Josiah Repairs the Temple
Study note
Josiah became king at just eight years old and ruled for thirty-one years. Unlike his father and grandfather, he did what was right in the Lord's sight. In the eighteenth year of his reign, he sent his secretary Shaphan to oversee the collection of money for temple repairs. The workers were so trustworthy that no accounting was required.
1 Josiah was just eight years old when he became king. He ruled from Jerusalem for thirty-one years. His mother was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath. 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.
2 He did what pleased the Lord. He walked the same path his ancestor David had walked, never veering off course. And 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.
3 In his eighteenth year as king, Josiah sent his secretary Shaphan to the Lord's temple with a task. Shaphan was the son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam. And 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,
4 "Go to the high priest Hilkiah and have him total up all the money the people have donated to the temple. The doorkeepers have been collecting it." Go 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:
5 "Have them hand the money to the men managing the temple construction project. They should pay the workers who are repairing the Lord's temple --" And 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,
6 "the carpenters, builders, and stoneworkers. They should also use it to buy wood and cut stone for the repairs." Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
7 "Do not bother asking them for receipts, because these men are completely trustworthy." Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.
The Book of the Law Is Found
Study note
During the repairs, the high priest Hilkiah made a stunning discovery: the Book of the Law had been found in the temple. This was likely the book of Deuteronomy, or perhaps the entire Torah. It had been lost during the wicked reigns of Manasseh and Amon. When Shaphan read it to King Josiah, the king tore his clothes in horror. He realized how terribly the nation had disobeyed God's commands and feared the Lord's anger.
8 High Priest Hilkiah told Secretary Shaphan, "I discovered the Book of the Law inside the Lord's temple!" He handed it to Shaphan, who read through it. And 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.
9 Shaphan went to the king and reported, "Your officials have paid out the temple money to the construction crew." And 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.
10 Then Shaphan added, "Priest Hilkiah also gave me a book." He read it out loud to the king. And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he ripped his clothes in distress. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
12 He sent out five men at once. They were Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Achbor son of Micaiah. Shaphan the clerk and Asaiah the king's aide went too. And 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,
13 "Go find out what the Lord has to say about this book that was discovered. Ask on my behalf and on behalf of all the people of Judah. The Lord must be furious with us because our ancestors ignored what this book says and disobeyed its instructions." Go ye, inquire 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.
The Prophetess Huldah Speaks
Study note
Josiah sent a delegation to consult the prophetess Huldah. She was one of a handful of female prophets mentioned in the Bible. She lived in the newer part of Jerusalem. Huldah confirmed that God's judgment would indeed come upon Jerusalem because the people had abandoned him and worshipped other gods. However, because Josiah's heart was tender and he had humbled himself before the Lord, the disaster would not come during his lifetime. He would die in peace before seeing the destruction.
14 Hilkiah the priest, along with Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah, went to see the prophetess Huldah. She was married to Shallum (son of Tikvah, grandson of Harhas), who managed the temple wardrobe. She lived in the newer section of Jerusalem. They told her what had happened. So 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.
15 She replied, "The Lord, the God of Israel, says this: Tell the man who sent you to me:" And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
16 "The Lord says: I will bring ruin on this city and its people. Every judgment in the scroll the king read will come true." Thus 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:
17 "'My people abandoned me and burned incense to other gods, making me furious with everything they have done. My anger blazes against this place, and nothing will put it out.'" Because 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.
18 "As for Judah's king who sent you to ask the Lord, tell him this. Israel's God says this about what he heard:" But to the king of Judah which sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;
19 "'Your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the Lord. You heard my warnings about this place and its people -- that they would be cursed and destroyed. You tore your clothes and wept before me. So I listened,' the Lord says." Because 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.
20 "'I will let you die peacefully. You will be buried before the disaster strikes, and you will not have to witness the terrible things I will do to this place.'" They brought this answer back to the king. Behold 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.