2 Kings Chapter 22

The Book of the Law Found

¹ Josiah was 8 when he became king and ruled for 31 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jedidah Bat-Adaiah from Bozkath. ² He did what was good and followed the ways of David.

³ In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, he sent Shaphan Ben-Azaliah Ben-Meshullam, the secretary, to Yahveh’s Temple,

⁴ “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest so he can count the money the people have brought to Yahveh’s Temple that the doorkeepers have gathered. ⁵ Have them deliver it to the workmen that oversee the Temple so they can repair it— ⁶ carpenters, builders, and masons—and buy the timber and cut stone for repairs. ⁷ They won’t need to account for the money they receive. They’re honest.”                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                            2 Kg 22:1-7

⁸ Then Hilkiah the priest told Shaphan the secretary, “I’ve found the Book of the Law in the Temple.” He gave it to him to read, ⁹ and Shaphan brought word to the king, “Your officials have emptied out the money they found in the Temple and delivered it to the workmen that oversee the Temple. ¹⁰ Hilkiah has also given me a scroll.” He read it to the king. ¹¹ When he heard it, he tore his clothes. ¹² He told Hilkiah, Ahikam Ben-Shaphan, Achbor Ben-Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s adviser, 

¹³ “Go ask Yahveh for me, for the people, and for Judah about what this scroll says. Yahveh’s great anger is burning against us. Our ancestors ignored what it says and haven’t done what’s written for us to do.”

¹⁴ They went to Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum Ben-Tikvah Ben-Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. (She lived in Jerusalem’s Second Quarter.) ¹⁵ She told them,

“Yahveh God of Israel says to tell the man that sent you, ¹⁶ ‘I’m going to bring disaster on this place and its people like the scroll says. ¹⁷ They’ve left me and burned incense to other gods. My anger burns against this place, and it won’t be put out. [ ¹⁸ ] ¹⁹ But I’ve listened to you because you became sensitive and humbled yourself when you heard about the desolation I’ve cursed this place and its people with; you tore your clothes and cried.  ²⁰ I’ll let you pass on to your ancestors in peace. You won’t see the disaster I’m going to bring here.”’” 

They took word back to the king.                                                                                     2 Kg 22:8-20