The Book of the Law Found

22Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thi
rty-one years. His mother s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozk
ath. 2He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the w
ays of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.
3In 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 H
ilkiah the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought in
to the temple of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.
5Have 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 6the carpente
rs, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed ston
e to repair the temple. 7But they need not account for the money entrusted to the
m, because they are honest in their dealings.
8Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, I have found the Book of t
he Law in the temple of the LORD. He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. 9Then Shapha
n the secretary went to the king and reported to him: Your officials have paid ou
t the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the work
ers and supervisors at the temple. 10Then 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.
11When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12He ga
ve these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micai
ah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king s attendant: 13 Go and inquire of the L
ORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this bo
ok that has been found. Great is the LORD s anger that burns against us because th
ose who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have no
t acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.
14Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prop
het Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper
of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.
15She said to them, This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man w
ho sent you to me, 16 This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on t
his place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king o
f Judah has read. 17Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other god
s and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made,[a] my anger will
burn against this place and will not be quenched. 18Tell the king of Judah, who se
nt you to inquire of the LORD, This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says con
cerning the words you heard: 19Because your heart was responsive and you humbled
yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place an
d its people that they would become a curse[b] and be laid waste and because you tor
e your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the LORD.
20Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, 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.
2 Chronicles 34:22-33
22Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him[b] went to speak to the prophet Hu
ldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath,[c] the son of Hasrah,[d] keepe
r of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.
23She said to them, This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man w
ho sent you to me, 24 This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on t
his place and its people all the curses written in the book that has been read in
the presence of the king of Judah. 25Because they have forsaken me and burned inc
ense to other gods and aroused my anger by all that their hands have made,[e] my
anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched. 26Tell 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: 27Because your heart was responsive
and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this pl
ace and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your rob

es and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD. 28Now I will gat
her you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not s
ee all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here
.
So they took her answer back to the king.
29Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30He went u
p to the temple of the LORD with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusal
em, the priests and the Levites all the people from the least to the greatest. He
read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been
found in the temple of the LORD. 31The king stood by his pillar and renewed the c
ovenant in the presence of the LORD to follow the LORD and keep his commands, stat
utes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of t
he covenant written in this book.
32Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the peo
ple of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of the
ir ancestors.
33Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the
Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the LORD their God.
As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the LORD, the God of their anc
estors.