2 Kings 22

1 Josiah was eight years old when he became the king [of Judah]. He ruled from Jerusalem for 31 years. His mother was Jedidah and his grandfather was Adaiah from Bozkath [town].

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 Josiah did things that were pleasing to Yahweh and conducted his life as his ancestor King David had done. He completely obeyed [IDM] all the laws of God.

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 After Josiah had been ruling for almost 18 years, he sent his secretary Shaphan, the son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, to the temple with these instructions:

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 to Hilkiah, the Supreme Priest, and tell him to give me a report, telling me how much money the men who guard the doors of the temple have collected from the people [as offerings].

“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 Then tell him to give all that money to the men who are supervising the work of repairing the temple.

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 They must give that money to the carpenters, the builders, and the masons, and they should also buy the timber and the stones that they will use to repair the temple.

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

7 But the men who supervise the work will not be required to make a report on the money that is given to them, saying what they spent it for, because those men are completely honest.”

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

8 [After Shaphan said that to Hilkiah] the king’s secretary, Hilkiah said to Shaphan, “I have found in the temple a scroll on which is written the laws [that God gave to Moses]!” Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he started to 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 Then Shaphan [took the scroll] to the king and said to him, “Your temple guards have taken the money that was in the temple, and they have given it to the men who will supervise the work of repairing the temple.”

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 Then Shaphan said to the king, [“I have brought to you] a scroll that Hilkiah gave to me.” And Shaphan started to read it to the king.

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

11 When the king heard the laws that were written in the scroll that Shaphan was reading to him, he tore his clothes [because he was very dismayed].

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

12 Then he gave these instructions to Hilkiah, to Shaphan’s son Ahikam, to Micaiah’s son Achbor, and to Asaiah, the king’s special advisor:

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 and ask Yahweh for me and for all the people of Judah, about what is written in this scroll that has been found. Because [it is clear that] Yahweh is very angry with us because our ancestors disobeyed what was written on this scroll, things that we [should have done].”

“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 Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to (consult/talk with) a woman whose name was Huldah, who was a prophetess who lived in the newer/northern part of Jerusalem. Her husband Shallum, son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas, took care of the robes that were worn [in the temple] (OR, [by the king]). [Those five men told her about the scroll].

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 She said to them, “This is what Yahweh the God whom we Israelis [worship] says: ‘Go back and tell the king who sent you

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

16 that this is what Yahweh says: “Listen to this carefully. I am going to cause all the people who live here in Jerusalem to experience a disaster, which is what was written in the scroll that the king 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 I will do that because they have abandoned me, and they burn incense to [honor] other gods. They have caused me to become very angry by [worshiping] the idols that they have made (OR, by all the wicked things that they have done), and my anger is like [MET] a fire that will not be put out.”

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 The king of Judah sent you to inquire what I, Yahweh, wanted you to do, so this is what you should say to him: “Because you have heeded what was written in the scroll,

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 and you repented and humbled yourself when you heard what I said to warn you [about what would happen to] this city and the people who live here and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you. I said that I would cause this city to be abandoned. It will be a city whose name people will use when they curse someone. But I have heard what you prayed,

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 so I will allow you to die [EUP] and be buried peacefully. I will cause the people who live here to experience a terrible disaster, but you will not [be alive to] see it.”’” After the men heard that, they returned to King Josiah and gave him that message.

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.