1Josiah was eight year old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Ididah the daughter of Adaiah of Bezecath.
2And he did that seemed right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the ways of David his father, and bowed neither to the right hand nor to the left.
3And the eighteenth year of his reign king Josiah sent Saphan the son of Azaliah the son of Mesulam the scribe to the house of the LORD, saying: go to Helkiah the high priest,
4and let him sum the silver that is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the doors have gathered of the people,
5and let them deliver it into the hands of the workmen that have the oversight of the house of the LORD, which shall give it to them that work upon the house of the LORD, to repair the decayed places thereof,
6even unto carpenters and masons, and for to buy timber and free stone to repair the house.
7How be it let no reckoning be made with them of the money that is delivered into their hands, but let them do it of their conscience.
8And Helkiah the high priest said to Saphan the scribe: I have found the book of the law in the temple of the LORD, and Helkiah gave the book to Saphan, and he read it.
9And then Saphan the scribe went to the king and brought him word again, and said: thy servants poured out the silver that was found in the temple, and have delivered it unto the workmen that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.
10Furthermore Saphan the scribe shewed the king saying: Helkiah the priest hath delivered me here a book. And Saphan read it before the king.
11And the king as soon as he had heard the words of the book of the law, he rent his clothes
12and commanded Helkiah the priest and Ahikam the son of Saphan and Achobor the son of Michaiah, and Saphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying:
13go ye and seek of the LORD for me and the people and for all Juda, concerning the words of this book that is found. For it is a great wrath of the LORD that is kindled upon us, that our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do in all points as it is written therein.
14And Helkiah the high priest and Ahikam, Achobor, Saphan, Asahiah went unto Oldah the Prophetess wife of Selum the son of Tekuah the son of Haraham keeper of the robes, which Prophetess dwelt in Jerusalem in the second ward, and communed with her.
15And she said to them: thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel. Tell the man that sent you to me:
16thus sayeth the LORD: behold I will bring evil upon this place and on the dwellers therein: even all the words of the book which the king of Juda hath read,
17because they have forsaken me and have brent offerings unto other gods, to anger me with all the works of their hands. Therefore is my wrath kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
18But to the king of Juda which sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say: thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, as touching the words which thou heardest.
19Because thine heart did melt and thou meekedest thyself before me the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place and the inhabiters of the same, how that it should be destroyed and made accursed: and tearest thy clothes and weepest before me: of that also I have heard sayeth the LORD.
20And therefore see, I will receive ye unto thy fathers and will fetch thee unto thy grave in peace, thine eyes shall see none of the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.