2 Kings 22
English Standard Version
Josiah Reigns in Judah
22 (A)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 (B)Bozkath. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of David his father, (C)and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
Josiah Repairs the Temple
3 In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the house of the Lord, saying, 4 “Go up to (D)Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money (E)that has been brought into the house of the Lord, which (F)the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people. 5 (G)And let it be given into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the Lord, and let them give it to the workmen who are at the house of the Lord, repairing the house 6 (that is, to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons), and let them use it for buying timber and quarried stone to repair the house. 7 But (H)no accounting shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into their hand, for they deal honestly.”
Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law
8 And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found (I)the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9 And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the Lord.” 10 Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, (J)he tore his clothes. 12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and (K)Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and (L)Achbor the son of (M)Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, 13 “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is (N)the wrath of the Lord that is kindled 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, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of (O)Tikvah, son of (P)Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in (Q)the Second Quarter), and they talked with her. 15 And she said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 16 Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read. 17 (R)Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore (S)my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched. 18 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, 19 (T)because your heart was penitent, and you (U)humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become (V)a desolation and (W)a curse, and you (X)have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. 20 Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and (Y)you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.’” And they brought back word to the king.
2 Kings 22
International Standard Version
Josiah Succeeds Amon
22 Josiah was an eight year old child when he began to reign, and he reigned for 31 years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2 He practiced what the Lord considered to be right, living the way his ancestor David had lived, turning neither to the right nor to the left.
3 Eighteen years after King Josiah had begun to reign, the king sent Azaliah’s son Shaphan, grandson of Meshullam the scribe, to the Lord’s Temple. He told him, 4 “Go to the high priest Hilkiah, so he can count the money that has been brought into the Lord’s Temple by the doorkeepers who have been gathering it from the people. 5 Have them deliver it to the workmen who are supervising the Lord’s Temple, so that they may pay it over to the workmen who serve in the Lord’s Temple to repair its damages, 6 including paying[a] the carpenters, builders, and masons, as well as buying timber and pre-carved stone to repair the Temple. 7 But you won’t need to force them to be accountable for money already paid to them, since they’re faithful.”
Hilkiah Discovers an Ancient Archive
8 Later on, Hilkiah the high priest informed Shaphan the scribe, “I’ve discovered the Book of the Law in the Lord’s Temple.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he began to read it.
9 Shaphan the scribe reported to King Josiah, brought up the matter to him, and told him, “Your servants have distributed the money that was found in the Temple by giving it to the workmen who supervise the Lord’s Temple.” 10 Then Shaphan the scribe informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” Then Shaphan read from it in the king’s presence.
11 When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes 12 and issued these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Shaphan’s son Ahikam, Micaiah’s son Achbor, Shaphan the scribe, and the king’s servant Asaiah: 13 “Go ask the Lord for me, for the people, and for all of Judah about what’s written in this book that has been discovered, because the Lord’s anger is burning against us, since our ancestors have not listened to the words written in this book and have not lived according to everything that is written concerning us.”
Huldah Predicts Disaster
14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophet Huldah, the wife of Tikvah’s son Shallum, the grandson of Harhas and supervisor of the royal wardrobe, who lived in the Second Quarter in Jerusalem. They spoke with her, 15 and she told them, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me: 16 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Look! I’m bringing disaster on this place and on its inhabitants—everything written in the book that the king of Judah has read— 17 because they have abandoned me, burned incense to other gods, and they have provoked me to anger with everything that they’ve done. Therefore my anger is kindled against this place and it won’t be quenched!’” 18 Nevertheless, tell the king of Judah who sent you to ask the Lord about this,[b] “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Now about what you’ve heard, 19 because your heart was sensitive, and you humbled yourself in the Lord’s presence when you heard what I had to say against this place and against its inhabitants—that they would become a desolation and a curse—and you have torn your clothes and cried out before me, be assured that I have truly heard you,’ declares the Lord. 20 ‘Therefore, look! I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be placed in your grave in peace. Your eyes will never see all the evil that I will bring on this place.’”’”
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 22:6 The Heb. lacks paying
- 2 Kings 22:18 The Heb. lacks about this
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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