1Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned 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 Yahweh, and walked in all the way of David his father, and did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
3Now it happened in the eighteenth year of King Josiah that the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Yahweh, saying:
4“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, and let him total up the silver that has been brought into the house of Yahweh, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered from the people,
5and let it be given into the hand of those who do the work, who are appointed over the house of Yahweh; and let them give it to those who do the work that is in the house of Yahweh, to repair the breaches of the house,
6to the carpenters and the builders and the masons, and to buy timber and quarried stone to repair the house.
7Only no accounting was to be made with them for the silver given into their hand, for they were dealing faithfully.
8Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of Yahweh.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
9And Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought back word to the king, and said, “Your servants have poured out the silver that was found in the house, and have given it into the hand of those who do the work, who are appointed over the house of Yahweh.”
10And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.
11Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he tore his clothes.
12And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Achbor son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the servant of the king, saying:
13“Go, inquire of Yahweh on behalf of me and on behalf of the people and on behalf of all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of Yahweh that has been kindled against us, because our fathers did not listen to the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”
14So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe—now she was living in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter—and they spoke to her.
15And she said to them, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: Say to the man who sent you to me,
16Thus says Yahweh: Behold, I am bringing disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants—all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read—
17because they have forsaken me and have burned incense to other gods, so as to provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands. Therefore my wrath is kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.
18But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, thus you shall say to him: Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, concerning the words that you have heard:
19Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before Yahweh when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants—that they would become a desolation and a curse—and you tore your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard, declares Yahweh.
20Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your graves in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I am bringing upon this place.” And they brought back word to the king.
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