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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 sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
3 In the eighteenth year of the reign of King Josiah, the king sent the scribe Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the House of the Lord, saying, 4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him total up the weight of silver that has been brought into the House of the Lord, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. 5 Have the silver delivered into the hands of the men who supervise the work on the House of the Lord. They turn are to pay the workers for the repairs to the House of the Lord: 6 to the carpenters, builders, and masons, and for the purchase of timber and hewn stone to repair the House. 7 But do not require an account for the silver that is entrusted to them, for they deal faithfully.”
8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the House of the Lord.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9 Then Shaphan the scribe went to the king and reported: “Your servants have emptied out the silver that was found in the temple, and have delivered it into the hands of the men who supervise the repairs on the House of the Lord.” 10 Then Sharphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has delivered me a book,” and Sharphan 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 clothes. 12 Then he commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Michaiah, Sharphan the scribe, and the king’s servant Asaiah: 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. For great is Lord’s wrath that burns against us because our fathers did not obey the words of this book, in order to do everything that is written concerning us.”
14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went the prophetess Huldah, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District, where they spoke with her.
15 She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Say to the man who sent you to Me: 16 “This is what the Lord says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants, in fulfilment of all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read. 17 Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods, and provoked Me to anger with all the works of their hands, My wrath will burn against this place, and it will not be quenched’ ” ’. 18 But say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “As for the words which you have heard, 19 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard that I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants—that they would become a desolation and a curse, and because you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I have also heard you”, declares the Lord. 20 “Therefore, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be laid down in your tomb in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am going to bring on this place” ’.”
So they brought back her answer to the king.