2 Kings 22

King Josiah & the Book of the Law

1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. His mama’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath.

2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his daddy David. He did not curve to the right or to the left.

3 In the eighteenth year of King Josiah’s rule, the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the Lord’s temple, saying,

4 "Go up to Hilkiah the high priest. Tell him to count the money that has been brought into the Lord’s temple, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people."

5 "And let them hand it over to the foremen who are in charge of the work on the Lord’s temple. And let them pay it out to the workmen who are fixing up what is broken in the temple?"

6 "To the carpenters, the builders, and the masons. And let them use it to buy timber and cut stones to fix up the temple."

7 "But they do not have to account for the money handed over to them, because they are honest in their dealings."

The Book of the Law Found

8 Hilkiah the high priest told Shaphan the scribe, "Listen, I found the Book of the Law in the Lord’s temple!" Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

9 Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought him word back, saying, "Your servants poured out the money that was found in the temple and handed it over to the foremen who are in charge of the work on the Lord’s temple."

10 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, "Hilkiah the priest gave me a book." And Shaphan read it in front of the king.

11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he ripped his clothes.

12 The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, the king’s servant, saying,

13 "Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah concerning the words of this book that was found. Because the Lord’s anger that is flared up against us is huge, because our ancestors did not listen to the words of this book, to do everything written in it about us."

Huldah the Prophetess Consulted

14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District. And they chopped it up with her.

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

16 "'This is what the Lord says: "Look, I am bringing disaster on this place and on its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah read.'"

17 "'"Because they ditched Me and burned incense to other gods, ticking Me off with all the work of their hands, My anger is going to flare up against this place and will not be put out!"'"

18 "But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, tell him this: 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: "Concerning the words you heard,"'"

19 "'"Because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and because you ripped your clothes and cried before Me, I also heard you," declares the Lord."

20 "'"Therefore, look, I am going to gather you to your ancestors, and you are going to be gathered to your burial place in peace. Your eyes are not going to see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place."'" So they brought back word to the king.