Josiah Reigns in Judah
(2 Kings 22:1–2)

1Josiah was a son of eight years in his reigning, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2And he did right in the eyes of YHWH and walked in the ways of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

Josiah Destroys Idolatry
(1 Kings 13:1–10; 2 Kings 23:4–20)

3And in the eighth year of his reign (and he was still young) he began to seek the God of David his father. And in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, and the Asherah poles, and the carved images, and the molten images. 4And in his presence they broke down the altars of the Baals, and the incense altars that were on high above them he cut down. And the Asherah poles, and the carved images, and the molten images, he broke in pieces and made dust of them, and he scattered it on the surface of the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5And he burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem,

6and in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins† of them round about. 7And he broke down the altars and the Asherah poles, and the carved images he beat to pieces to grinding, and all the incense altars he cut down throughout all the land of Israel. And he returned to Jerusalem.

Josiah Repairs the Temple
(2 Kings 22:3–7)

8And in the eighteenth year of his reign, to purify the land and the house, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah son of Joahaz the recorder, to strengthen the house of YHWH his God.

9And they came to Hilkiah the high priest, and they gave the silver that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites who kept the doors had gathered from the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin, and from those dwelling in Jerusalem. 10And they put it into the hand of those doing the work appointed over the house of YHWH, and they gave it to those doing the work, who were working in the house of YHWH to repair and to strengthen the house. 11And they gave it to the craftsmen and the builders to buy hewn stones, and timbers for couplings and for beams to the houses that the kings of Judah had destroyed.

12And the men did the work in faithfulness. And their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam of the sons of the Kohathites to supervise; and of the Levites, everyone skilled with instruments of song, 13and over the burden-bearers, and overseers of all who did work for service and service; and some of the Levites were scribes and officers and gatekeepers.

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law
(2 Kings 22:8–13)

14And in their bringing out the silver that was brought into the house of YHWH, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of YHWH by the hand of Moses. 15And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of YHWH!” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.

16And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought word back again to the king, saying, “All that has been given into the hand of your servants, they are doing. 17And they have gathered the silver found in the house of YHWH, and they gave it into the hand of the overseers and into the hand of those doing the work.”

18And Shaphan the scribe declared to the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given a book to me.” And Shaphan read it before the king.

19And it came to pass, in the king hearing the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes. 20And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Abdon† son of Micah,† and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, 21“Go, inquire of YHWH for me and on behalf of those remaining in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of YHWH that is poured out on us, upon that our fathers have kept not the word of YHWH, to do according to all written in this book.”

Huldah’s Prophecy
(2 Kings 22:14–20)

22And Hilkiah went, and those of the king, to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath,† son of Hasrah,† keeper of the wardrobe. And she was dwelling in Jerusalem in the Mishneh.† And they spoke to her according to this.

23And she answered them, “Thus says YHWH, God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you⁺ to Me, 24thus says YHWH: Behold, I am bringing calamity on this place and on its dwellers, according to all the curses written in the book that they have read before the king of Judah, 25because that they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. And My wrath will be poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.’

26And as for the king of Judah who sent you⁺ to inquire of YHWH in this manner, you⁺ shall say to him, thus says YHWH, God of Israel: ‘The words that you have heard, 27because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its dwellers, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes, and you wept before Me, I also have heard’—the declaration of YHWH.

28‘Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place and its dwellers.’”

And to the king they brought back word.

Josiah Renews the Covenant
(2 Kings 23:1–3)

29And the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30And the king went up to the house of YHWH, and every man of Judah, and those dwelling in Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people great and small. And he read in their ears all the words of the Book of the Covenant found in the house of YHWH.

31And the king stood in his place, and he cut a covenant before YHWH, to follow after YHWH and to keep His commandments, and His testimonies, and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to do the words of the covenant written in this book.

32And he made to stand all found in Jerusalem and Benjamin, and those dwelling in Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

33And Josiah turned aside all the abominations that made serve the sons of Israel from all the lands, and caused all found in Israel to serve YHWH their God. All his days they did not depart from following YHWH, God of their fathers.