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22
1 Josiah was eight when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. His mother's name was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah. She came from Bozkath. 2 He did what was right in the Lord's sight, and followed all the ways of David his forefather—he did not deviate to the right or to the left.
3 In the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah sent Shaphan, son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, to the Lord's Temple. He said, 4 “Go to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money the doorkeepers have collected from the people coming to the Lord's Temple. 5 Then hand it over to those who are supervising the work on Lord's Temple, and have them pay the workmen doing the repairing of the Lord's Temple, 6 the carpenters, the builders and the masons. In addition have them purchase timber and cut stone to repair the Temple. 7 Don't ask for any accounts from the men who received the money because they deal honestly.”
8 Hilkiah the high priest told Shaphan the scribe, “I've found the Book of the Law in the Lord's Temple.” He gave it to Shaphan who read it.
9 Shaphan the scribe went to the king and to give him a report, saying, “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the Lord's Temple and have handed it over to those appointed to supervise the work at the Lord's Temple.”
10 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” Shaphan read it to the king.
11 When the king heard what was in the book of the Law, he tore his clothes. 12 Then he gave orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, son of Shaphan, Acbor, son of Micaiah, Shaphan, the scribe, and Asaiah the king's assistant, saying, 13 “Go and talk to the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all of Judah, about what is said in the book that's been found. For the Lord must be really angry with us, because our forefathers have not obeyed the Lord's instructions in this book; they have not been doing what is written there for us to do.”
14 Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, custodian of the wardrobe.* “Wardrobe”: either the king's clothes, or those of the priest (s). She lived in Jerusalem, in the city's second quarter.
15 She told 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 about to bring disaster down on this place and on its people, in accordance with everything written in the book that has been read to the king of Judah. 17 They have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to other gods, making me angry by everything they've done. My anger will be poured out upon this place and will not be stopped.
18 But tell the king of Judah who sent you to ask the Lord, tell him this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: As for what you heard read to you— 19 because you were receptive and repentant before God when you heard his warnings against this place and against its people—that would become desolate and a curse—and because you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I have also heard† “Heard”: in the sense of a positive response. you, declares the Lord. 20 All this will not happen until after you have died, and you will die in peace.‡ “Die in peace”: of course this did not happen, because Josiah chose to confront the Egyptian Pharaoh in battle and was killed. See 23:29. You will not see all the disaster that I'm going to bring down on this place.” They went back to the king and gave him her response.

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*22:14 “Wardrobe”: either the king's clothes, or those of the priest (s).

†22:19 “Heard”: in the sense of a positive response.

‡22:20 “Die in peace”: of course this did not happen, because Josiah chose to confront the Egyptian Pharaoh in battle and was killed. See 23:29.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher