Josias repaires the temple. The book of the law is found, upon which they consult the Lord, and are told that great evils shall fall upon them, but not in the time of Josias.

¹ Josiah was eight years old when he had begun to reign. He reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah, from Bozkath.

² And he did what was pleasing before the Lord, and he walked in all the ways of his father David. He did not turn aside to the right, or to the left.

³ Then, in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe of the temple of the Lord, saying to him:

⁴ “Go to Hilkiah, the high priest, so that the money may be put together which has been brought into the temple of the Lord, which the doorkeepers of the temple have collected from the people.

⁵ And let it be given, by those in charge of the house of the Lord, to the workers. And let them distribute it to those who are working in the temple of the Lord in order to repair the surfaces of the temple,

⁶ specifically, to carpenters and masons, and to those who mend gaps, and so that wood may be purchased, and stones from the quarries, in order to repair the temple of the Lord.

⁷ Yet truly, let no account be given by them of the money that they receive. Instead, let them have it within their power and trust.”

⁸ Then Hilkiah, the high priest, said to Shaphan, the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the volume to Shaphan, and he read it.¹

1. 22:8The book of the law: That is, Deuteronomy.(Challoner)

⁹ Also, Shaphan, the scribe, went to the king, and reported to him what he had instructed. And he said: “Your servants have brought together the money which was found in the house of the Lord. And they have given it so that it would be distributed to the workers by the overseers of the works of the temple of the Lord.”

¹⁰ Also, Shaphan, the scribe, explained to the king, saying, “Hilkiah, the priest, gave the book to me.” And when Shaphan had read it before the king,

¹¹ and the king had heard the words of the book of the law of the Lord, he tore his garments.

¹² And he instructed Hilkiah, the priest, and Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Achbor, the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan, the scribe, and Asaiah, the servant of the king, saying:

¹³ “Go and consult the Lord concerning me, and the people, and all of Judah, about the words of this volume which has been found. For the great wrath of the Lord has been kindled against us because our fathers did not listen to the words of this book, so that they would do all that has been written for us.”

¹⁴ Therefore, Hilkiah, the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went to Huldah, the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the vestments, who was living in Jerusalem, in the second part. And they spoke with her.¹

1. 22:14The Second: A street, or part of the city, so called; in Hebrew, Massem.(Challoner)

¹⁵ And she responded to them: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Tell the man who sent you to me:

¹⁶ Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will lead evils over this place, and over its inhabitants, all the words of the law that the king of Judah has read.

¹⁷ For they have abandoned me, and they have sacrificed to foreign gods, provoking me by all the works of their hands. And so my indignation will be kindled against this place. And it will not be extinguished.

¹⁸ But to the king of Judah, who sent you so that you would consult the Lord, so shall you say: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: In so far as you have heard the words of the volume,

¹⁹ and your heart was terrified, and you humbled yourself before the Lord, listening to the words against this place and its inhabitants, specifically, that they would become an astonishment and a curse, and because you have torn your garments, and have wept before me: I also have heard you, says the Lord.

²⁰ For this reason, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your sepulcher in peace, so that your eyes may not see all the evils that I will bring over this place.”