2 Kings
Chapter Twenty-Two
1 ¶ Josiah was eight
years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
His mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the
ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the
left.
3 Now it came to pass, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king
sent Shaphan the scribe, the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the house
of the LORD, saying:
4 "Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money which
has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have gathered
from the people.
5 "And let them deliver it into the hand of those doing the work, who are
the overseers in the house of the LORD; let them give it to those who are in
the house of the LORD doing the work, to repair the damages of the house-
6 "to carpenters and builders and masons-and to buy timber and hewn stone
to repair the house.
7 "However there need be no accounting made with them of the money delivered
into their hand, because they deal faithfully."
8 Then Hilkiah the high priest said to 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 So Shaphan the scribe went to the king, bringing the king word, saying, "Your
servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered
it into the hand of those who do the work, who oversee the house of the LORD."
10 Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest
has given me a book." And Shaphan read it before the king.
11 ¶ Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the
Law, that he tore his clothes.
12 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor
the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying,
13 "Go, inquire of the LORD for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning
the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD
that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of
this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us."
14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah
the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper
of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke
with her.
15 Then she said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Tell the
man who sent you to Me,
16 "Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will bring calamity on this place and
on its inhabitants-all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read-
17 'because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they
might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore My wrath
shall be aroused against this place and shall not be quenched.'"'
18 "But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD,
in this manner you shall speak to him, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Concerning
the words which you have heard-
19 "because your heart was tender, 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 desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and
wept before Me, I also have heard you," says the LORD.
20 "Surely, therefore, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall
be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity
which I will bring on this place."'" So they brought back word to
the king.
Go to Chapter Twenty-Three
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