Now in the eighteenth year after he became king, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam the scribe, to the Temple of Jehovah. He said to him: Go to Hilkiah the high priest. Let him count the money brought into the Temple of Jehovah that the keepers of the door gathered from the people. read more. Let them deliver it to the workmen who have oversight of the work of Jehovah's Temple. Then they can pay it to the workmen who are making good what was damaged in the Temple of Jehovah. To the woodworkers and the builders and the stonecutters; and for getting wood and cut stones for building the Temple. Since the workmen are honest, do not require them to account for the money you give them. The chief priest Hilkiah told the scribe Shaphan: I found the Book of the Law in Jehovah's House. Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who then read it. The scribe Shaphan reported to the king: We have taken the money donated in the temple and have given it to the workmen who are in charge of Jehovah's House. Then the scribe Shaphan told the king: The priest Hilkiah has given me a book. Shaphan read it to the king. When the king heard what the book of the Law said, he tore his clothes in distress. The king gave an order to the priest Hilkiah, to Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said: Go inquire of Jehovah on my behalf and for the people. This is concerning the words in this book that has been found. Jehovah's fierce anger is directed towards us because our ancestors did not obey the things in this book or do everything written in it. So the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to talk to the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas. Shallum was in charge of the royal wardrobe. Huldah was living in the Second Part of Jerusalem. She told them: This is what Jehovah God of Israel says: Tell the man who sent you to me: This is what Jehovah says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and on the people living here. This is according to everything written in the book that the king of Judah has read. I will do this because they abandoned me. They sacrificed to other gods in order to make me furious. Therefore, my burning anger against this place will never be extinguished.' Huldah added: Tell Judah's king who sent you to me to ask Jehovah a question. This is what Jehovah God of Israel says about the words you heard: You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of Jehovah when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. I said that those who live here would be destroyed and cursed. You also tore your clothes in distress and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you,' declares Jehovah. That is why I will bring you to your ancestors. I will bring you to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see any of the disaster I will bring on this place.' They reported this to the king.

In his eighteenth year as king as he was making the land and the temple clean, Josiah sent Shaphan, son of Azaliah, Maaseiah, the mayor of the city, and Joah, the royal historian and son of Joahaz, to repair the Temple of Jehovah his God. They came to the chief priest Hilkiah and gave him the money that had been brought into God's Temple. It was the money that the Levite doorkeepers had collected from the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all who were left in Israel, from everyone in the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem. read more. They gave the money to the foremen who were in charge of Jehovah's Temple. These foremen gave it to the workmen who were restoring and repairing the Temple. These workers included carpenters and builders. They were to buy quarried stones and wood for the fittings and beams of the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to become run-down. The men did their work faithfully under the supervision of Jahath and Obadiah; Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam descendants of Kohath. The Levites, who were skilled musicians, also supervised the workers and directed all the workmen on the various jobs. Some of the Levites served as scribes, officials, or gatekeepers. At the time they brought out the money that had been deposited in Jehovah's Temple, the priest Hilkiah found the book of Jehovah's Law written by Moses. Hilkiah told the scribe Shaphan: I have found the book of the Law in Jehovah's Temple. Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. Shaphan took the book to the king and reported: We are doing everything you told us to do. We took the money that was donated in Jehovah's Temple and gave it to the supervisors and the workmen. The scribe Shaphan told the king: The priest Hilkiah has given me a book. Shaphan read it to the king. As soon as the king heard what the Law said, he tore his clothes in distress. Then the king gave an order to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said: On behalf of those who are left in Israel and Judah and me, ask Jehovah about the words in this book that was found. Jehovah's fierce anger has been poured on us because our ancestors did not obey the word of Jehovah by doing everything written in this book. Hilkiah and the king's officials went to talk to the prophet Huldah about this matter. She was the wife of Shallum, son of Tokhath and grandson of Hasrah. Shallum was in charge of the royal wardrobe. Huldah was living in the Second Part of Jerusalem. She told them: This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says: Tell the man who sent you to me, This is what Jehovah says: 'I am going to bring disaster on this place and on the people living here. This is according to the curses written in the book that was read to the king of Judah. I will do this because they have abandoned me. They have sacrificed to other gods in order to make me furious. Therefore, my anger will be poured on this place and it will not be extinguished.' Huldah continued: Tell Judah's king who sent you to me to ask Jehovah a question: 'This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says about the words you heard: You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of God when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. You humbled yourself, tore your clothes in distress, and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you, proclaims Jehovah. 'That is why I am going to bring you to your ancestors. I am going to bring you to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see any of the disaster I am going to bring on this place and those who live here.' They reported this to the king.