, The wordes that thou hast heard, shall come to passe.
But to the king of Judah, who sent you to ask Yahweh's will, this is what you will say to him: “Yahweh, the God of Israel says this: 'About the words that you heard,
19 But because thine heart did melt, and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants of the same, to wit, that it should be destroyed and accursed, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me, I haue also heard it, saith the Lord.
because your heart was tender, and because you have humbled yourself before Yahweh, when you heard what I said against this place and its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have listened to you—this is Yahweh's declaration.
20 Beholde therefore, I wil gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the euil, which I will bring vpon this place. Thus they brought the King worde againe.
See, I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.'”'” So the men took this message back to the king.