The Recovery of the Book of the Law

¹⁴ When they brought out the money that had been deposited in the Lord’s temple, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the Lord written by the hand of Moses.^{(A) 15} Consequently,^(B) Hilkiah told Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the book of the law in the Lord’s temple,” and he gave the book to Shaphan.

¹⁶ Shaphan took the book to the king, and also reported, “Your servants are doing all that was placed in their hands. ¹⁷ They have emptied out the money that was found in the Lord’s temple and have put it into the hand of the overseers and the hand of those doing the work.” ¹⁸ Then Shaphan the court secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book,” and Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.^(C)

¹⁹ When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.^{(D) 20} Then he commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the court secretary, and the king’s servant Asaiah, ²¹ “Go. Ask Yahweh for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that was found. For great is the Lord’s wrath that is poured out on us^(E) because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord in order to do everything written in this book.”