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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 [wardrobe]. Huldah lived in Jerusalem, in the ·new area [New Quarter] of the city.

15 She said to them, “·This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says [T Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel]: Tell the man who sent you to me, 16 ‘This is what the Lord says: I will bring ·trouble to [disaster/evil on] this place and to the people living here, ·as it is written [L in accordance with the words] in the ·book [scroll] which the king of Judah has read. 17 The people of Judah have ·left [abandoned; forsaken] me and have burned incense to other gods. They have ·made me angry [aroused/provoked me to anger] by all that they have done. My anger burns against this place, and it will not be ·put out [quenched].’ 18 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to ·ask [seek; inquire of] the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the words you heard: 19 When you heard ·my words [what I spoke] against this place and its people, ·you became sorry for what you had done [your heart was touched/responsive/penitent/tender] and humbled yourself before me. I said they would be cursed and ·would be destroyed [desolated]. You tore your clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress], and you ·cried in my presence [wept before me]. This is why I have heard you, says the Lord. 20 So I will ·let you die [L gather you to your fathers/ancestors], and you will be ·buried [L gathered to your grave] in peace. You won’t see all the ·trouble [disaster; evil] I will bring to this place.’”

So they took her message back to the king.

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Huldah Predicts

14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (she was living in Jerusalem, in the Second Quarter [the new part of the city]); and they spoke to her. 15 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 am bringing a catastrophe on this place (Judah) and on its inhabitants, [according to] all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. 17 Because they have abandoned (rejected) Me and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore My wrath burns against this place, and it will not be quenched.”’ 18 But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the Lord, you shall say this to him: ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel, “Regarding the words which you have heard, 19 because your heart was tender (receptive, penitent) and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I said against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,” declares the Lord. 20 “Therefore, behold, [King Josiah,] I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be taken to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the evil (catastrophe) which I will bring on this place.”’” So they brought back word to the king.

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