Dual Panel1Josiah<2977> was eight<8083> years<8141> old<1121> when he became<4427> king<4427>, and he reigned<4427> thirty-one<7970><259> years<8141> in Jerusalem<3389>.
2He did<6213> right<3477> in the sight<5869> of the LORD<3068>, and walked<1980> in the ways<1870> of his father<1> David<1732> and did not turn<5493> aside<5493> to the right<3225> or to the left<8040>.
3For in the eighth<8083> year<8141> of his reign<4427> while he was still<5750> a youth<5288>, he began<2490> to seek<1875> the God<430> of his father<1> David<1732>; and in the twelfth<8147><6240> year<8141> he began<2490> to purge<2891> Judah<3063> and Jerusalem<3389> of the high<1116> places<1116>, the Asherim<842>, the carved<6456> images<6456> and the molten<4541> images<4541>.
4They tore<5422> down<5422> the altars<4196> of the Baals<1168> in his presence<6440>, and the incense<2553> altars<2553> that were high<4605> above<4605> them he chopped<1438> down<1438>; also the Asherim<842>, the carved<6456> images<6456> and the molten<4541> images<4541> he broke<7665> in pieces<7665> and ground<1854> to powder<1854> and scattered<2236> it on the graves<6913> of those who had sacrificed<2076> to them.
5Then he burned<8313> the bones<6106> of the priests<3548> on their altars<4196> and purged<2891> Judah<3063> and Jerusalem<3389>.
6In the cities<5892> of Manasseh<4519>, Ephraim<669>, Simeon<8095>, even as far<5704> as Naphtali<5321>, in their surrounding<5439> ruins<2723>,
7he also tore<5422> down<5422> the altars<4196> and beat<3807> the Asherim<842> and the carved<6456> images<6456> into powder<1854>, and chopped<1438> down<1438> all<3605> the incense<2553> altars<2553> throughout<3605> the land<776> of Israel<3478>. Then he returned<7725> to Jerusalem<3389>.
8Now in the eighteenth<8083><6240> year<8141> of his reign<4427>, when he had purged<2891> the land<776> and the house<1004>, he sent<7971> Shaphan<8227> the son<1121> of Azaliah<683>, and Maaseiah<4641> an official<8269> of the city<5892>, and Joah<3098> the son<1121> of Joahaz<3099> the recorder<2142>, to repair<2388> the house<1004> of the LORD<3068> his God<430>.
9They came<935> to Hilkiah<2518> the high<1419> priest<3548> and delivered<5414> the money<3701> that was brought<935> into the house<1004> of God<430>, which<834> the Levites<3881>, the doorkeepers<8104><5592>, had collected<622> from Manasseh<4519> and Ephraim<669>, and from all<3605> the remnant<7611> of Israel<3478>, and from all<3605> Judah<3063> and Benjamin<1144> and the inhabitants<3427> of Jerusalem<3389>.
10Then they gave<5414> it into the hands<3027> of the workmen<4399><6213> who had<6485> the oversight<6485> of the house<1004> of the LORD<3068>, and the workmen<4399> who<834> were working<6213> in the house<1004> of the LORD<3068> used<5414> it to restore<918> and repair<2388> the house<1004>.
11They in turn gave<5414> it to the carpenters<2796> and to the builders<1129> to buy<7069> quarried<4274> stone<68> and timber<6086> for couplings<4226> and to make<7136> beams<7136> for the houses<1004> which<834> the kings<4428> of Judah<3063> had let go<7843> to ruin<7843>.
12The men<376> did<6213> the work<4399> faithfully<530> with foremen<6485> over<5921> them to supervise<5329>: Jahath<3189> and Obadiah<5662>, the Levites<3881> of the sons<1121> of Merari<4847>, Zechariah<2148> and Meshullam<4918> of the sons<1121> of the Kohathites<6956>, and the Levites<3881>, all<3605> who were skillful<995> with musical<7892> instruments<3627>.
13They were also over<5921> the burden<5449> bearers<5449>, and supervised<5329> all<3605> the workmen<6213><4399> from job<5656> to job<5656>; and some of the Levites<3881> were scribes<5613> and officials<7860> and gatekeepers<7778>.
14When they were bringing<3318> out the money<3701> which had been brought<935> into the house<1004> of the LORD<3068>, Hilkiah<2518> the priest<3548> found<4672> the book<5612> of the law<8451> of the LORD<3068> given by Moses<4872>.
15Hilkiah<2518> responded<6030> and said<559> to Shaphan<8227> the scribe<5613>, "I have found<4672> the book<5612> of the law<8451> in the house<1004> of the LORD<3068>." And Hilkiah<2518> gave<5414> the book<5612> to Shaphan<8227>.
16Then Shaphan<8227> brought<935> the book<5612> to the king<4428> and reported<7725> further<5750> word<1697> to the king<4428>, saying<559>, "Everything<3605> that was entrusted<5414><3027> to your servants<5650> they are doing<6213>.
17"They have also emptied<5413> out the money<3701> which was found<4672> in the house<1004> of the LORD<3068>, and have delivered<5414> it into the hands<3027> of the supervisors<6485> and the workmen<4399><6213>."
18Moreover, Shaphan<8227> the scribe<5613> told<5046> the king<4428> saying<559>, "Hilkiah<2518> the priest<3548> gave<5414> me a book<5612>." And Shaphan<8227> read<7121> from it in the presence<6440> of the king<4428>.
19When the king<4428> heard<8085> the words<1697> of the law<8451>, he tore<7167> his clothes<899>.
20Then the king<4428> commanded<6680> Hilkiah<2518>, Ahikam<296> the son<1121> of Shaphan<8227>, Abdon<5658> the son<1121> of Micah<4318>, Shaphan<8227> the scribe<5613>, and Asaiah<6222> the king's<4428> servant<5650>, saying<559>,
21"Go<1980>, inquire<1875> of the LORD<3068> for me and for those who are left<7604> in Israel<3478> and in Judah<3063>, concerning<5921> the words<1697> of the book<5612> which<834> has been found<4672>; for great<1419> is the wrath<2534> of the LORD<3068> which<834> is poured<5413> out on us because<5921><834> our fathers<1> have not observed<8104> the word<1697> of the LORD<3068>, to do<6213> according to all<3605> that is written<3789> in this<2088> book<5612>."
22So Hilkiah<2518> and those whom<834> the king<4428> had told went<1980> to Huldah<2468> the prophetess<5031>, the wife<802> of Shallum<7967> the son<1121> of Tokhath<8445>, the son<1121> of Hasrah<2641>, the keeper<8104> of the wardrobe<899> (now she lived<3427> in Jerusalem<3389> in the Second<4932> Quarter); and they spoke<1696> to her regarding this<2088>.
23She said<559> to them, "Thus<3541> says<559> the LORD<3068>, the God<430> of Israel<3478>, 'Tell<559> the man<376> who<834> sent<7971> you to Me,
24thus<3541> says<559> the LORD<3068>, "Behold<2009>, I am bringing<935> evil<7463> on this<2088> place<4725> and on its inhabitants<3427>, even all<3605> the curses<423> written<3789> in the book<5612> which<834> they have read<7121> in the presence<6440> of the king<4428> of Judah<3063>.
25"Because<8478><834> they have forsaken<5800> Me and have burned<6999> incense<6999> to other<312> gods<430>, that they might provoke<3707> Me to anger<3707> with all<3605> the works<4639> of their hands<3027>; therefore My wrath<2534> will be poured<5413> out on this<2088> place<4725> and it shall not be quenched<3518>."'
26"But to the king<4428> of Judah<3063> who sent<7971> you to inquire<1875> of the LORD<3068>, thus<3541> you will say<559> to him, 'Thus<3541> says<559> the LORD<3068> God<430> of Israel<3478> regarding the words<1697> which<834> you have heard<8085>,
27"Because<3282> your heart<3824> was tender<7401> and you humbled<3665> yourself<3665> before<4480><6440> God<430> when you heard<8085> His words<1697> against<5921> this<2088> place<4725> and against<5921> its inhabitants<3427>, and because you humbled<3665> yourself<3665> before<6440> Me, tore<7167> your clothes<899> and wept<1058> before<6440> Me, I truly<1571> have heard<8085> you," declares<5002> the LORD<3068>.
28"Behold<2009>, I will gather<622> you to your fathers<1> and you shall be gathered<622> to your grave<6913> in peace<7965>, so your eyes<5869> will not see<7200> all<3605> the evil<7463> which<834> I will bring<935> on this<2088> place<4725> and on its inhabitants<3427>."'" And they brought<7725> back<7725> word<1697> to the king<4428>.
29Then the king<4428> sent<7971> and gathered<622> all<3605> the elders<2205> of Judah<3063> and Jerusalem<3389>.
30The king<4428> went<5927> up to the house<1004> of the LORD<3068> and all<3605> the men<376> of Judah<3063>, the inhabitants<3427> of Jerusalem<3389>, the priests<3548>, the Levites<3881> and all<3605> the people<5971>, from the greatest<1419> to the least<6996>; and he read<7121> in their hearing<241> all<3605> the words<1697> of the book<5612> of the covenant<1285> which was found<4672> in the house<1004> of the LORD<3068>.
31Then the king<4428> stood<5975> in his place<5977> and made<3772> a covenant<1285> before<6440> the LORD<3068> to walk<1980> after<310> the LORD<3068>, and to keep<8104> His commandments<4687> and His testimonies<5715> and His statutes<2706> with all<3605> his heart<3824> and with all<3605> his soul<5315>, to perform<6213> the words<1697> of the covenant<1285> written<3789> in this<2088> book<5612>.
32Moreover, he made all<3605> who were present<4672> in Jerusalem<3389> and Benjamin<1144> to stand<5975> with him. So the inhabitants<3427> of Jerusalem<3389> did<6213> according to the covenant<1285> of God<430>, the God<430> of their fathers<1>.
33Josiah<2977> removed<5493> all<3605> the abominations<8441> from all<3605> the lands<776> belonging to the sons<1121> of Israel<3478>, and made all<3605> who were present<4672> in Israel<3478> to serve<5647> the LORD<3068> their God<430>. Throughout<3605> his lifetime<3605><3117> they did not turn<5493> from following<310> the LORD<3068> God<430> of their fathers<1>.