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¹ Josiah [is] a son of eight years in his reigning, and he has reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Boskath,² and he does that which is right in the eyes of YHWH, and walks in all the way of his father David, and has not turned aside [to] the right or left.³ And it comes to pass, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king has sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of YHWH, saying,⁴ "Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, and he completes the silver that is brought into the house of YHWH, that the keepers of the threshold have gathered from the people,⁵ and they give it into the hand of those doing the work, the overseers, in the house of YHWH, and they give it to those doing the work, that [are] in the house of YHWH, to strengthen the breach of the house,⁶ to craftsmen, and to builders, and [to repairers of] the wall, and to buy wood and hewn stones to strengthen the house;⁷ only, the silver that is given into their hand is not reckoned with them, for they are dealing in faithfulness."⁸ And Hilkiah the high priest says to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found [the] Scroll of the Law in the house of YHWH"; and Hilkiah gives the scroll to Shaphan, and he reads it.⁹ And Shaphan the scribe comes to the king, and brings the king back word, and says, "Your servants have poured out the silver that has been found in the house, and give it into the hand of those doing the work, the inspectors, in the house of YHWH."¹⁰ And Shaphan the scribe declares to the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest has given a scroll to me"; and Shaphan reads it before the king.

¹¹ And it comes to pass, at the king's hearing the words of the Scroll of the Law, that he tears his garments,¹² and the king commands Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Achbor son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah servant of the king, saying,¹³ "Go, seek YHWH for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this scroll that is found, for great [is] the fury of YHWH that is kindled against us, because that our fathers have not listened to the words of this scroll, to do according to all that is written for us."¹⁴ And Hilkiah the priest goes, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, to Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the garments, and she is dwelling in Jerusalem in the second [quarter], and they speak to her.¹⁵ And she says to them, "Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Say to the man who has sent you to me,¹⁶ Thus said YHWH: Behold, I am bringing in calamity to this place and on its inhabitants, all the words of the scroll that the king of Judah has read,¹⁷ because that they have forsaken Me, and make incense to other gods, so as to provoke Me to anger with every work of their hands, and My wrath has been kindled against this place, and it is not quenched.¹⁸ And to the king of Judah, who is sending you to seek YHWH, thus you say to him, Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: The words that you have heard—¹⁹ because your heart [is] tender, and you are humbled because of YHWH, in your hearing that which I have spoken against this place, and against its inhabitants, to be for a desolation, and for a reviling, and you tear your garments and weep before Me—I also have heard—a declaration of YHWH—²⁰ therefore, behold, I am gathering you to your fathers, and you have been gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes do not look on any of the calamity that I am bringing in on this place"; and they bring the king back word.