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].

Eight years old, was Josiah when he began to reign, and, thirty-one years, reigned he in Jerusalem, —and, this mother’s name, was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah, of 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.

And he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, —and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand 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:

And it came to pass, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Yahweh, 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 unto Hilkiah, the high priest, that he pour out the silver that hath been brought into the house of Yahweh, —which the keepers of the entrance-hall 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.

that they may give it into the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh, that they may give it to the doers of the work, who are in the house of Yahweh, to repair the breaches 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 the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, —and to buy timber, and hewn stones, for repairing 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.”

Howbeit there used to be no reckoning made with them, as to the silver that was given into their hand, —because, with faithfulness, were they dealing.

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.

Then said Hilkiah the high priest, unto Shaphan the scribe—The book of the law, have I found, in the house of Yahweh. So Hilkiah delivered the book unto Shaphan, and he 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.”

Then came Shaphan the scribe unto the king, and brought the king word again, —and said—Thy servants have poured out the silver that was found in the house, and have delivered it unto the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh.

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, saying—A book, hath Hilkiah the priest delivered unto me. And Shaphan read 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 came to pass, when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent 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:

And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Achbor son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, 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 ye—enquire of Yahweh, for me and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book which hath been found, —for, great, is the wrath of Yahweh, in that it hath fired up against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according to all which is written concerning 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].

So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas keeper of the vestments, she having her dwelling in Jerusalem, in the new city, —and they spake unto 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 said unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Say ye unto the man who hath sent you unto 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, saith Yahweh, Behold me! about to bring calamity upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, —all the words of the book, which, the king of Judah, hath 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 they have forsaken me, and burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger, with all the workmanship of their hands; and so my wrath shall fire up against this place, and shall not be 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,

But, unto the king of Judah, who hath sent you to enquire of Yahweh, thus, shall ye say unto him, —Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast 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, tender, was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before Yahweh when thou heardest what I had spoken against this place and against the inhabitants thereof—that they should become a desolation and a curse, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, therefore also, I, have hearkened—declareth Yahweh.

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.

For this cause, behold me! about to gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy graves, in peace, and so thine eyes shall not look upon all the misfortune which I am about to bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.