2 Kings 22:1-13 ▼

1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.

2 He did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

3 It happened in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,

4 |Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the money which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered of the people.

5 Let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD; and let them give it to the workmen who are in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,

6 to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the house.

7 However there was no accounting made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand; for they dealt faithfully.|

8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, |I have found the scroll of the law in the house of the LORD.| Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

9 Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, |Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD.|

10 Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, |Hilkiah the priest has delivered a scroll to me.| Shaphan read it before the king.

11 It happened, when the king had heard the words of the scroll of the law, that he tore his clothes.

12 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,

13 |Go inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this scroll that is found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this scroll, to do according to all that which is written concerning us.|