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2 Kings 22
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Chapter 22
C.
JOSIAH AND THE RELIGIOUS REFORM
Introduction to the reign of Josiah (640-609)
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Josiah was eight years old when he came to the throne, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah, of Bozkath.
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He did what is pleasing to Yahweh, and in every respect followed the example of his ancestor David, not deviating from it to right or left.
The Book of the Law discovered
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In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent the secretary Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam to the Temple of Yahweh.
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‘Go to Hilkiah the high priest,’ he told him ‘and tell him to melt down the silver that has been brought to the Temple of Yahweh and that those who guard the threshold have collected from the people.
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Let him hand it over to the masters of works attached to the Temple of Yahweh, for them to spend on the workmen working on the repairs to the Temple of Yahweh,
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on the carpenters, builders and masons, and on buying wood and dressed stone for the Temple repairs.
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But they are not to be asked to render account of the money handed over to them, since they are honest in their dealings.’
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The high priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the Temple of Yahweh’.[*a] And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who read it.
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Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him as follows, ‘Your servants’ he said ‘have melted down the silver which was in the Temple and have handed it over to the masters of works attached to the Temple of Yahweh’.
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Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, ‘Hilkiah the priest has given me a book’; and Shaphan read it aloud in the king’s presence.
On hearing the contents of the Book of the Law, the king tore his garments,
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and gave the following order to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan,
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Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s minister: ‘Go and consult Yahweh, on behalf of me and the people, about the contents of
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this book that has been found. Great indeed must be the anger of Yahweh blazing out against us because our ancestors did not obey what this book says by practising everything written in it.’
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Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe; she lived in Jerusalem in the new town. They put the matter to her,
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and she replied, ‘Yahweh, the God of Israel, says this, “To the man who sent you to me say this:
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Yahweh says this: I am bringing disaster on this place and those who live in it, carrying out everything said in the book the king of Judah has read,
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because they have deserted me and sacrificed to other gods, to provoke my anger by everything they did. My anger blazes out against this place; it will not be extinguished.
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And you are to say to the king of Judah who sent you to consult Yahweh: Yahweh, the God of Israel, says this: The words you have heard. . .
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But since your heart has been touched and you have humbled yourself before Yahweh on hearing what I have decreed against this place and those who live in it, how they will become an object of horror and cursing; and since you have torn your garments and wept before me, I for my part have heard – it is Yahweh who speaks.
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For this reason I will gather you to your ancestors, you shall be gathered into your grave in peace; your eyes will not see all the disasters that I mean to bring on this place.”‘ They took this answer to the king.
Chapters of 2 Kings
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
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