2 Kings 22

1 Josiah was eight years old when he became the king [of Judah]. He ruled from Jerusalem for 31 years. His mother was Jedidah and his grandfather was Adaiah from Bozkath [town].

Iosiah was eight yeere olde when he beganne to reigne, and hee reigned one and thirtie yeere in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Iedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozcath.

2 Josiah did things that were pleasing to Yahweh and conducted his life as his ancestor King David had done. He completely obeyed [IDM] all the laws of God.

And hee did vprightly in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the wayes of Dauid his father, and bowed neither to the right hand, nor to the left.

3 After Josiah had been ruling for almost 18 years, he sent his secretary Shaphan, the son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, to the temple with these instructions:

And in the eighteenth yeere of King Iosiah, the King sent Shaphan the sonne of Azaliah the sonne of Meshullam the chanceller to ye house of the Lord, saying,

4 “Go to Hilkiah, the Supreme Priest, and tell him to give me a report, telling me how much money the men who guard the doors of the temple have collected from the people [as offerings].

Goe vp to Hilkiah the high Priest, that hee may summe the siluer which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the doore haue gathered of the people.

5 Then tell him to give all that money to the men who are supervising the work of repairing the temple.

And let them deliuer it into the hande of them that doe the worke, and haue the ouersight of the house of the Lord: let them giue it to them that worke in the house of the Lord, to repaire the decayed places of the house:

6 They must give that money to the carpenters, the builders, and the masons, and they should also buy the timber and the stones that they will use to repair the temple.

To wit, vnto the artificers and carpenters and masons, and to bye timber, and hewed stone to repaire the house.

7 But the men who supervise the work will not be required to make a report on the money that is given to them, saying what they spent it for, because those men are completely honest.”

Howebeit, let no rekoning bee made with them of the money, that is deliuered into their hand: for they deale faithfully.

8 [After Shaphan said that to Hilkiah] the king’s secretary, Hilkiah said to Shaphan, “I have found in the temple a scroll on which is written the laws [that God gave to Moses]!” Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he started to read it.

And Hilkiah the high Priest sayde vnto Shaphan the chanceller, I haue found the booke of the Lawe in the house of the Lord: and Hilkiah gaue the booke to Shaphan, and hee reade it.

9 Then Shaphan [took the scroll] to the king and said to him, “Your temple guards have taken the money that was in the temple, and they have given it to the men who will supervise the work of repairing the temple.”

So Shaphan the chanceller came to ye King, and brought him word againe, and saide, Thy seruants haue gathered the money, that was found in the house, and haue deliuered it vnto the hands of them that doe the worke, and haue the ouersight of the house of the Lord.

10 Then Shaphan said to the king, [“I have brought to you] a scroll that Hilkiah gave to me.” And Shaphan started to read it to the king.

Also Shaphan the chanceller shewed the King saying, Hilkiah the Priest hath deliuered me a booke. And Shaphan read it before the King.

11 When the king heard the laws that were written in the scroll that Shaphan was reading to him, he tore his clothes [because he was very dismayed].

And when the King had heard the wordes of the booke of the Law, he rent his clothes.

12 Then he gave these instructions to Hilkiah, to Shaphan’s son Ahikam, to Micaiah’s son Achbor, and to Asaiah, the king’s special advisor:

Therefore the King commanded Hilkiah the Priest, and Ahikam the sonne of Shaphan, and Achbor the sonne of Michaiah, and Shaphan the chanceller, and Asahiah the Kings seruant, saying,

13 “Go and ask Yahweh for me and for all the people of Judah, about what is written in this scroll that has been found. Because [it is clear that] Yahweh is very angry with us because our ancestors disobeyed what was written on this scroll, things that we [should have done].”

Go ye and inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Iudah concerning the wordes of this booke that is founde: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against vs, because our fathers haue not obeyed the wordes of this booke, to doe according vnto all that which is written therein for vs.

14 So Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to (consult/talk with) a woman whose name was Huldah, who was a prophetess who lived in the newer/northern part of Jerusalem. Her husband Shallum, son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas, took care of the robes that were worn [in the temple] (OR, [by the king]). [Those five men told her about the scroll].

So Hilkiah the Priest and Ahikam, and Achbor and Shaphan, and Asahiah went vnto Huldah the Prophetesse the wife of Shallum, ye sonne of Tikuah, the sonne of Harhas keeper of the wardrobe: (and she dwelt in Ierusalem in the colledge) and they communed with her.

15 She said to them, “This is what Yahweh the God whom we Israelis [worship] says: ‘Go back and tell the king who sent you

And shee answered them, Thus sayth the Lord God of Israel, Tel the man that sent you to mee,

16 that this is what Yahweh says: “Listen to this carefully. I am going to cause all the people who live here in Jerusalem to experience a disaster, which is what was written in the scroll that the king has read.

Thus sayth the Lord, Behold, I wil bring euill vpon this place, and on the inhabitants thereof, euen al the words of the booke which ye King of Iudah hath read,

17 I will do that because they have abandoned me, and they burn incense to [honor] other gods. They have caused me to become very angry by [worshiping] the idols that they have made (OR, by all the wicked things that they have done), and my anger is like [MET] a fire that will not be put out.”

Because they haue forsaken mee, and haue burnt incense vnto other gods, to anger me with all ye works of their hands: my wrath also shalbe kindled against this place and shall not be queched:

18 The king of Judah sent you to inquire what I, Yahweh, wanted you to do, so this is what you should say to him: “Because you have heeded what was written in the scroll,

But to the King of Iudah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, so shall ye say vnto him, Thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel, The wordes that thou hast heard, shall come to passe.

19 and you repented and humbled yourself when you heard what I said to warn you [about what would happen to] this city and the people who live here and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you. I said that I would cause this city to be abandoned. It will be a city whose name people will use when they curse someone. But I have heard what you prayed,

But because thine heart did melt, and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants of the same, to wit, that it should be destroyed and accursed, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me, I haue also heard it, saith the Lord.

20 so I will allow you to die [EUP] and be buried peacefully. I will cause the people who live here to experience a terrible disaster, but you will not [be alive to] see it.”’” After the men heard that, they returned to King Josiah and gave him that message.

Beholde therefore, I wil gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the euil, which I will bring vpon this place. Thus they brought the King worde againe.