Chapter 22

Josiah [was] eight years old when he began to reign,² and he reigned¹ thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

And he did⁴ [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, and walked⁴ in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside¹ to the right hand or to the left.

And it came to pass in the eighteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ year of king Josiah, [that] the king sent¹ Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe,⁶ to the house of the LORD, saying,²

Go up³ to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum⁵⁵ the silver which is brought into⁹⁴ the house of the LORD, which the keepers⁶ of the door have gathered¹ of the people:

And let them deliver⁴ it into the hand of the doers⁶ of the work, that have the oversight⁹⁴ of the house of the LORD: and let them give⁴ it to the doers⁶ of the work which [is] in the house of the LORD, to repair¹⁵ the breaches of the house,

Unto carpenters, and builders,⁶ and masons,⁶ and to buy² timber and hewn stone to repair¹⁵ the house.

Howbeit there was no reckoning made¹¹ with them of the money that was delivered¹² into their hand, because they dealt⁶ faithfully.

And Hilkiah the high priest said⁴ unto Shaphan the scribe,⁶ I have found¹ the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave⁴ the book to Shaphan, and he read⁴ it.

And Shaphan the scribe⁶ came⁴ to the king, and brought the king word again,⁵⁵ and said,⁴ Thy servants have gathered⁵² the money that was found¹² in the house, and have delivered⁴ it into the hand of them that do⁶ the work, that have the oversight⁹⁴ of the house of the LORD.

And Shaphan the scribe⁶ shewed⁵⁵ the king, saying,² Hilkiah the priest hath delivered¹ me a book. And Shaphan read⁴ it before the king.

And it came to pass, when the king had heard² the words of the book of the law, that he rent⁴ his clothes.

And the king commanded¹⁷ Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe,⁶ and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,²

Go³ ye, enquire³ of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found:¹² for great [is] the wrath of the LORD that is kindled⁸ against us, because our fathers have not hearkened¹ unto the words of this book, to do² according unto all that which is written⁷ concerning us.

So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went⁴ unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper⁶ of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt⁶ in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed¹⁷ with her.

And she said⁴ unto them, Thus saith¹ the LORD God of Israel, Tell³ the man that sent¹ you to me,

Thus saith¹ the LORD, Behold, I will bring⁵⁶ evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants⁶ thereof, [even] all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:¹

Because they have forsaken¹ me, and have burned incense¹⁷ unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger⁵³ with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled⁸ against this place, and shall not be quenched.⁴

But to the king of Judah which sent⁶ you to enquire² of the LORD, thus shall ye say⁴ to him, Thus saith¹ the LORD God of Israel, [As touching] the words which thou hast heard;¹

Because thine heart was tender,¹ and thou hast humbled¹¹ thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest² what I spake¹⁴ against this place, and against the inhabitants⁶ thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent⁴ thy clothes, and wept⁴ before me; I also have heard¹ [thee], saith⁷ the LORD.

Behold therefore, I will gather⁶ thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered⁸ into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see⁴ all the evil which I will bring⁵⁶ upon this place. And they brought the king word again.⁵⁵