2 Kings 22

1 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).

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 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.

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 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,

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 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.

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 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.

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 Let them give money to the carpenters, the builders, and the masons, and also to buy timber and cut stone 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 no accounting was required for the money that was given to them, because they handled it faithfully.

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 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.

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 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.”

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 the scribe said to the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” Then Shaphan 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 It came about that when the king had heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.

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

12 The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, his own servant, saying,

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 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.”

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 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.

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 of Israel, says: 'Tell the man who sent you to me,

And she said unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Say ye unto the man who hath sent you unto me:

16 “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.

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 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.'”

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 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,

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 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.

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 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.

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.