1 J osiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.

¶ Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

2 J osiah did what is right in the eyes of the Lord. He walked in all the way of his father David. He did not turn aside to the right or to the left. Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law

And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the way of David, his father, and did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

3 I n the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the writer, the son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, to the house of the Lord. He said,

And in the year eighteen of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,

4 “ Go up to Hilkiah the head religious leader, that he may add up the money brought into the Lord’s house which the door-keepers have gathered from the people.

Go up to Hilkiah, the high priest, that he may sum the silver which has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people;

5 L et the money be given to the workmen who are watching over the work on the Lord’s house. And let them give it to the workmen who are doing the work on the Lord’s house.

and let them deliver it into the hands of those that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD; and let them give it to those that do the work in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,

6 H ave them pay the builders and the men who work with wood and with stone. Have them use it for buying wood and cut stone needed to work on the house.

unto carpenters and builders and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house;

7 B ut do not make them tell you how the money was spent that was given to them. For they are honest men.”

and there is to be no accounting required of those unto whom the money is delivered because they deal faithfully.

8 T hen Hilkiah the head religious leader said to Shaphan the writer, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

Then Hilkiah, the high priest, said unto Shaphan, the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

9 T hen Shaphan the writer came to the king and told him, “Your servants have taken all the money found in the house. And they have given it to the workmen who are watching over the work on the Lord’s house.”

And Shaphan, the scribe, came to the king and brought the king word again and said, Thy slaves have gathered the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of those that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.

10 T hen Shaphan the writer told the king, “Hilkiah the religious leader has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it in front of the king.

Likewise, Shaphan, the scribe, declared unto the king, saying, Hilkiah, the priest, has delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

11 W hen the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.

¶ And when the king heard the words of the book of the law, he rent his clothes.

12 T hen he told Hilkiah the religious leader, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the writer, and Asaiah the king’s servant,

And the king commanded Hilkiah, the priest, and Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Achbor, the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan, the scribe, and Asahiah, a slave of the king’s, saying,

13 “ Go, ask the Lord for me and all Judah about the words of this book that has been found. For the Lord is very angry with us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book. They have not done all that is written for us to do.”

Go and enquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found, for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

14 S o Hilkiah the religious leader, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to Huldah the woman who spoke for God. She was the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, and watched over the clothes of the house. (She lived in the Second Part of Jerusalem.) They spoke to her.

So Hilkiah, the priest, and Ahikam and Achbor and Shaphan and Asahiah went unto Huldah, the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe, who dwelt in Jerusalem in the house of doctrine; and they spoke with her.

15 S he said to them, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says. Tell the man who sent you to me

And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,

16 t hat the Lord says, ‘See, I will bring trouble upon this place and upon its people. All the words of the book which the king of Judah has read will come true

Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place and upon its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read,

17 b ecause they have turned away from Me and have burned special perfume to other gods. They have made Me angry with all the work of their hands. So My anger burns against this place, and it will not be stopped.’

because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore, my wrath is kindled against this place and shall not be quenched.

18 B ut tell the king of Judah who sent you to ask of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says about the words you have heard.

But to the king of Judah who sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Because thou didst hear the words of the book,

19 “ You heard how I spoke against this place and against its people. I said that they should be destroyed and laid waste. They should be hated and destroyed. But when you heard this, you were sorry in your heart. You put away your pride before the Lord. You have torn your clothes and cried before Me, and I have heard you,” says the Lord.

and thy heart became tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD when thou didst hear what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become desolate and cursed, and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.

20 “ So I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the trouble which I will bring upon this place.”’” So they returned to the king and told him what was said.

Behold, therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.