1 ¶ Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the ways of his ancestor David, and did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

3 And during the eighteenth year of king Josiah, it happened 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 count the silver that has been brought into the house of the LORD, that the doorkeepers have gathered from the people:

5 And let them give it to the workmen, who are in charge of repairing the house of the LORD: and let them pay it to those who do the work of repairing the damage to the house,

6 To the carpenters, builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.

7 However there was no accounting required of them for the money delivered to them, because they dealt faithfully.

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

9 And Shaphan the scribe went to the king, and reported to him, saying, Your servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of those who do the work, who are overseeing repair to the house of the LORD.

10 And Shaphan the scribe told the king, Hilkiah the priest has brought me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

11 ¶ And when the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.

12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king, saying,

13 Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not heeded the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.

14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asahiah, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe; (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter;) and they communed with her.

15 And she said to them, The LORD God of Israel says, Tell the man who sent you to me,

16 Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon its inhabitants, even all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read:

17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath will be kindled against this place, and will not be quenched.

18 But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD, you shall say, Thus says the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which you have heard;

19 Because your heart was tender, and you have humbled yourself before the LORD, when you heard what I spoke against this place, and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes, and wept before me; I have heard you, says the LORD.

20 Therefore, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be taken to your grave in peace; and your eyes will not see all the evil that I will bring upon this place. And they brought back word to the king.