1Eight years old was Josiah when he became king, and thirty and one years did he reign in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Yedidah, the daughter of 'Adayah of Bozkath.
2And he did what is right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right or to the left.
3And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azalyahu, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying,
4Go up to Chilkiyahu the high-priest, that he may collect up all the money which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the door-keepers have gathered from the people:
5And let them deliver it into the hand of those who overlook the workmen, that have been appointed as overseers of the house of the Lord; and let them give it to those who do the work who are in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house:
6Unto the carpenters, and the builders, and the masons, and to buy timber and hewn stones to repair the house.
7Nevertheless shall there be no reckoning made with them for the money that is delivered into their hand, because they deal faithfully.
8And Chilkiyahu the high-priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, A book of the law have I found in the house of the Lord. And Chilkiyah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
9And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have taken out all the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of those who overlook the workmen, that have been appointed overseers of the house of the Lord.
10And Shaphan the scribe also told the king, saying, A book hath Chilkiyahu the priest given me. And Shaphan read it before the king.
11And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
12And the king commanded Chilkiyah the priest, and Achikam the son of Shaphan, and 'Achbor the son of Michayah, and Shaphan the scribe, and 'Assahyah a servant of the king's, saying,
13Go ye, inquire of the Lord in my behalf, and in behalf of the people, and in behalf of all Judah, concerning the words of this book that hath been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that hath been kindled against us, because our fathers did not hearken unto the words of this book, to do in accordance with all that is prescribed concerning us.
14And Chilkiyahu the priest, and Achikam, and 'Achbor, and Shaphan, and 'Assahyah, went unto Chuldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah the son of Charchass, the keeper of the wardrobe; [now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the suburb;] and they spoke unto her.
15And she said unto them, Thus hath said the Lord the God of Israel, Say unto the man that hath sent you to me,
16Thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read;
17Because they have forsaken me, and have burnt incense unto other gods, in order to provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands: therefore is my wrath kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
18But with respect to the king of Judah who sendeth you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus hath said the Lord the God of Israel, Concerning the words which thou hast heard;
19Because thy heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I had spoken against this place, and against its inhabitants, that they should become an astonishment and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me: I also have heard it, saith the Lord.
20Therefore, behold, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy graves in peace; and thy eyes shall not look on all the evil which I am bringing over this place. And they brought the king word again.