2 Kings 22:1-13 ▼

1 Josiah was an eight year old child when he began to reign, and he reigned for 31 years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.

2 He practiced what the LORD considered to be right, living the way his ancestor David had lived, turning neither to the right nor to the left.

3 Eighteen years after King Josiah had begun to reign, the king sent Azaliah's son Shaphan, grandson of Meshullam the scribe, to the LORD's Temple. He told him,

4 |Go to the high priest Hilkiah, so he can count the money that has been brought into the LORD's Temple by the doorkeepers who have been gathering it from the people.

5 Have them deliver it to the workmen who are supervising the LORD's Temple, so that they may pay it over to the workmen who serve in the LORD's Temple to repair its damages,

6 including paying the carpenters, builders, and masons, as well as buying timber and pre-carved stone to repair the Temple.

7 But you won't need to force them to be accountable for money already paid to them, since they're faithful.|

8 Later on, Hilkiah the high priest informed Shaphan the scribe, |I've discovered the Book of the Law in the LORD's Temple.| Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he began to read it.

9 Shaphan the scribe reported to King Josiah, brought up the matter to him, and told him, |Your servants have distributed the money that was found in the Temple by giving it to the workmen who supervise the LORD's Temple.|

10 Then Shaphan the scribe informed the king, |Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.| Then Shaphan read from it in the king's presence.

11 When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes

12 and issued these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Shaphan's son Ahikam, Micaiah's son Achbor, Shaphan the scribe, and the king's servant Asaiah:

13 |Go ask the LORD for me, for the people, and for all of Judah about what's written in this book that has been discovered, because the LORD's anger is burning against us, since our ancestors have not listened to the words written in this book and have not lived according to everything that is written concerning us.|