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New Testament
2 Kings 22
Josiah Son of Amon, King of Judah
221Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he ruled for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath. 2He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He walked in all the ways of his father David. He did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
Josiah Repairs the Temple
3In King Josiah's eighteenth year, the king sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam, to the House of the Lord, saying, 4“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him weigh out the entire amount of silver which has been brought to the House of the Lord, which the gatekeepers have received from the people. 5It is to be given to those who are appointed to supervise the work on the House of the Lord. They are to give it to those who are working in the House of the Lord to repair the damage to the temple. 6Give it to the craftsmen, builders, and stonemasons so they can buy wood and quarried stone to repair the damage. 7But no accounting is to be demanded for the silver which is given to them, because they are acting honestly.”
The Book of the Law Found
8Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the House of the Lord.” Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he read it. 9Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported: “Your servants have paid out the silver which was found in the temple, and they have given it to those who are appointed to supervise the work on the Lord's house.”
10Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” Then Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.
11When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. 12Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the servant of the king:[] 13“Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all of Judah concerning the words of this book, which has been found. For the Lord's wrath which is burning against us is great, because our fathers did not listen to the words of this book and do everything which was recorded for us.”
14Then Hilkiah the priest, with Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah, went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, who was the son of Tikvah, who was the son of Harhas,[] the keeper of the vestments.[] She was living in Jerusalem in the Second District.
15She gave them this message:
This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says. Tell the man who sent you to me that 16this is what the Lord says.
Look! I am bringing disaster on this place and on its inhabitants, everything written in the book which they read before the king of Judah, 17because they have forsaken me and have burned incense and offerings to other gods, so that they provoked me to anger with all the works of their hands. My anger will be poured out on this place. It will not be quenched.
18This is what you will say to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord:
The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken the words which you have heard. 19But because your heart was repentant and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants—that it would be desolate and cursed—and you have torn your clothes and have wept before me, I, even I, have heard you, says the Lord.
20Therefore, be aware of this! I will gather you to your fathers. You will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.
They brought this message back to the king.
Footnotes
- 22:12 Servant of the king is an official title of a high-ranking advisor.
- 22:14 Called Hasrah in 2 Chronicles 34:22.
- 22:14 The Hebrew reads keeper of the garments. It is not specified if these are priestly or royal garments. The former is supported by 2 Kings 10:22. It is most likely that the words keeper of the vestments modify Shallum, but the office may have been hereditary and held by all three men.