2 Kings 22
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 22
Reign of Josiah.[a] 1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah, and she was the daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath.
2 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and he walked in the ways of David, his father. He did not wander off to the right or to the left.
The Book of the Law.[b] 3 During the eighteenth year of the reign of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the scribe, the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple. He said, 4 “Go up to Hilkiah, the high priest. Have him count the money that the doorkeepers have collected from the people in the temple of the Lord. 5 Have him give it to the supervisors of the workmen in the temple of the Lord. Have them pay those who are working to repair the damage in the temple of the Lord: 6 the carpenters, the builders, and the masons. Also have them buy timber and hewn stone to repair the temple. 7 They do not need to make an accounting of the money that has been given to them because they have acted honestly.”
8 Hilkiah, the high priest, said to Shaphan, the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the temple of the Lord.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan who read it.
9 Then Shaphan the scribe went to the king and he brought the king a report saying, “Your servants have gathered together the money that has been collected in the temple, and they have handed it over to the supervisors of the workmen in the temple of the Lord.” 10 Then Shaphan the scribe informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.
11 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12 King Josiah gave orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, Achbor, the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, the king’s servant, saying, 13 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for all of the people and for all of Judah about the words of the book that had been found. The Lord’s anger against us is great for our fathers have not heeded the words of this book. They did not do everything that is written in it concerning us.”
14 Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah, the wife of Shallum, the guardian of the wardrobe, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas. She lived in the second district of Jerusalem. They spoke with her. 15 She said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, go tell the man who sent you to me: 16 Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon all of those who live in it, everything that is in the book that the king of Judah has read. 17 They have forsaken me, and they have burned incense to other gods, provoking me to anger with all the deeds of their hands. My wrath will blaze out against this place and it will not be quenched.
18 “But as for the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the Lord, this is what you will say to him: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: As for the words that you have heard, 19 because your heart was penitent and you have humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and you wept before me, I have also heard you, says the Lord. 20 Therefore, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace, so that you will not have to look upon all of the evil that I will bring upon this place with your own eyes.” They brought the report back to the king.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 22:1 Josiah, a new David and a new Hezekiah, is a king according to God’s heart. The reader desiring to follow the religious developments and political vicissitudes of this final period of the kingdom of Judah should read the relevant passages in Jeremiah, which make known the positions taken by the prophet as events followed ever faster on one another. See also 2 Chr 34–35.
- 2 Kings 22:3 The Book is Deuteronomy, the “Second Law,” which repeated the law of Moses while adapting it. More accurately, perhaps, the book is the central, legislative part of Deuteronomy, which in fact inspires the reform then effected by Josiah. It must have been hidden or lost, or in any case forgotten, during the wicked reign of Manasseh.
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
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 22
Reign of Josiah. 1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah, from Bozkath.
2 He did what was right in the Lord’s sight, walking in the way of David his father, not turning right or left.
The Book of the Law. 3 (A)In his eighteenth year, King Josiah sent the scribe Shaphan,[a] son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, to the house of the Lord with these orders: 4 “Go to the high priest Hilkiah and have him calculate the valuables that have been brought to the house of the Lord, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. 5 Then have him turn them over to the master workers in the house of the Lord, and have them give them to the ordinary workers who are in the house of the Lord to repair its breaches: 6 to the carpenters, the builders, and the masons, and to purchase wood and hewn stone. 7 No reckoning shall be asked of them regarding the funds provided to them, because they hold positions of trust.”
8 The high priest Hilkiah informed the scribe Shaphan, “I have found the book of the law[b] in the temple of the Lord.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who read it. 9 Then the scribe Shaphan went to the king and reported, “Your servants have smelted down the silver deposited in the temple and have turned it over to the master workers in the house of the Lord.” 10 The scribe Shaphan also informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book,” and then Shaphan read it in the presence of the king. 11 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his garments.
12 The king then issued this command to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, son of Shaphan, Achbor, son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant: 13 “Go, consult the Lord for me, for the people, and for all Judah, about the words of this book that has been found, for the rage of the Lord has been set furiously ablaze against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book, nor do what is written for us.” 14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophet, wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; she lived in Jerusalem, in the Second Quarter. When they had spoken to her, 15 she said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Say to the man who sent you to me, 16 Thus says the Lord: I am about to bring evil upon this place and upon its inhabitants—all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. 17 Because they have abandoned me and have burned incense to other gods, provoking me by all the works of their hands, my rage is ablaze against this place and it cannot be extinguished.
18 “But to the king of Judah who sent you to consult the Lord, give this response: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: As for the words you have heard, 19 because you were heartsick and have humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken concerning this place and its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse; and because you tore your garments and wept before me, I in turn have heard, oracle of the Lord. 20 I will therefore gather you to your ancestors; you shall go to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the evil I am about to bring upon this place.” This they reported to the king.
Footnotes
- 22:3 Shaphan: head of a prominent family in the reign of Josiah, secretary to the king, bearer and reader of the newly found book of the law (vv. 3–13; 25:22). He and his sons favored the reform of King Josiah and supported the prophet Jeremiah; cf. Jer 26:24; 29:1–3; 36:10–12; 39:14.
- 22:8 Book of the law: probably an early edition of material now found in the Book of Deuteronomy.
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