The Book of the Law Found
1Josiah 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. 2He 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.
3In 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. 5Have 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— 6the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. 7But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings.”
8Hilkiah 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. 9Then 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.” 10Then 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.
11When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12He 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.”
14Hilkiah 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.
15She 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. 17Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made,22:17 Or by everything they have done my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’ 18Tell 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: 19Because 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 curse22:19 That is, their names would be used in cursing (see Jer. 29:22); or, others would see that they are cursed. and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. 20Therefore 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.
約西亞做猶大王
1約西亞八歲登基，在耶路撒冷執政三十一年。他母親叫耶底大，是波斯加人亞大雅的女兒。 2約西亞做耶和華視為正的事，事事效法他祖先大衛，不偏不離。
發現律法書
3約西亞執政第十八年，他派米書蘭的孫子、亞薩利的兒子沙番書記去耶和華的殿，並吩咐他說： 4「你去見大祭司希勒迦，讓他清點奉獻到耶和華殿中的銀子，那些銀子是殿門守衛從民眾收集來的。 5-6然後把銀子交給負責修理耶和華殿的督工，他們就可以購買木料和鑿好的石頭，雇用木匠、建築工人和石匠來修理耶和華的殿。 7你不用查核他們的賬目，因為他們都是忠誠可靠的人。」
8大祭司希勒迦告訴書記沙番說：「我在耶和華的殿裡找到了律法書。」希勒迦把書交給沙番看。 9沙番稟告王說：「你的臣僕已經把殿裡的銀子清點完畢，交給了殿裡的督工和工人。」 10他又告訴王：「希勒迦祭司給了我一卷書。」沙番就在王面前誦讀這書。 11王聽了律法書上的話，就撕裂衣服， 12吩咐希勒迦祭司、沙番的兒子亞希甘、米該亞的兒子亞革波、書記沙番和王的臣僕亞撒雅： 13「你們為我、為民眾和整個猶大去求問耶和華有關這書卷上的話。耶和華的烈怒已經臨到我們身上，因為我們的祖先沒有遵守這書卷上的話，沒有遵行這書卷上的吩咐。」
戶勒妲的預言
14於是，希勒迦祭司、亞希甘、亞革波、沙番和亞撒雅去求問女先知戶勒妲。她是負責管理禮服的沙龍的妻子，沙龍是哈珥哈斯的孫子、特瓦的兒子。戶勒妲住在耶路撒冷第二區。他們向她說明來意。 15她對他們說：「以色列的上帝耶和華要你們回去告訴差你們來見我的人， 16耶和華說，『我要照猶大王所讀的那書上的一切話，降災難給這地方及這裡的居民。 17因為他們背棄我，給別的神明燒香，製造偶像惹我發怒，我的怒火要在這地方燃燒，絕不止息。 18你們告訴差你們來求問耶和華的猶大王，至於你所聽見的那些話，以色列的上帝耶和華說， 19因為你聽到我對這地方及其居民的警告，知道這地方要受咒詛、淪為荒場，便悔改，在我面前謙卑，撕裂衣服，向我哭泣。因此，我垂聽了你的禱告。這是我耶和華說的。 20我會讓你平安入土到你祖先那裡。你不會看到我要降給這地方的一切災難。』」他們便回去稟告王。
