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 [is] a son of eight years in his reigning, and he has reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Boskath,

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.

and he does that which is right in the eyes of YHWH, and walks in all the way of his father David, and has not turned aside [to] the right or 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:

And it comes to pass, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king has sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of YHWH, saying,

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 up to Hilkiah the high priest, and he completes the silver that is brought into the house of YHWH, that the keepers of the threshold have gathered from the people,

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

and they give it into the hand of those doing the work, the overseers, in the house of YHWH, and they give it to those doing the work, that [are] in the house of YHWH, to strengthen the breach of the house,

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.

to craftsmen, and to builders, and [to repairers of] the wall, and to buy wood and hewn stones to strengthen the house;

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.”

only, the silver that is given into their hand is not reckoned with them, for they are dealing in faithfulness.”

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.

And Hilkiah the high priest says to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found [the] Scroll of the Law in the house of YHWH”; and Hilkiah gives the scroll to Shaphan, and he reads 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.”

And Shaphan the scribe comes to the king, and brings the king back word, and says, “Your servants have poured out the silver that has been found in the house, and give it into the hand of those doing the work, the inspectors, in the house of YHWH.”

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.

And Shaphan the scribe declares to the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given a scroll to me”; and Shaphan reads it before 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].

And it comes to pass, at the king’s hearing the words of the Scroll of the Law, that he tears his garments,

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:

and the king commands Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Achbor son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah servant of the king, 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, seek YHWH for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this scroll that is found, for great [is] the fury of YHWH that is kindled against us, because that our fathers have not listened to the words of this scroll, to do according to all that is written for us.”

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].

And Hilkiah the priest goes, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, to Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the garments, and she is dwelling in Jerusalem in the second [quarter], and they speak to her.

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

And she says to them, “Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Say to the man who has 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.

Thus said YHWH: Behold, I am bringing in calamity to this place and on its inhabitants, all the words of the scroll that the king of Judah has read,

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.”

because that they have forsaken Me, and make incense to other gods, so as to provoke Me to anger with every work of their hands, and My wrath has been kindled against this place, and it is not quenched.

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,

And to the king of Judah, who is sending you to seek YHWH, thus you say to him, Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: The words that you have heard—

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 your heart [is] tender, and you are humbled because of YHWH, in your hearing that which I have spoken against this place, and against its inhabitants, to be for a desolation, and for a reviling, and you tear your garments and weep before Me—I also have heard—a declaration of YHWH—

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.

therefore, behold, I am gathering you to your fathers, and you have been gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes do not look on any of the calamity that I am bringing in on this place”; and they bring the king back word.