2 Kings 22

Expanded Bible

Josiah King of Judah^(A)

22 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah, who was from Bozkath. ²Josiah did ·what the Lord said was right [^Lright in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. He ·lived [^Lwalked] as his ·ancestor [father] David had ·lived [^Lwalked], and he did not ·stop doing what was right [turn aside/deviate to the right or to the left].

³In Josiah’s eighteenth year as king, he sent Shaphan to the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord. Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, was the royal secretary. Josiah said, ⁴“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, and have him ·empty [count] out the money the ·gatekeepers [doorkeepers] have ·gathered [collected] from the people. This is the money they have brought into the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord. ⁵Have him ·give [entrust] the money to the supervisors of the work on the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord. They must pay the workers who ·repair [restore] the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord— ⁶the carpenters, builders, and ·bricklayers [masons]. Also use the money to buy timber and ·cut [finished; dressed] stone to ·repair [restore] the ·Temple [^Lhouse]. ⁷They do not need to ·report [account for] how they use the money given to them, because they are working ·honestly [faithfully; conscientiously; 12:15].”

The Book of the Teachings Is Found

⁸Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the royal secretary, “I’ve found the Book of the ·Teachings [Law; ^Ltorah] in the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.

⁹Then Shaphan the royal secretary went to the king and reported to Josiah, “Your ·officers [officials] have ·paid [emptied] out the money that was in the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord. They have ·given [entrusted] it to the workers and supervisors at the ·Temple [^Lhouse].” ¹⁰Then Shaphan the royal secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a ·book [scroll].” And Shaphan read from the ·book [scroll] to the king.

¹¹When the king heard the words of the Book of the ·Teachings [Law; ^Ltorah], he tore his clothes [^Ca sign of mourning or distress]. ¹²He gave orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the royal secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant. These were the orders: ¹³“Go and ·ask [inquire of] the Lord about the words in the ·book [scroll] that was found. Ask for me, for all the people, and for all Judah. The Lord’s anger is burning ·greatly [fiercely] against us, because our ·ancestors [fathers] did not ·obey [listen to] the words of this ·book [scroll]; they did not do all the things written ·for us to do [concerning us].”

¹⁴So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to talk to Huldah the prophetess. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, who took care of the king’s ·clothes [wardrobe]. Huldah lived in Jerusalem, in the ·new area [New Quarter] of the city.

¹⁵She said to them, “·This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says [^TThus says the Lord, the God of Israel]: Tell the man who sent you to me, ¹⁶‘This is what the Lord says: I will bring ·trouble to [disaster/evil on] this place and to the people living here, ·as it is written [^Lin accordance with the words] in the ·book [scroll] which the king of Judah has read. ¹⁷The people of Judah have ·left [abandoned; forsaken] me and have burned incense to other gods. They have ·made me angry [aroused/provoked me to anger] by all that they have done. My anger burns against this place, and it will not be ·put out [quenched].’ ¹⁸Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to ·ask [seek; inquire of] the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the words you heard: ¹⁹When you heard ·my words [what I spoke] against this place and its people, ·you became sorry for what you had done [your heart was touched/responsive/penitent/tender] and humbled yourself before me. I said they would be cursed and ·would be destroyed [desolated]. You tore your clothes [^Ca sign of mourning or distress], and you ·cried in my presence [wept before me]. This is why I have heard you, says the Lord. ²⁰So I will ·let you die [^Lgather you to your fathers/ancestors], and you will be ·buried [^Lgathered to your grave] in peace. You won’t see all the ·trouble [disaster; evil] I will bring to this place.’”