Josiah Reigns in Judah
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah, from Bozkath.
And he did the upright in the eyes of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father; and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
Funding the Temple Repairs
And it was in the eighteenth year of King Josiah that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying:
“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, and let him total up the silver brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered from the people.
And let them give it into the hand of the doers of the work who are appointed over the house of the LORD; and let them give it to the doers of the work who are in the house of the LORD, to repair the breach of the house —
to the craftsmen, and to the builders, and to the masons — and to buy timber and quarried stone to repair the house.
Only, no accounting shall be made with them for the silver given into their hand, for they are dealing in faithfulness.”
Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law
And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the instruction in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
And Shaphan the scribe came to the king and returned word to the king, and said: “Your servants have poured out the silver found in the house, and have given it into the hand of the doers of the work who are appointed over the house of the LORD.”
And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.
And it was, when the king heard the words of the book of the instruction, that he tore his garments.
And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, the servant of the king, saying:
“Go, seek the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the fury of the LORD that has been kindled against us, because our fathers did not listen to the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”
Huldah’s Prophecy
And Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the garments — and she was living in Jerusalem, in the Second Quarter — and they spoke to her.
And she said to them: “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Say to the man who sent you to me:
Thus says the LORD: Look — I am bringing evil on this place and on its inhabitants — all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read —
because they have abandoned me and burned incense to other gods, so as to provoke me with all the work of their hands. And my fury has been kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.
But to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek the LORD — thus you shall say to him: Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: As for the words that you have heard —
because your heart was soft, 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 horror and a curse, and you tore your garments and wept before me — I also have heard, an utterance of the LORD.
Therefore, look — I am gathering you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes will not see all the evil that I am bringing on this place.” And they returned word to the king.