nd Kings _Chapter 22

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah from Persia.

Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and did all that his father David did, without turning to the right or the left.

In the eighteenth year of King Josiah’s reign, the king sent Shaphan, the son of Asal, the secretary of Meshullam, to the temple of the Lord and commanded him, saying,

Go to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the silver that has been brought to the temple of the Lord, which the gatekeeper has collected from the people,

Give it to the people who work in the temple of the Lord, so that they can be handed over to the workers in the temple of the Lord to repair the damage to the temple,

It’s about handing over to carpenters, workers, and bricklayers, and buying wood and chiseled stones to repair the temple,

Give the silver into the hands of those who do the work, and do not settle accounts with them, because they are honest in their work.

Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.”. Hilkiah handed the book to Shafan, and Shafan read it.

Secretary Shafan came to the king and replied, “Your servant has poured out the silver from the temple and counted it, and handed it over to the people who work in the Lord’s temple.”.

Secretary Shafan said to the king again, Hilkiah the priest has handed me a book. Shafan was reading the book in front of the king.

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes,

Command Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbo the son of Micaia, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,

Go and ask the Lord for me, for the people, and for all Judah, according to the words of this book. Because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book and did not follow the instructions given to us, the Lord was greatly angry with us.

So Hilkiah the priest, along with Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Azaiah, went to see the prophetess Hulda. Huleda is the wife in charge of the dress salon. Sharon is the grandson of Harhaz and the son of Teva. Hulda lived in the second district of Jerusalem. They asked her.

She said to them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says:’ Reply to those who sent you to me, ‘,

Thus says the Lord, I will bring disaster on this land and its inhabitants, according to all the words in the book that the king of Judah has read.

Because they have abandoned me, burned incense to other gods, and provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, so my anger will erupt against this land and will not cease.

However, when the King of Judah sent you to inquire about the Lord, you shall reply to him in this way, saying, This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has said: As for the words that you have heard,

When you heard my words about this land and its inhabitants, saying, “Make this land a desolation, and let the people be cursed.” Then you humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes, and wept at me. Therefore, I answered you. This is what the Lord has said.

I will bring you back to your grave in peace to your ancestors. I will bring all the calamity to this land, and you will not see it with your own eyes. They replied to the king and went.