2 Kings 22

1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.

1Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. His mother was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.

2And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

2He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. He followed the example of his ancestor David and did not turn away from it to the right or to the left.

3And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Jehovah, saying,

3In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the court secretary Shaphan, son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, to the Temple of the LORD. He said:

4Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the money which is brought into the house of Jehovah, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered of the people:

4"Go to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money that the gatekeepers have collected from the people and brought into the Temple of the LORD.

5and let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen that have the oversight of the house of Jehovah; and let them give it to the workmen that are in the house of Jehovah, to repair the breaches of the house,

5Have them give this money to the supervisors of the work on the Temple of the LORD, so they can pay the workers who are repairing the building.

6unto the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the house.

6They should pay the carpenters, the builders, and the stonemasons, and buy the timber and cut stone needed to repair the Temple."

7Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand; for they dealt faithfully.

7However, they did not have to provide an accounting of the money given to them, because they were honest and trustworthy.

8And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

8Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the Temple of the LORD." Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he read it.

9And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen that have the oversight of the house of Jehovah.

9Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported, "Your officials have taken the money handed over in the Temple and given it to the workers and supervisors at the Temple of the LORD."

10And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

10Shaphan the secretary also told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it aloud to the king.

11And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

11When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in grief.

12And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,

12He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal aide:

13Go ye, inquire of Jehovah for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the wrath of Jehovah that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

13"Go and ask the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. The LORD's anger is burning against us because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book; they did not do everything written there concerning us."

14So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the second quarter); and they communed with her.

14So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to talk to Huldah the prophetess. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, who was in charge of the palace wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District.

15And she said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Tell ye the man that sent you unto me,

15She said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,

16Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read.

16'This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, just as it says in the book the king of Judah has read.

17Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched.

17Because they have abandoned me and burned incense to other gods, making me angry with everything they have done, my anger will burn against this place and it will not be put out.'

18But unto the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Jehovah, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: As touching the words which thou hast heard,

18Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to ask the LORD, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says regarding the words you heard:

19because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before Jehovah, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith Jehovah.

19Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and its people—that they would become a ruin and a curse—and because you tore your clothes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD.

20Therefore, behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

20Therefore, I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am going to bring on this place.'" So they took her answer back to the king.