2 Kings 22
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Judah’s King Josiah
22 Josiah(A) was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.(B) 2 He did what was right in the Lord’s sight and walked in all the ways of his ancestor David;(C) he did not turn to the right or the left.(D)
Josiah Repairs the Temple
3 In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent the court secretary Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, to the Lord’s temple,(E) saying, 4 ‘Go up to the high priest Hilkiah so that he may total up the silver brought into the Lord’s temple – the silver the doorkeepers have collected from the people.(F) 5 It is to be given to those doing the work – those who oversee the Lord’s temple. They in turn are to give it to the workmen in the Lord’s temple to repair the damage.(G) 6 They are to give it to the carpenters, builders, and masons to buy timber and quarried stone to repair the temple.(H) 7 But no accounting is to be required from them for the silver given to them since they work with integrity.’(I)
The Book of the Law Found
8 The high priest Hilkiah told the court secretary Shaphan, ‘I have found the book of the law(J) in the Lord’s temple,’ and he gave the book to Shaphan, who read it.
9 Then the court secretary Shaphan went to the king and reported,[a] ‘Your servants have emptied out the silver that was found in the temple and have given it to those doing the work – those who oversee the Lord’s temple.’ 10 Then the court secretary Shaphan told the king, ‘The priest Hilkiah has given me a book,’ and Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.(K)
11 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.(L) 12 Then he commanded the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam(M) son of Shaphan, Achbor(N) son of Micaiah, the court secretary Shaphan, and the king’s servant Asaiah, 13 ‘Go and enquire of the Lord for me, for the people, and for all Judah about the words in this book that has been found. For great is the Lord’s wrath that is kindled against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words of this book in order to do everything written about us.’(O)
Huldah’s Prophecy of Judgement
14 So(P) the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess(Q) Huldah, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah,(R) son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District.(S) They spoke with her.
15 She said to them, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says: Say to the man who sent you to me, 16 “This is what the Lord says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants, fulfilling[b] all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read,(T) 17 because they have abandoned me and burned incense to other gods in order to anger me with all the work of their hands. My wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.”(U) 18 Say this to the king of Judah who sent you to enquire of the Lord: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: As for the words that you heard,(V) 19 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the Lord(W) when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse,(X) and because you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I myself have heard” – this is the Lord’s declaration. 20 “Therefore, I will indeed gather you to your ancestors, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace.(Y) Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place.” ’
Then they reported[c] to the king.
2 Kings 22
GOD’S WORD Translation
King Josiah of Judah(A)
22 Josiah was 8 years old when he began to rule, and he was king for 31 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath. 2 Josiah did what the Lord considered right. He lived in the ways of his ancestor David and never stopped.
The Book of the Lord’s Teachings Found in the Temple(B)
3 In Josiah’s eighteenth year as king of Judah, he sent the scribe Shaphan, son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, to the Lord’s temple with these instructions: 4 “Go to the chief priest Hilkiah. Have him count the money that has been brought into the Lord’s temple, ⌞the money⌟ that the doorkeepers have collected from the people. 5 Give ⌞some of⌟ it to the foremen who are in charge of the Lord’s temple. They should give it to the workmen who are making repairs on the Lord’s temple. 6 (These workers include the carpenters, builders, and masons.) Also, use ⌞the rest of⌟ the money to buy lumber and quarried stones to repair the temple. 7 Since the workmen are honest, don’t require them to account for the money you give them.”
8 The chief priest Hilkiah told the scribe Shaphan, “I have found the Book of Moses’ Teachings in the Lord’s temple.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who then read it.
9 The scribe Shaphan went to the king and reported, “We have taken the money donated in the temple and have given it to the workmen who are in charge of the Lord’s temple.” 10 Then the scribe Shaphan told the king, “The priest Hilkiah has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it to the king.
11 When the king heard what the book of the Teachings said, he tore his clothes ⌞in distress⌟. 12 Then the king gave an order to the priest Hilkiah, to Ahikam (son of Shaphan), Achbor (son of Micaiah), the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said, 13 “On behalf of the people, all of Judah, and me, ask the Lord about the words in this book that has been found. The Lord’s fierce anger is directed towards us because our ancestors did not obey the things in this book or do everything written ⌞in it⌟.” [a]
14 So the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to talk to the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas. Shallum was in charge of the ⌞royal⌟ wardrobe. Huldah was living in the Second Part of Jerusalem.
15 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: I’m going to bring disaster on this place and on the people living here according to everything written in the book that the king of Judah has read. 17 I will do this because they have abandoned me and sacrificed to other gods in order to make me furious. Therefore, my burning anger directed at this place will never be extinguished.’ ”
18 ⌞Huldah added,⌟ “But tell Judah’s king who sent you to me to ask the Lord a question, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says about the words you heard: 19 You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of the Lord when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. I had said that those who live here will be destroyed and cursed. You also tore your clothes ⌞in distress⌟ and cried in front of me. So I will listen ⌞to you⌟, declares the Lord. 20 That is why I’m going to bring you to your ancestors. I’m going to bring you to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see any of the disaster I’m going to bring on this place.’ ”
So they reported this to the king.
Footnotes
- 22:13 Masoretic Text adds “about us.”
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