2 Kings 22

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah, from Bozkath. He did what was right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the way of his ancestor David, turning aside neither to the right nor to the left. In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the secretary, son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, to the house of the LORD, saying, “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money brought into the house of the LORD, which the threshold guards have collected from the people. Let them put it into the hands of the men appointed to oversee the work on the house of the LORD. They are to give it to the workers in the house of the LORD to repair the damage to the house: to the carpenters, builders, and masons, and to buy timber and cut stone to repair the house. But no accounting is to be required of them for the money placed in their hands, for they deal faithfully.” Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. Shaphan the secretary came to the king and reported, “Your servants have poured out the money found in the house and put it into the hands of the men appointed to oversee the work on the house of the LORD.” Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant, “Go and 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 burns against us, because our ancestors did not listen to the words of this book and do all that is written concerning us.” So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter. They spoke with her. She said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me: This is what the LORD says: I am bringing disaster on this place and its inhabitants, all the words of the book the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods, provoking me to anger with all the work of their hands, my wrath will burn against this place and will not be quenched. But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, say this: This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and because you tore your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. Therefore 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 I am bringing on this place.” So they brought the king the answer.

Rights and attribution