King Josiah of Judah
(2 Chronicles 34.12 2)1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. His mother was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah from the town of Bozkath. 2 Josiah did what was pleasing to the Lord; he followed the example of his ancestor King David, strictly obeying all the laws of God.
The Book of the Law Is Discovered
(2 Chronicles 34.8-28)3 In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the court secretary Shaphan, the son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, to the Temple with the order: 4 “Go to the High Priest Hilkiah and get a report on the amount of money that the priests on duty at the entrance to the Temple have collected from the people. 5 Tell him to give the money to the men who are in charge of the repairs in the Temple. They are to pay 6 the carpenters, the builders, and the masons, and buy the timber and the stones used in the repairs. 7 The men in charge of the work are thoroughly honest, so there is no need to require them to account for the funds.”
8 Shaphan delivered the king's order to Hilkiah, and Hilkiah told him that he had found the book of the Law in the Temple. Hilkiah gave him the book, and Shaphan read it. 9 Then he went back to the king and reported: “Your servants have taken the money that was in the Temple and have handed it over to the men in charge of the repairs.” 10 And then he said, “I have here a book that Hilkiah gave me.” And he read it aloud to the king.
11 When the king heard the book being read, he tore his clothes in dismay, 12 and gave the following order to Hilkiah the priest, to Ahikam son of Shaphan, to Achbor son of Micaiah, to Shaphan, the court secretary, and to Asaiah, the king's attendant: 13 “Go and consult the Lord for me and for all the people of Judah about the teachings of this book. The Lord is angry with us because our ancestors have not done what this book says must be done.”
14 Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to consult a woman named Huldah, a prophet who lived in the newer part of Jerusalem. (Her husband Shallum, the son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas, was in charge of the Temple robes.) They described to her what had happened, 15 and she told them to go back to the king and give him 16 the following message from the Lord: “I am going to punish Jerusalem and all its people, as written in the book that the king has read. 17 They have rejected me and have offered sacrifices to other gods, and so have stirred up my anger by all they have done. My anger is aroused against Jerusalem, and it will not die down. 18 As for the king himself, this is what I, the Lord God of Israel, say: You listened to what is written in the book, 19 and you repented and humbled yourself before me, tearing your clothes and weeping, when you heard how I threatened to punish Jerusalem and its people. I will make it a terrifying sight, a place whose name people will use as a curse. But I have heard your prayer, 20 and the punishment which I am going to bring on Jerusalem will not come until after your death. I will let you die in peace.”
The men returned to King Josiah with this message.
Jošijāhu valda pār Jūdu
(2L 34:1–2)1 Jošijāhu sāka valdīt astoņu gadu vecumā. Viņš valdīja Jeruzālemē trīsdesmit vienu gadu, un viņa mātes vārds bija Jedīda, Adāja meita, no Bockatas. 2 Viņš darīja to, kas tīkams Kungam, un staigāja visos sava tēva Dāvida ceļos un nenovērsās ne pa labi, ne pa kreisi.
Hilkija atrod bauslības grāmatu
(2L 34:8–28)3 Kad ķēniņam Jošijāhu bija astoņpadsmit gadu, viņš sūtīja rakstvedi Šāfānu, Acaljāhu dēlu, Mešullāma dēla dēlu, uz Kunga namu un sacīja: 4 “Ej pie augstā priestera Hilkijas un saskaiti naudu, kas ienākusi Kunga namā, ko durvju sargi savākuši no tautas, 5 un to lai dod Kunga nama darbu pārraugiem, un tie lai dod naudu Kunga nama strādniekiem tempļa plaisu labošanai – 6 amatniekiem, namdariem un mūrniekiem, lai tie pērk kokus un tēstus akmeņus un salabo templi.” 7 Bet par izsniegto naudu norēķinus neprasīja, jo tie visu darīja uzticīgi.
8 Augstais priesteris Hilkija sacīja rakstvedim Šāfānam: “Es atradu Kunga namā bauslības grāmatu!” Hilkija iedeva grāmatu Šāfānam, un tas to lasīja. 9 Rakstvedis Šāfāns nāca pie ķēniņa un ziņoja: “Tavi kalpi ņēma naudu, kas bija templī, un deva to Kunga nama darbu pārraugiem.” 10 Un rakstvedis Šāfāns stāstīja ķēniņam: “Priesteris Hilkija man iedeva kādu grāmatu.” Un Šāfāns to lasīja ķēniņam priekšā.
11 Kad ķēniņš dzirdēja bauslības grāmatas vārdus, viņš saplēsa savas drānas. 12 Tad ķēniņš pavēlēja priesterim Hilkijam un Ahīkāmam, Šāfāna dēlam, Ahboram, Mihas dēlam, rakstvedim Šāfānam un ķēniņa kalpam Asājam: 13 “Ejiet un iztaujājiet Kungu manis, tautas un visas Jūdas dēļ par atrastās grāmatas vārdiem, jo Kunga dusmas ir lielas – tās ir iedegušās pret mums, jo mūsu tēvi nav pildījuši šīs grāmatas vārdus un nav darījuši visu, kas tajā mums sacīts!”
14 Tad priesteris Hilkija, Ahīkāms, Ahbors, Šāfāns un Asāja gāja pie pravietes Huldas, tērpu pārziņa Šallūma, Tikvas dēla, Harhasa dēla dēla sievas – viņa dzīvoja Jeruzālemes nomalē, – un tie runāja ar viņu. 15 Viņa tiem sacīja: “Tā saka Kungs, Israēla Dievs: sakiet vīram, kurš jūs pie manis sūtīja: 16 tā saka Kungs: redzi, ļaunums nāks pār šo vietu un tās iemītniekiem. Notiks viss, par ko Jūdas ķēniņš lasīja šajā grāmatā! 17 Tas būs tāpēc, ka tie mani atmeta un kvēpināja citiem dieviem, mani sadusmodami ar visiem savu roku darinājumiem. Manas dusmas ir iedegušās pret šo vietu, un tās neapdzisīs! 18 Tā sakiet Jūdas ķēniņam, kurš jūs sūtīja iztaujāt Kungu: tā saka Kungs, Israēla Dievs, par to, ko tu dzirdēji: 19 tāpēc, ka tava sirds ir jūtīga un tu zemojies Kunga priekšā, dzirdēdams viņa vārdus par šo vietu, tās iemītniekiem, visām šausmām un lāstu, un tu saplēsi savas drānas un raudāji manā priekšā, – tāpēc es tevi uzklausu, saka Kungs. 20 Redzi, tādēļ es tevi piepulcināšu tēviem un mierā tevi guldīs kapā, tavas acis neredzēs visu ļaunumu, kam es likšu nākt pār šo vietu!” Šos vārdus viņi atstāstīja ķēniņam.