2 Kings 22
Josiah Reigns over Judah
1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law
3 In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the
king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the
house of the LORD, saying, 4"Go up
to the high priest Hilkiah, and have him count the entire sum of the money
that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the
keepers of the threshold have collected from the people; 5let
it be given into the hand of the workers who have the oversight of the house
of the LORD; let them give it to the workers who are at the
house of the LORD, repairing the house, 6that
is, to the carpenters, to the builders, to the masons; and let them use it
to buy timber and quarried stone to repair the house. 7But
no accounting shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into
their hand, for they deal honestly."
8 The high priest
Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the book of the law in
the house of the LORD." When Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan,
he read it. 9Then Shaphan the secretary came to
the king, and reported to the king, "Your servants have emptied out the
money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of
the workers who have oversight of the house of the LORD." 10Shaphan
the secretary informed the king, "The priest Hilkiah has given me a book."
Shaphan then read it aloud to the king.
11 When the
king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12Then
the king commanded the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of
Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and the king's servant Asaiah, saying, 13"Go,
inquire of the LORD for me, for the people, and for all
Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is
the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our
ancestors did not obey the words of this book, to do according to all that
is written concerning us."
14 So the priest Hilkiah,
Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah the wife
of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; she resided
in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter, where they consulted her. 15She
declared to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:
Tell the man who sent you to me, 16Thus says the
LORD, I will indeed bring disaster on this place and on its
inhabitants--all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read. 17Because
they have abandoned me and have made offerings to other gods, so that they
have provoked me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my
wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched. 18But
as to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD,
thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of
Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, 19because
your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the LORD,
when you heard how I spoke against this place, and against its inhabitants,
that they should become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn
your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, says the LORD. 20Therefore,
I will gather you to your ancestors, and you shall be gathered to your grave
in peace; your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring on this
place." They took the message back to the king.