1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign over Judah, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, following the ways of David, his father, declining neither to the right, nor to the left.

3For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek the God of David, his father; and in the twelfth year he began to purge the high places, idols, carved images, and the melted and forged images from Judah and Jerusalem. 4And they tore down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and he cut down the idols, the carved and forged (melted) images that were above them; he broke them in pieces, made dust of them, and scattered it upon the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5And he burned the bones of their pagan priests upon their altars, cleansing Judah and Jerusalem. 6And he also did this in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, in their surrounding ruins. 7And after he had broken down the altars and the idols, and had beaten the carved images into powder, and had cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

8Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land, and the Temple, he sent Shaphan, son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah, the governor of the city, and Joah, son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the Temple of the LORD his God. 9And when they came to Hilkiah, the high priest, they delivered the money that had been brought into the Temple of God, which the Levites, who guarded the doors, had gathered from Manasseh, Ephraim, the rest of Israel, Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem. 10And they gave the money to those who had the oversight of the Temple of the LORD, to the workers who repaired and restored the Temple of the LORD: 11To the craftsmen and builders, to buy cut stone, and timber for couplings, for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin. 12And the men did the work faithfully; and those who oversaw them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites, sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, and others of the Levites; all skillful with instruments of music, to advance the work. 13They were also over those who bore burdens, and all those who performed any manner of service. Some of the Levites were scribes, officers, and gatekeepers.

14And while they were bringing out the money that was brought into the Temple of the LORD, Hilkiah, the priest, found the Book of the Law of the LORD, which was given by Moses. 15And Hilkiah told Shaphan, the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the Temple of the LORD.” And he gave the book to Shaphan. 16And Shaphan brought the book to the king, but before telling the king about the book, he reported, “All that was entrusted to your servants, they are doing. 17They have gathered the money that was found in the Temple of the LORD, and delivered it to the overseers, and to the workmen.” 18Then Shaphan, the scribe, told the king, “Hilkiah, the priest, has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it before the king. 19And when King Josiah had heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes. 20And Josiah ordered Hilkiah, Ahikam, son of Shaphan, Abdon, son of Micah, Shaphan, the scribe, and Asaiah, a king's servant: 21“Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for those who remain in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that was found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to abide by everything that is written in this book.”

22So Hilkiah, and those the king had appointed, went to Huldah, the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in the new quarter of Jerusalem; and they spoke with her. 23And she answered, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me, 24Thus says the LORD, “I will bring disaster upon this place, and its inhabitants - all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah, 25Because they have forsaken Me, and burned incense to other gods, and aroused My anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and not be quenched. 26Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel regarding the words which you have heard: 27Because your heart was tender, and you were penitent before God, when you heard His words against this place, and its inhabitants, and humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes, and wept before Me; I have also heard you’, says the LORD. 28So I will not bring all this calamity upon this place, and its inhabitants until after I gather you to your fathers, and you lie in your grave in peace, nor shall your eyes see the disaster.’”’” And so, they brought that word back to the king.

29Then Josiah summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30And the king went up into the Temple of the LORD, with all the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, Levites, and all the people, great and small; and Josiah read in their hearing all the words of the book of the Covenant that was found in the Temple of the LORD. 31And Josiah stood in his place, and renewed the covenant before the LORD - to follow the LORD, and keep His commandments, His testimonies, and His statutes, with all his heart, and all his soul, to fulfill all the words of the covenant written in this book. 32And he had all those present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to make a similar pledge. And the people of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33And Josiah removed all the abominations from all the territory that belonged to the children of Israel, and had all who were present in Israel serve the LORD, their God. And as long as Josiah lived, they did not depart from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.