2 Kings 22:1-20
22 * Josiah was eight years old at his accession to the throne, and reigned thirty-one years at Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of ʽAdajah, from Boskath.
2 And he did what Jehovah approved, and went the whole length of the path of his father David, and did not turn off to right or to left.
3 And in the year eighteen of King Josiah the king sent Shaphan the son of Asaliah the son of Meshullam, the secretary for documents, to Jehovah’s house with the order
4 “Go up to High Priest Hilkijah and have him sum up the money that has been brought into Jehovah’s house, that the threshold-keepers have collected from the people,
5 * and put it into the hands of the contractors employed on Jehovah’s house, to be given to the workmen on Jehovah’s house for repairing the damages of the house,
6 to the carpenters and builders and masons, and for buying wood and dressed stone to repair the house.
7 Only let no accounts of the money put into their hands be demanded from them, because they are working on honor.”
8 And High Priest Hilkijah said to Secretary Shaphan “I have found the Code in Jehovah’s house”; and Hilkijah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
9 And he went in to the king and made his report to him, “Your officers have poured out the money that was found in the house, and have put it into the hands of the contractors employed on Jehovah’s house.”
10 And Secretary Shaphan told the king “Priest Hilkijah has given me a book”; and Shaphan read it before the king;
11 and when the king heard the words of the Code he tore his clothes.
12 And the king gave Priest Hilkijah and Ahikam the son of Shaphan and ʽAcbor the son of Micajah and Secretary Shaphan and King’s Sergeant ʽAsajah the order
13 ** “Go inquire of Jehovah on my behalf and on behalf of the people and on behalf of what is left of Israel and Judah about the words of this book that has been found, because it is a great ire of Jehovah’s that is kindled against us for our fathers’ not having listened to the words of this book and acted in accordance with all that is written in it.”
14 And Priest Hilkijah and Ahikam and ʽAcbor and Shaphan and ʽAsajah went to the prophetess Huldah the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah the son of Harhas the keeper of the wardrobe (she lived in Jerusalem, in the second quarter), and spoke to her.
15 And she said to them “Says Israel’s God Jehovah, Say to the man who sent you to me
16 ‘Says Jehovah, I am bringing mischief upon this place and its inhabitants, all the things that are spoken of in the book the king of Judah has read.
17 In return for their having left me and made burnings to other gods, provoking me with their manufactures, my ire is kindled against this people and will not die down.’
18 * And to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of Jehovah you shall say ‘Says Israel’s God Jehovah, Because you gave heed to the words you heard,
19 since your heart quailed, and you humbled yourself before me when you heard what I had denounced against this place and its inhabitants, that it should be a horror and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before me, I on my part have heard it, quoth Jehovah;
20 so I am taking you home to your fathers, and you shall be taken home to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not look upon all the mischief I am bringing on this place.’” And they reported it to the king.
Footnotes
^ 22:1 Var. eighteen years old
^ 22:5 The Hebrew has the same word for contractors as for workmen
^ 22:13 Var. people and on behalf of all Judah
^ 22:13 Var. written of us
^ 22:18 Codd. omit Because you gave heed to
