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¹ Iosia was eight yeres olde when he began to raigne, & he raigned thirtie & one yeres in Hierusalem: His mothers name also was Iedida the daughter of Adaia of Bozcath.² He dyd that which is right in the sight of the Lorde, & walked in all the wayes of Dauid his father, and bowed neither to the right hande or to the left.³ And it came to passe, that in the eyghtteenth yere of the raigne of king Iosia, the king sent Saphan the sonne of Azalia the sonne of Mesulam the scribe to the house of the Lord, saying:⁴ Go vp to Helkia the hye priest, that he may summe the siluer whiche is brought into the house of the Lorde, which the kepers of the porche haue gathered of the people:⁵ And let them deliuer it into the hande of them that do the worke, and that haue the ouersight of the house of the Lord: and let them geue it to them that worke in the house of the Lorde, to repaire the decayed places of the temple,⁶ Euen vnto carpenters and masons, and workers vpon the walles, and for to bye tymber and free stone, to repaire the temple.⁷ Howbeit, let no reckenyng be made with them of the money that is deliuered into their hande, for their vse is to deale faithfully.⁸ And Helkia the hie priest said vnto Saphan the scribe: I haue founde the booke of the lawe in the house of the Lorde. And Helkia gaue the booke to Saphan, and he read in it.⁹ And Saphan the scribe came to the king, and brought him worde againe, and sayde: Thy seruauntes haue gathered the money that was founde in the temple, and haue deliuered it vnto them that do the worke, and that haue the ouersight of the house of the Lorde.¹⁰ And Saphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Helkia the priest hath deliuered me a booke: And Saphan read in it before the king.

¹¹ And it fortuned, that when the king had hearde the wordes of the booke of the lawe, he rent his clothes.¹² And the king commaunded Helkia the priest, and Ahikan the sonne of Saphan, and Achbor the sonne of Michaia, and Saphan the scribe, and Asahia a seruaunt of the kinges, saying:¹³ Go ye and enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for al Iuda, concerning the wordes of this booke that is founde: For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kyndled against vs, because our fathers haue not hearkened vnto the wordes of this booke, to do according vnto al that which is written therin for vs.¹⁴ So Helkia the hye priest and Ahikam, Achbor, and Saphan, and Asahia, went vnto Hulda the prophetisse the wyfe of Sallum the sonne of Thikua the sonne of Harhas keper of the wardrope: (which prophetisse dwelt in Hierusalem in the house of the doctrine:) & they communed with her.¹⁵ And she aunswered them: thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,¹⁶ Thus sayth the Lorde: Behold, I wil bring euyll vpon this place, and on the inhabiters therof, euen all the wordes of the booke whiche the king of Iuda hath read:¹⁷ Because they haue forsaken me, and haue burnt incense vnto other gods, to anger me with all the workes of their handes: My wrath also shalbe kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.¹⁸ But to the king of Iuda whiche sent you to aske counsell of the Lord, so shall ye say: Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel, as touching the wordes whiche ye haue hearde:¹⁹ Because thyne heart dyd melt, and because thou hast humbled thy selfe before me the Lorde, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabiters of the same, howe that they should be destroyed and accursed: and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me, of that also haue I hearde sayth the Lorde:²⁰ Beholde therefore I wyll receaue thee vnto thy fathers, and thou shalt be put into thy graue in peace, and thyne eyes shall not see all the euill which I wyll bryng vpon this place. And they brought the king worde againe.