Read the Bible

¹ Iosias was eight yeare olde wha he was made kynge, & reigned one and thirtie yeare at Ierusalem. His mothers name was Iedida the doughter of Adaia of Bascath,² and he dyd that which was righte in ye sighte of the LORDE, and walked in all ye waye of Dauid his father, & turned not asyde, nether to the righte hande ner to the lefte.³ And in the eightenth yeare of kynge Iosias, the kynge sent Saphan ye sonne of Asalia the sonne of Mesulam the scrybe, in to ye house of the LORDE, and sayde:⁴ Go vp to Helchias the hye prest, that the money that is brought vnto ye house of ye LORDE (which the tresholde kepers haue gathered of ye people)⁵ maye be delyuered vnto them, that they maye geue it to the workmen which are appoynted in the house of the LORDE, & to geue it vnto the labourers in the house (yt they maye repayre the decaye of the house) namely,⁶ vnto the carpenters, and buylders, & masons, and to them yt bie timber & fre stone for the repairinge of the house:⁷ but so yt there be no accomptes taken of them concernynge the money, that is vnder their hande, but yt they deale withall vpon credence.⁸ And Helchias ye prest sayde vnto Sapha the scrybe: I haue founde the boke of the lawe in the house of the LORDE. And Helchias gaue the boke vnto Saphan, that he might reade it.⁹ And Saphan the scrybe bare it vnto the kynge, and brought him worde agayne, & sayde: Thy seruauntes haue gathered together ye money yt was founde in the house, & haue delyuered it vnto the workme, which are appoynted in ye house of the LORDE.¹⁰ And Saphan the scrybe tolde the kynge and sayde: Helchias the prest hath delyuered me a boke, and Saphan red it before the kynge.

¹¹ But whan the kinge herde the wordes of the boke of lawe, he rente his clothes.¹² And the kynge comaunded Helchias the prest, & Ahicam the sonne of Saphan, & Achbor the sonne of Michaia, and Saphan the scribe, & Asaia ye kynges seruaunt, and sayde:¹³ Go yor waye and axe councell at the LORDE for me, for the people, and for all Iuda, concernynge the wordes of this boke that is founde: for greate is the wrath of the LORDE that is kyndled ouer vs, because or fathers haue not herkened vnto the wordes of this boke, to do all that is wrytten vnto vs therin.¹⁴ Then wente Helchias the prest, and Ahicam, Achbor, Saphan & Asaia vnto Hulda the prophetisse ye wife of Sellu the sonne of Thecua the sonne of Harham the keper of ye clothes, and she dwelt at Ierusalem in the seconde porte, and they spake vnto her.¹⁵ And she sayde vnto them: Thus sayeth ye LORDE God of Israel: Tell the man that sent you vnto me,¹⁶ Thus sayeth the LORDE: Beholde, I wil brynge euell vpon this place, and the inhabiters therof, euen all the wordes of ye lawe which the kynge hath caused to be red,¹⁷ because they haue forsaken me, and brent incense vnto other goddes, to prouoke me vnto wrath with all the workes of their handes. Therfore is my wrath kindled agaynst this cite, and shall not be quenched.¹⁸ But tell this vnto the kynge of Iuda, which hath sent you to axe councell at the LORDE: Thus sayeth the LORDE God of Israel: Because thine hert is not departed fro the wordes which thou hast herde,¹⁹ and hast humbled thyselfe before the LORDE, to heare what I haue spoken agaynst this place and the inhabiters therof (how that they shall become a very desolacion and curse) & hast rente thy clothes, and wepte before me, I haue herde it, sayeth the LORDE:²⁰ therfore wyll I gather the vnto thy fathers, so yt thou shalt be put in to thy graue in peace, and thine eyes shall not se all the euell that I wyll brynge vpon this place. And they brought the kynge worde agayne.