2 Kings 22
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Judah’s King Josiah
22 Josiah(A) was eight years old when he became king and reigned 31 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 Hilkiah the high priest so that he may total up the money brought into the Lord’s temple—the money the doorkeepers have collected from the people.(F) 5 It is to be put into the hands of 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 money put into their hands since they work with integrity.”(I)
The Book of the Law Found
8 Hilkiah the high priest told Shaphan the court secretary, “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 Shaphan the court secretary went to the king and reported,[a] “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the temple and have put it into the hand of those doing the work—those who oversee the Lord’s temple.” 10 Then Shaphan the court secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest 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 Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam(M) son of Shaphan, Achbor(N) son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and the king’s servant Asaiah: 13 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me, the people, and all Judah about the instruction 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 Judgment
14 So(P) Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess(Q) Huldah, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah,(R) son of Harhas,[b] 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 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 provoke 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 inquire 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 you—this is the Lord’s declaration— 20 therefore, I will indeed gather you to your fathers, 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.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 22:9 Lit and returned a word to the king and said
- 2 Kings 22:14 = Hasrah in 2Ch 34:22
- 2 Kings 22:20 Lit returned a word
2 Kings 22
New Century Version
Josiah King of Judah
22 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he ruled thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah, who was from Bozkath. 2 Josiah did what the Lord said was right. He lived as his ancestor David had lived, and he did not stop doing what was right.
3 In Josiah’s eighteenth year as king, he sent Shaphan to the Temple of the Lord. Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, was the royal secretary. Josiah said, 4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, and have him empty out the money the gatekeepers have gathered from the people. This is the money they have brought into the Temple of the Lord. 5 Have him give the money to the supervisors of the work on the Temple of the Lord. They must pay the workers who repair the Temple of the Lord— 6 the carpenters, builders, and bricklayers. Also use the money to buy timber and cut stone to repair the Temple. 7 They do not need to report how they use the money given to them, because they are working honestly.”
The Book of the Teachings Is Found
8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the royal secretary, “I’ve found the Book of the Teachings in the Temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.
9 Then Shaphan the royal secretary went to the king and reported to Josiah, “Your officers have paid out the money that was in the Temple of the Lord. They have given it to the workers and supervisors at the Temple.” 10 Then Shaphan the royal secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from the book to the king.
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Teachings, he tore his clothes to show how upset he was. 12 He gave orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the royal secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant. These were the orders: 13 “Go and ask the Lord about the words in the book that was found. Ask for me, for all the people, and for all Judah. The Lord’s anger is burning against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book; they did not do all the things written for us to do.”
14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to talk to Huldah the prophetess. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, who took care of the king’s clothes. Huldah lived in Jerusalem, in the new area of the city.
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 will bring trouble to this place and to the people living here, as it is written in the book which the king of Judah has read. 17 The people of Judah have left me and have burned incense to other gods. They have made me angry by all that they have done. My anger burns against this place like a fire, and it will not be put out.’ 18 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to ask the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the words you heard: 19 When you heard my words against this place and its people, you became sorry for what you had done and humbled yourself before me. I said they would be cursed and would be destroyed. You tore your clothes to show how upset you were, and you cried in my presence. This is why I have heard you, says the Lord. 20 So I will let you die, and you will be buried in peace. You won’t see all the trouble I will bring to this place.’”
So they took her message back to the king.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
