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2 C H RO N I C L ES 3 5
8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, after he
had purified the land and the Temple, Josiah
appointed Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah
the governor of Jerusalem, and Joah son of Joahaz, the royal historian, to repair the Temple of
the Lord his God. 9 They gave Hilkiah the high
priest the money that had been collected by the
Levites who served as gatekeepers at the Temple
of God. The gifts were brought by people from
Manasseh, Ephraim, and from all the remnant
of Israel, as well as from all Judah, Benjamin,
and the people of Jerusalem.
10 He entrusted the money to the men assigned to supervise the restoration of the Lord’s
Temple. Then they paid the workers who did the
repairs and renovation of the Temple. 11 They
hired carpenters and builders, who purchased
finished stone for the walls and timber for the
rafters and beams. They restored what earlier
kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.
12 The workers served faithfully under the
leadership of Jahath and Obadiah, Levites of the
Merarite clan, and Zechariah and Meshullam,
Levites of the Kohathite clan. Other Levites, all
of whom were skilled musicians, 13 were put in
charge of the laborers of the various trades.
Still others assisted as secretaries, officials, and
gatekeepers.
Hilkiah Discovers God’s Law
14 While they were bringing out the money collected at the Lord’s Temple, Hilkiah the priest
found the Book of the Law of the Lord that was
written by Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the
court secretary, “I have found the Book of the
Law in the Lord’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave
the scroll to Shaphan.
16 Shaphan took the scroll to the king and
reported, “Your officials are doing everything
they were assigned to do. 17 The money that was
collected at the Temple of the Lord has been
turned over to the supervisors and workmen.”
18 Shaphan also told the king, “Hilkiah the priest
has given me a scroll.” So Shaphan read it to
the king.
19 When the king heard what was written in
the Law, he tore his clothes in despair. 20 Then
he gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of
Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah,* Shaphan the
court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal
adviser: 21 “Go to the Temple and speak to the
Lord for me and for all the remnant of Israel
and Judah. Inquire about the words written in
the scroll that has been found. For the Lord’s
great anger has been poured out on us because
our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the
Lord. We have not been doing everything this
scroll says we must do.”
22 So Hilkiah and the other men went to the
New Quarter* of Jerusalem to consult with the
prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum
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son of Tikvah, son of Harhas,* the keeper of the
Temple wardrobe.
23 She said to them, “The Lord, the God of
Israel, has spoken! Go back and tell the man
who sent you, 24 ‘This is what the Lord says:
I am going to bring disaster on this city* and
its people. All the curses written in the scroll
that was read to the king of Judah will come
true. 25 For my people have abandoned me and
offered sacrifices to pagan gods, and I am very
angry with them for everything they have done.
My anger will be poured out on this place, and
it will not be quenched.’
26 “But go to the king of Judah who sent you
to seek the Lord and tell him: ‘This is what the
Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the
message you have just heard: 27 You were sorry
and humbled yourself before God when you
heard his words against this city and its people.
You humbled yourself and tore your clothing in
despair and wept before me in repentance. And
I have indeed heard you, says the Lord. 28 So I
will not send the promised disaster until after
you have died and been buried in peace. You
yourself will not see the disaster I am going to
bring on this city and its people.’”
So they took her message back to the king.
Josiah’s Religious Reforms
29 Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 And the king went up to
the Temple of the Lord with all the people of
Judah and Jerusalem, along with the priests and
the Levites—all the people from the greatest to
the least. There the king read to them the entire
Book of the Covenant that had been found in
the Lord’s Temple. 31 The king took his place
of authority beside the pillar and renewed the
covenant in the Lord’s presence. He pledged
to obey the Lord by keeping all his commands,
laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. He
promised to obey all the terms of the covenant
that were written in the scroll. 32 And he required everyone in Jerusalem and the people of
Benjamin to make a similar pledge. The people
of Jerusalem did so, renewing their covenant
with God, the God of their ancestors.
33 So Josiah removed all detestable idols from
the entire land of Israel and required everyone
to worship the Lord their God. And throughout
the rest of his lifetime, they did not turn away
from the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
Josiah Celebrates Passover
Then Josiah announced that the Passover of the Lord would be celebrated
in Jerusalem, and so the Passover lamb was
slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first
35
34:20 As in parallel text at 2 Kgs 22:12; Hebrew reads Abdon son
of Micah. 34:22a Or the Second Quarter, a newer section of
Jerusalem. Hebrew reads the Mishneh. 34:22b As in parallel
text at 2 Kgs 22:14; Hebrew reads son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah.
34:24 Hebrew this place; also in 34:27, 28.