2 Kings 22
1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah, from Bozkath.
2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. He followed the whole way of David his father and did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
3 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:
4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, and have him count the silver brought into the house of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.
5 Have it placed in the hands of the supervisors of the work appointed for the house of the LORD, and have them give it to the workers in the house of the LORD to repair the damage to the house.
6 Give it also to the carpenters, builders, and stonecutters, and buy timber and cut stone to repair the house.
7 But do not require an accounting from them for the silver placed in their hands, because they act faithfully.”
8 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.
9 Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported back to him: “Your servants have melted down the silver that was found in the house and placed it in the hands of the supervisors of the work appointed for the house of the LORD.”
10 Shaphan the secretary told the king, “The priest Hilkiah has given me a book.” Then Shaphan read it aloud to the king.
11 When the king heard the words of the book of the Law, he tore his clothes.
12 The king commanded the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah, the king’s servant:
13 “Go and seek the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found. For the LORD’s anger has burned fiercely against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book or do everything written in it concerning us.”
14 The priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophet Huldah, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second Quarter, and they spoke with her.
15 She said to 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: “I am going to bring disaster on this place and its inhabitants—all the words written in the book that the king of Judah has read.
17 Because they have abandoned me and burned incense to other gods, provoking me to anger with all the work of their hands, my anger has blazed against this place and will not be quenched.”
18 And to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek the LORD, say 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 its inhabitants—that they would become a desolation and a curse—and because you tore your clothes and wept before me, I too have heard you, declares the LORD.
20 Therefore, I am going to gather you to your ancestors, and you will be laid in your tomb in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.”’” They brought the king this answer.
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