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22 Yoshiyah was 8 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 31 shanah in Yerushalayim. And shem immo was Yedidah Bat Adayah of Botzkat.

And he did that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem, and walked in kol derech Dovid Aviv, and turned not aside to the yamin or smol.

And it came to pass in the 18th year of Melech Yoshiyah, that HaMelech sent Shaphan Ben Atzalyahu Ben Meshullam, the Sofer, to the Beis Hashem, saying,

Go up to Chilkiyahu the Kohen HaGadol, that he may count the kesef which is brought into the Beis Hashem, which the Shomrei HaSaf (the Doorkeepers) have collected of the people;

And let them entrust it into the yad oseh hamelachah (hand of the master workmen), that have the mufkadim (oversight) of the Beis Hashem; and let them pay it to the workmen that wrought in the Beis Hashem, to repair and restore HaBeis,

Unto kharashim (craftsmen, artisans) and bonim (builders) and goderim (masons), and to purchase etzim (timber) and quarried stone to repair HaBeis.

Howbeit there was no accounting made with them of the kesef that was entrusted into their yad, because they dealt be’emunah (faithfully).

And Chilkiyahu the Kohen HaGadol said unto Shaphan the Sofer, I have found the Sefer HaTorah in the Beis Hashem. And Chilkiyahu gave the Sefer to Shaphan, and he read it.

And Shaphan the Sofer came to HaMelech, brought HaMelech word again, and said, Thy avadim have emptied out the kesef that was found in HaBeis [HaMikdash], and have entrusted it into the yad osei hamelachah, that have the mufkadim of the Beis Hashem.

10 And Shaphan the Sofer showed HaMelech, saying, Chilkiyah the Kohen hath delivered unto me a Sefer (Scroll). And Shaphan read it before HaMelech.

11 And it came to pass, when HaMelech had heard the Divrei Sefer HaTorah, that he tore his garments.

12 And HaMelech commanded Chilkiyah HaKohen, and Achikam Ben Shaphan, and Achbor Ben Michayah, and Shaphan the Sofer, and Asayah Eved HaMelech, saying,

13 Go ye, inquire of Hashem for me, and for HaAm, and for kol Yehudah, concerning the Divrei HaSefer that is found; for gedolah is chamat Hashem that is kindled against us, because Avoteinu have not paid heed unto the Divrei HaSefer Hazeh, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

14 So Chilkiyahu HaKohen, and Achikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asayah, went unto Chuldah the neviah, the wife of Shallum ben Tikvah, ben Charchas, Shomer HaBegadim (Keeper of the Wardrobe); (now she dwelt in Yerushalayim in the Mishneh); and they spoke with her.

15 And she said unto them, Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel, Tell the ish that sent you to me,

16 Thus saith Hashem, Hineni, I will bring ra’ah upon this makom (place), and upon the inhabitants thereof, even kol Divrei HaSefer which Melech Yehudah hath read;

17 Because they have forsaken Me, and have burned ketoret unto elohim acherim, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore My wrath shall be kindled against this makom (place), and shall not be quenched.

18 But to Melech Yehudah which sent you to inquire of Hashem, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;

19 Because thine lev was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before Hashem, when thou heardest what I spoke against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a klalah (curse), and hast torn thy garments, and wept before Me; I also have heard thee, saith Hashem.

20 Hineni, therefore, I will gather thee unto Avoteicha, and thou shalt be gathered into thy kevarot in shalom; and thine eyes shall not see kol hara’ah which I will bring upon this place. And they brought back word to HaMelech.

The Book of the Law Found(A)

22 Josiah(B) was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.(C) He did what was right(D) in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right(E) or to the left.

In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan(F) son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the Lord. He said: “Go up to Hilkiah(G) the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the Lord, which the doorkeepers have collected(H) from the people. Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair(I) the temple of the Lord the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple.(J) But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings.”(K)

Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law(L) in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.” 10 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.(M)

11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law,(N) he tore his robes. 12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam(O) son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant:(P) 13 “Go and inquire(Q) of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger(R) that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”

14 Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet(S) Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.

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(T) on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book(U) the king of Judah has read. 17 Because they have forsaken(V) me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made,[a] my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’ 18 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire(W) of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: 19 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled(X) yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse[b](Y) and be laid waste(Z)—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. 20 Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace.(AA) Your eyes(AB) will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’”

So they took her answer back to the king.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 22:17 Or by everything they have done
  2. 2 Kings 22:19 That is, their names would be used in cursing (see Jer. 29:22); or, others would see that they are cursed.