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.”