1 Yoshiyahu was eight years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for thirty-one years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was Y’didah the daughter of ‘Adayah from Botzkat.
2 He did what was right fromAdonai’s perspective, living entirely in the manner of David his ancestor and turning away neither to the right nor to the left.
3 In the eighteenth year of King Yoshiyahu, the king sent Shafan the son of Atzalyahu, the son of Meshulam, the secretary, to the house ofAdonaiafter instructing him,
4 “Go up to Hilkiyahu thecohen hagadol, and have him total the money that has been brought into the house ofAdonai, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.
5 Then have them give it to the supervisors of the work being done in the house ofAdonai; they in turn are to use it to pay the laborers in the house ofAdonaito repair damaged places in the building —
6 the carpenters, construction-workers and stonemasons — and to purchase timber and worked stone for doing the repairs on the building.”
7 However, they did not require an accounting from the supervisors given the money to spend, because they dealt honestly.
8 Hilkiyahu thecohen hagadolsaid to Shafan the secretary, “I have found the scroll of theTorahin the house ofAdonai.” Hilkiyah gave the scroll to Shafan, who read it.
9 Then Shafan the secretary went back to the king and gave the king this report: “Your servants have poured out the money found in the house and handed it over to the people supervising the work in the house ofAdonai.”
10 Shafan the secretary also told the king, “Hilkiyah thecohen hagadolgave me a scroll.” Then Shafan read it aloud before the king.
11 After the king had heard what was written in the scroll of theTorah, he tore his clothes.
12 Then the king issued this order to Hilkiyah thecohen, Achikam the son of Shafan, ‘Akhbor the son of Mikhayah, Shafan the secretary and ‘Asayah the king’s servant:
13 “Go; and consultAdonaifor me, for the people and for all Y’hudah in regard to what is written in this scroll which has been found. ForAdonaimust be furious at us, since our ancestors did not listen to the words written in this scroll and didn’t do everything written there that concerns us.”
14 So Hilkiyahu thecohen, Achikam, Akhbor, Shafan and ‘Asayah went to Huldah the prophet, the wife of Shalum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harchas, keeper of the wardrobe — she lived in the Second Quarter of Yerushalayim — and spoke with her.
15 She told them, “Adonaithe God of Isra’el says to tell the man who sent you to me
16 thatAdonaisays this: ‘I am going to bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, every word in the scroll the king of Y’hudah has read;
17 because they have abandoned me and offered to other gods, in order to provoke me with everything they do. Therefore my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’
18 But you are to tell the king of Y’hudah, who sent you to consultAdonai, thatAdonaithe God of Isra’el also says this: ‘In regard to the words you have heard,
19 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself beforeAdonaiwhen you heard what I said against this place and its inhabitants — that they would become an object of astonishment and cursing — and have torn your clothes and cried before me, I have also heard you, saysAdonai.
20 Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, you will go to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the calamity I am going to bring on this place.’” So they brought word back to the king.