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New Testament
2 Chronicles 34:14-28
Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law
14When they brought out the silver that had been brought into the House of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been received from the hand of Moses. 15Hilkiah responded by telling Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the House of the Lord.” Hilkiah then gave the scroll to Shaphan.
16Shaphan brought the scroll to the king. He also brought this report to the king: “Your servants are doing everything they were assigned to do. 17They have emptied the silver found in the House of the Lord from the chest and have delivered it to the overseers and to the workmen.”
18Shaphan the secretary then told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” Shaphan read it in the presence of the king. 19When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothing.
20The king gave this command to Hilkiah and to Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah servant of the king:[] 21“Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for those who remain in Israel and in Judah concerning the words of the book which has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is being poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord by doing everything that is written in this book.”
22Hilkiah and the men the king sent with him went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah,[] the keeper of the vestments.[] She was living in Jerusalem in the Second District. They spoke to her concerning this matter.
23She told them:
This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says. Tell the man who sent you to me that 24this is what the Lord says:
Look! I am bringing disaster on this place and on its inhabitants—all the curses written in the book which they read before the king of Judah, 25because they have forsaken me and have burned incense to other gods, provoking me to anger with all the work of their hands. My anger will be poured out on this place. It will not be quenched.
26To the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, you will also say this:
The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken the words which you have heard. 27But because your heart was receptive, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and because you have humbled yourself before me, have ripped your clothing, and have wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord.
28Listen to my response! 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 back this message to the king.
Footnotes
- 34:20 Servant of the king is an official title of a high-ranking advisor.
- 34:22 Also called Harhas
- 34:22 The Hebrew means keeper of the garments. It does not specify whether these are priestly or royal garments. The parallel in 2 Kings 10:22 supports the former. It is most likely that the words keeper of the garments modify Shallum, but the office may have been hereditary and held by all three men.