Josiah{H2977} was eight{H8083} years{H8141} old{H1121} when he began to reign;{H4427} and he reigned{H4427} thirty{H7970} and one{H259} years{H8141} in Jerusalem.{H3389}

And he did{H6213} that which was right{H3477} in the eyes{H5869} of Jehovah,{H3068} and walked{H3212} in the ways{H1870} of David{H1732} his father,{H1} and turned not aside{H5493} to the right hand{H3225} or to the left.{H8040}

For in the eighth{H8083} year{H8141} of his reign,{H4427} while he was yet young,{H5288} he began{H2490} to seek{H1875} after the God{H430} of David{H1732} his father;{H1} and in the twelfth{H8147} year{H8141} he began{H2490} to purge{H2891} Judah{H3063} and Jerusalem{H3389} from the high places,{H1116} and the Asherim,{H842} and the graven images,{H6456} and the molten images.{H4541}

And they brake down{H5422} the altars{H4196} of the Baalim{H1168} in his presence;{H6440} and the sun-images{H2553} that were on high above them{H4605} he hewed down;{H1438} and the Asherim,{H842} and the graven images,{H6456} and the molten images,{H6456} he brake in pieces,{H7665} and made dust{H1854} of them, and strewed{H2236} it upon{H6440} the graves{H6913} [of them] that had sacrificed{H2076} unto them.

And he burnt{H8313} the bones{H6106} of the priests{H3548} upon their altars,{H4196} and purged{H2891} Judah{H3063} and Jerusalem.{H3389}

And [so did he] in the cities{H5892} of Manasseh{H4519} and Ephraim{H669} and Simeon,{H8095} even unto Naphtali,{H5321} in their ruins{H2719} round about.{H5439}

And he brake down{H5422} the altars,{H4196} and beat{H3807} the Asherim{H842} and the graven images{H6456} into powder,{H1854} and hewed down{H1438} all the sun-images{H6456} throughout all the land{H776} of Israel,{H3478} and returned{H7725} to Jerusalem.{H3389}

Now in the eighteenth{H8083} year{H8141} of his reign,{H4427} when he had purged{H2891} the land{H776} and the house,{H1004} he sent{H7971} Shaphan{H8227} the son{H1121} of Azaliah,{H683} and Maaseiah{H4641} the governor{H8269} of the city,{H5892} and Joah{H3098} the son{H1121} of Joahaz{H3099} the recorder,{H2142} to repair{H2388} the house{H1004} of Jehovah{H3068} his God.{H430}

And they came{H935} to Hilkiah{H2518} the high{H1419} priest,{H3548} and delivered{H5414} the money{H3701} that was brought{H935} into the house{H1004} of God,{H430} which the Levites,{H3881} the keepers{H8104} of the threshold,{H5592} had gathered{H622} of the hand{H3027} of Manasseh{H4519} and Ephraim,{H669} and of all the remnant{H7611} of Israel,{H3478} and of all Judah{H3063} and Benjamin,{H1144} and of the inhabitants{H7725} of Jerusalem.{H3389}

And they delivered{H5414} it into the hand{H3027} of the workmen{H6213} that had the oversight{H6485} of the house{H1004} of Jehovah;{H3068} and the workmen{H6213} that wrought{H6213} in the house{H1004} of Jehovah{H3068} gave{H5414} it to mend{H2388} and repair{H918} the house:{H1004}

even to the carpenters{H2796} and to the builders{H1129} gave{H5414} they it, to buy{H7069} hewn{H4274} stone,{H68} and timber{H6086} for couplings,{H4226} and to make beams{H7136} for the houses{H1004} which the kings{H4428} of Judah{H3063} had destroyed.{H7843}

And the men{H582} did{H6213} the work{H4399} faithfully:{H530} and the overseers{H5329} of them were Jahath{H3189} and Obadiah,{H5662} the Levites,{H3881} of the sons{H1121} of Merari;{H4847} and Zechariah{H2148} and Meshullam,{H4918} of the sons of the Kohathites,{H6956} to set it forward;{H6485} and [others of] the Levites,{H3881} all that were skilful{H995} with instruments{H3627} of music.{H7892}

Also they were over the bearers of burdens,{H5449} and set forward{H5329} all that did{H6213} the work{H4399} in every manner of service:{H5656} and of the Levites{H3881} there were scribes,{H5608} and officers,{H7860} and porters.{H7778}

And when they brought out{H3318} the money{H3701} that was brought into{H935} the house{H1004} of Jehovah,{H3068} Hilkiah{H2518} the priest{H3548} found{H4672} the book{H5612} of the law{H8451} of Jehovah{H3068} [given] by{H3027} Moses.{H4872}

And Hilkiah{H2518} answered{H6030} and said{H559} to Shaphan{H8227} the scribe,{H5608} I have found{H4672} the book{H5612} of the law{H8451} in the house{H1004} of Jehovah.{H3068} And Hilkiah{H2518} delivered{H5414} the book{H5612} to Shaphan.{H8227}

And Shaphan{H8227} carried{H935} the book{H5612} to the king,{H4428} and moreover brought{H7725} back{H7725} word{H1697} to the king,{H4428} saying,{H559} All that was committed{H5414} to{H3027} thy servants,{H5650} they are doing.{H6213}

And they have emptied{H5413} out the money{H3701} that was found{H4672} in the house{H1004} of Jehovah,{H3068} and have delivered{H5414} it into the hand{H3027} of the overseers,{H6485} and into the hand{H3027} of the workmen.{H6213}

And Shaphan{H8227} the scribe{H5608} told{H5046} the king,{H4428} saying,{H559} Hilkiah{H2518} the priest{H3548} hath delivered{H5414} me a book.{H5612} And Shaphan{H8227} read{H7121} therein before{H6440} the king.{H4428}

And it came to pass, when the king{H4428} had heard{H8085} the words{H1697} of the law,{H8451} that he rent{H7167} his clothes.{H899}

And the king{H4428} commanded{H6680} Hilkiah,{H2518} and Ahikam{H296} the son{H1121} of Shaphan,{H8227} and Abdon{H5658} the son{H1121} of Micah,{H4318} and Shaphan{H8227} the scribe,{H5608} and Asaiah{H6222} the king's{H4428} servant,{H5650} saying,{H559}

Go{H3212} ye, inquire{H1875} of Jehovah{H3068} for me, and for them that are left{H7604} in Israel{H3478} and in Judah,{H3063} concerning the words{H1697} of the book{H5612} that is found;{H4672} for great{H1419} is the wrath{H2534} of Jehovah{H3068} that is poured out{H5413} upon us, because our fathers{H1} have not kept{H8104} the word{H1697} of Jehovah,{H3068} to do{H6213} according unto all that is written{H3789} in this book.{H5612}

So Hilkiah,{H2518} and they whom the king{H4428} [had commanded], went{H3212} to Huldah{H2468} the prophetess,{H5031} the wife{H802} of Shallum{H7967} the son{H1121} of Tokhath,{H8616} the son{H1121} of Hasrah,{H2641} keeper{H8104} of the wardrobe;{H899} (now she dwelt{H3427} in Jerusalem{H3389} in the second quarter;){H4932} and they spake{H1696} to her to that effect.

And she said{H559} unto them, Thus saith{H559} Jehovah,{H3068} the God{H430} of Israel:{H3478} Tell{H559} ye the man{H376} that sent{H7971} you unto me,

Thus saith{H559} Jehovah,{H3068} Behold, I will bring{H935} evil{H7451} upon this place,{H4725} and upon the inhabitants{H3427} thereof, even all the curses{H423} that are written{H3789} in the book{H5612} which they have read{H7121} before{H6440} the king{H4428} of Judah.{H3063}

Because they have forsaken{H5800} me, and have burned incense{H6999} unto other{H312} gods,{H430} that they might provoke me to anger{H3707} with all the works{H4639} of their hands;{H3027} therefore is my wrath{H2534} poured out{H5413} upon this place,{H4725} and it shall not be quenched.{H3518}

But unto{H413} the king{H4428} of Judah,{H3063} who sent{H7971} you to inquire{H1875} of Jehovah,{H3068} thus shall ye say{H559} to him, Thus saith{H559} Jehovah,{H3068} the God{H430} of Israel:{H3478} As touching the words{H1697} which thou hast heard,{H8085}

because thy heart{H3824} was tender,{H7401} and thou didst humble{H3665} thyself before{H6440} God,{H430} when thou heardest{H8085} his words{H1697} against this place,{H4725} and against the inhabitants{H3427} thereof, and hast humbled{H3665} thyself before{H6440} me, and hast rent{H7167} thy clothes,{H899} and wept{H1058} before{H6440} me; I also have heard{H8085} thee, saith{H5002} Jehovah.{H3068}

Behold, I will gather{H622} thee to thy fathers,{H1} and thou shalt be gathered{H622} to thy grave{H6913} in peace,{H7965} neither shall thine eyes{H5869} see{H7200} all the evil{H7451} that I will bring{H935} upon this place,{H4725} and upon the inhabitants{H3427} thereof. And they brought{H7725} back{H7725} word{H1697} to the king.{H4428}

Then the king{H4428} sent{H7971} and gathered together{H622} all the elders{H2205} of Judah{H3063} and Jerusalem.{H3389}

And the king{H4428} went up{H5927} to the house{H1004} of Jehovah,{H3068} and all the men{H376} of Judah{H3063} and the inhabitants{H3427} of Jerusalem,{H3389} and the priests,{H3548} and the Levites,{H3881} and all the people,{H5971} both great{H1419} and small:{H6996} and he read{H7121} in their ears{H241} all the words{H1697} of the book{H5612} of the covenant{H1285} that was found{H4672} in the house{H1004} of Jehovah.{H3068}

And the king{H4428} stood{H5975} in his place,{H5977} and made{H3772} a covenant{H1285} before{H6440} Jehovah,{H3068} to walk{H3212} after{H310} Jehovah,{H3068} and to keep{H8104} his commandments,{H4687} and his testimonies,{H5715} and his statutes,{H2706} with all his heart,{H3824} and with all his soul,{H5315} to perform{H6213} the words{H1697} of the covenant{H1285} that were written{H3789} in this book.{H5612}

And he caused all that were found{H4672} in Jerusalem{H3389} and Benjamin{H1144} to stand{H5975} [to it]. And the inhabitants{H3427} of Jerusalem{H3389} did{H6213} according to the covenant{H1285} of God,{H430} the God{H430} of their fathers.{H1}

And Josiah{H2977} took away{H5493} all the abominations{H8441} out of all the countries{H776} that pertained to the children{H1121} of Israel,{H3478} and made all that were found{H4672} in Israel{H3478} to serve,{H5647} even to serve{H5647} Jehovah{H3068} their God.{H430} All his days{H3117} they departed{H5493} not from following{H310} Jehovah,{H3068} the God{H430} of their fathers.{H1}