Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh and walked in all the ways of David his father, and did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
Josiah Repairs the Temple
And in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent the scribe Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam, to the house of Yahweh, saying,
“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count up the money that has been brought into the house of Yahweh that the guards of the threshold have gathered from the people.
Have them give it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of Yahweh, and let them give it to those doing the work who are in the house of Yahweh in order to repair the damage of the house,
to the carpenters and to the builders and to the wall masons, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
But no accounting is required to be made with them of the money that was given into their hand, for they are dealing faithfully.”
Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law
Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of Yahweh.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
Shaphan the scribe went to the king and reported to the king and said, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was present in the house and have given it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of Yahweh.”
Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.
And when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.
The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,
“Go inquire of Yahweh for me and for the people and for all Judah concerning the words of this scroll that has been found, for great is the wrath of Yahweh that is kindled against us because our fathers have not listened to the words of this scroll to do according to everything that is written concerning us.”
So 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, keeper of the wardrobe. And she lived in Jerusalem in the second district, and they spoke with her.
She said to them, “This is what Yahweh the God of Israel says: ‘Say to the man who sent you to me,
This is what Yahweh says: Behold, I will bring evil on this place, and on its inhabitants, all the words of the scroll that the king of Judah has read.
Because they have forsaken me and have burned incense to other gods, making me angry by all the work of their hands; therefore my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.
But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, you are to say this to him: This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: As for the words that you have heard,
because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before Yahweh when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, says Yahweh.
Therefore behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace so that your eyes will not see all the evil that I will bring on this place.’” And they brought back this message to the king.