1 ARST Josiah was eight years old when he became the king of Judah. He ruled from Jerusalem for thirty- one years. His mother was Jedidah and his grandfather was Adaiah from the city of Bozkath. BSB BSB: Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.
2 ARST Josiah did things that were pleasing to Yahweh and conducted his life as his ancestor King David had done. He fully obeyed all the laws of God. BSB BSB: And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
3 ARST After Josiah had been ruling for almost eighteen years, he sent his secretary Shaphan son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, to the temple with these instructions: BSB BSB: Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the scribe, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the house of the LORD, saying,
4 ARST “Go to Hilkiah, the high priest, and tell him to give me a report, telling me how much money the men who guard the doors of the temple have collected from the people as offerings. BSB BSB: “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.
5 ARST Then tell him to give all that money to the men who are supervising the work of repairing the temple. BSB BSB: And let them deliver it into the hands of the supervisors of those doing the work on the house of the LORD, who in turn are to give it to the workmen repairing the damages to the house of the LORD—
6 ARST They must give that money to the carpenters, the builders, and the masons, and they should also buy the timber and the stones that they will use to repair the temple.” BSB BSB: to the carpenters, builders, and masons—to buy timber and dressed stone to repair the temple.
7 ARST But the men who supervise the work will not be required to make a report on the money that is given to them, saying what they spent it for, because those men are completely honest. BSB BSB: But they need not account for the money put into their hands, since they work with integrity.”
8 ARST After Shaphan the king’ s secretary said that to Hilkiah, Hilkiah said to Shaphan,“I have found in the temple a scroll on which is written the laws that God gave to Moses!” Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he started to read it. BSB BSB: Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD!” And he gave it to Shaphan, who read it.
9 ARST Then Shaphan took the scroll to the king and said to him,“Your temple guards have taken the money that was in the temple, and they have given it to the men who will supervise the work of repairing the temple.” BSB BSB: And Shaphan the scribe went to the king and reported, “Your servants have paid out the money that was found in the temple and have put it into the hands of the workers and supervisors of the house of the LORD.”
10 ARST Then Shaphan said to the king,“I have brought to you a scroll that Hilkiah gave to me.” And Shaphan started to read it to the king. BSB BSB: Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.
11 ARST When the king heard the laws that were written in the scroll that Shaphan was reading to him, he tore his clothes because he was very upset. BSB BSB: When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes
13 ARST “Go and ask Yahweh for me and for all the people of Judah, about what is written in this scroll that has been found. Because it is clear that Yahweh is very angry with us because our ancestors disobeyed the things that are written on this scroll, things that we should have done.” BSB BSB: “Go and inquire of the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah concerning the words in this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book by doing all that is written about us.”
14 ARST So Hilkiah, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to consult a woman whose name was Huldah, who was a prophetess who lived in the newer part of Jerusalem. Her husband Shallum son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas, took care of the robes that were worn in the temple. Those five men told her about the scroll. BSB BSB: So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.
15 ARST She then told them what Yahweh the God whom the Israelites worship says,“Yahweh has a message for the king who sent you to me, and this is what Yahweh says: BSB BSB: And Huldah said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell the man who sent you
16 ARST ‘Listen to this carefully. I am going to bring a disaster on Jerusalem and all the people who live here, which is what was written in the scroll that the king has read. BSB BSB: that this is what the LORD says: I am about to bring calamity on this place and on its people, according to all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read,
17 ARST I will do that because they have abandoned me, and they burn incense to honor other gods. They have caused me to become very angry by all the idols that they have made, and my anger is like a fire that will not be put out. BSB BSB: because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be kindled against this place and will not be quenched.’
18 ARST The king of Judah sent you to inquire what I, Yahweh, want him to do. This is what you should say to him,“You have paid attention to what was written in the scroll. BSB BSB: But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for the words that you heard,
19 ARST Also, you have repented and humbled yourself when you heard what I threatened to do to punish this city and the people who live here, I have heard what you prayed. I said that I would cause this city to be abandoned. It will be a city whose name people will use when they curse someone. But because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you. BSB BSB: because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its people, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,’ declares the LORD.
20 ARST So I will allow you to die and be buried peacefully. I will cause a great disaster to come to this place, but you will not be alive to see it.”’” After the men heard that, they returned to King Josiah and gave him that message. BSB BSB: ‘Therefore I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place.’” So they brought her answer back to the king.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.