1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.3 In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the LORD. He said:4 "Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.5 Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the LORD —6 the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple.7 But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings."8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD." He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.9 Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: "Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple."10 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant:13 "Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us."14 Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.15 She said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,16 'This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read.17 Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made, "my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.'18 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard:19 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people —that they would become a curse "and be laid waste —and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the LORD.20 Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.'" So they took her answer back to the king.

1 Octo annorum erat Josias cum regnare cœpisset : triginta et uno anno regnavit in Jerusalem : nomen matris ejus Idida filia Hadaia de Besecath. 2 Fecitque quod placitum erat coram Domino, et ambulavit per omnes vias David patris sui : non declinavit ad dexteram, sive ad sinistram. 3 Anno autem octavodecimo regis Josiæ, misit rex Saphan filium Aslia filii Messulam scribam templi Domini, dicens ei : 4 Vade ad Helciam sacerdotem magnum, ut confletur pecunia quæ illata est in templum Domini, quam collegerunt janitores templi a populo : 5 deturque fabris per præpositos domus Domini, qui et distribuant eam his qui operantur in templo Domini, ad instauranda sartatecta templi : 6 tignariis videlicet et cæmentariis, et iis qui interrupta componunt : et ut emantur ligna, et lapides de lapicidinis, ad instaurandum templum Domini. 7 Verumtamen non supputetur eis argentum quod accipiunt, sed in potestate habeant, et in fide.8 Dixit autem Helcias pontifex ad Saphan scribam : Librum legis reperi in domo Domini. Deditque Helcias volumen Saphan, qui et legit illud. 9 Venit quoque Saphan scriba ad regem, et renuntiavit ei quod præceperat, et ait : Conflaverunt servi tui pecuniam quæ reperta est in domo Domini, et dederunt ut distribueretur fabris a præfectis operum templi Domini. 10 Narravit quoque Saphan scriba regi, dicens : Librum dedit mihi Helcias sacerdos. Quem cum legisset Saphan coram rege, 11 et audisset rex verba libri legis Domini, scidit vestimenta sua. 12 Et præcepit Helciæ sacerdoti, et Ahicam filio Saphan, et Achobor filio Micha, et Saphan scribæ, et Asaiæ servo regis, dicens : 13 Ite et consulite Dominum super me, et super populo, et super omni Juda, de verbis voluminis istius, quod inventum est : magna enim ira Domini succensa est contra nos, quia non audierunt patres nostri verba libri hujus, ut facerent omne quod scriptum est nobis. 14 Ierunt itaque Helcias sacerdos, et Ahicam, et Achobor, et Sapham, et Asaia, ad Holdam prophetidem, uxorem Sellum filii Thecuæ filii Araas custodis vestium, quæ habitabat in Jerusalem in Secunda : locutique sunt ad eam. 15 Et illa respondit eis : Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël : Dicite viro qui misit vos ad me : 16 Hæc dicit Dominus : Ecce ego adducam mala super locum istum, et super habitatores ejus, omnia verba legis quæ legit rex Juda : 17 quia dereliquerunt me, et sacrificaverunt diis alienis, irritantes me in cunctis operibus manuum suarum : et succendetur indignatio mea in loco hoc, et non extinguetur. 18 Regi autem Juda, qui misit vos ut consuleretis Dominum, sic dicetis : Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël : Pro eo quod audisti verba voluminis, 19 et perterritum est cor tuum, et humiliatus es coram Domino, auditis sermonibus contra locum istum et habitatores ejus, quod videlicet fierent in stuporem et in maledictum : et scidisti vestimenta tua, et flevisti coram me, et ego audivi, ait Dominus : 20 idcirco colligam te ad patres tuos, et colligeris ad sepulchrum tuum in pace, ut non videant oculi tui omnia mala quæ inducturus sum super locum istum.