2 Kings 22

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

1Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. His mother was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah from Boscath.

2And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

2Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. He lived the way his ancestor King David had lived. He did not turn away from God's path, not even a little.

3And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,

3In the eighteenth year that Josiah was king, he sent a man named Shaphan to the temple. Shaphan was a scribe, someone who wrote and kept records. He was the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam. The king told him:

4Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people:

4"Go to Hilkiah, the high priest, the leader of all the priests. Ask him to count the money brought into the LORD's temple. The men who guard the doors have collected it from the people."

5And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,

5"Then give the money to the men in charge of the work on the temple. They will pay the workers who are fixing the broken parts of the building."

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

6"The money is for the carpenters, the builders, and the stone workers. It also buys wood and cut stone to fix the temple."

7Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.

7"No one needs to check how the workers spend the money. They are honest men."

8And Hilkiah the high priest said unto 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.

8Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple!" He gave the book to Shaphan, and Shaphan read it.

9And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.

9Shaphan the scribe went back to the king with a report. He said, "Your servants have taken the money that was in the temple. We gave it to the men in charge of the work."

10And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

10Then Shaphan told the king something else. He said, "Hilkiah the priest gave me a book." And Shaphan read the book out loud to 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.

11The king listened to the words of the Book of the Law. When he heard them, he tore his clothes to show how upset he was.

NoteTearing your clothes was how people long ago showed deep sadness or shock. It was like crying out loud so everyone could see how you felt.

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

12Then the king gave an order to five men. They were Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah, one of the king's servants. He said:

13Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

13"Go and ask the LORD what this book means for me, for the people, and for all Judah. The LORD is very angry with us. Our fathers did not obey the words of this book. They did not do what it says we should do."

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

14So Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asahiah went to see Huldah. Huldah was a prophetess, a woman who told people what God said. She was married to Shallum, who took care of the king's clothes. Shallum was the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas. Huldah lived in Jerusalem, in the second part of the city. The men talked with her.

15And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,

15Huldah said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says. Tell the man who sent you to me:"

16Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:

16"This is what the LORD says. I am going to bring trouble on this place and on the people here. It will happen just as the book says, the book the king of Judah read."

NoteThe KJV says God will bring "evil" on this place. Here the old word means disaster or trouble, not something wicked.

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

17"They have left me. They have burned incense to other gods. All the idols they made with their hands have made me angry. So my anger will burn against this place, and no one will put it out."

NoteIncense is a sweet-smelling smoke that people burned as a gift to a god.

18But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;

18"But the king of Judah sent you to ask the LORD a question. Tell him this. The LORD, the God of Israel, says about the words you heard:"

19Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.

19"Your heart was soft, and you bowed low before the LORD. You heard me say that this place would be empty and ruined. You tore your clothes and cried in front of me. So I have heard you, says the LORD."

20Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

20"I will let you die and join your family who died before you. You will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the trouble I will bring on this place." The men took her answer back to the king.