2 Kings 22
2 Kings 22 (Chapter a Day)
The Book of the Law Found
1
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in
Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of
Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. 2
He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the
ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the
left.
3 In the
eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan
son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the LORD. He
said: 4 “Go up to Hilkiah
the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought
into the temple of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from
the people. 5 Have them
entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple.
And have these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the LORD – 6 the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. 7 But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are acting faithfully.”
8
Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found
the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD.” He gave it to Shaphan,
who read it. 9 Then Shaphan
the secretary went to the king and reported to him: “Your officials
have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have
entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.” 10
Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has
given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12
He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan,
Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s
attendant: 13 “Go and
inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about
what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s
anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the
words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is
written there concerning us.”
14
Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to
the prophetess Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the
son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the
Second District.
15 She said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, 16
‘This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place
and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of
Judah has read. 17 Because
they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and provoked me
to anger by all the idols their hands have made, [a] my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’ 18
Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, ‘This is
what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: 19
Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the
LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its
people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you
tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the
LORD. 20 Therefore I will
gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes
will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’ ”
So they took her answer back to the king.
Footnotes:
- 2 Kings 22:17 Or by everything they have done
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society