Josiah²⁹⁷⁷ was eight⁸⁰⁸³ years⁸¹⁴¹ old¹¹²¹ when he began to reign,⁴⁴²⁷ and he reigned⁴⁴²⁷ in Jerusalem³³⁸⁹ one²⁵⁹ and thirty⁷⁹⁷⁰ years.⁸¹⁴¹

And he did⁶²¹³ that which was right³⁴⁷⁷ in the sight⁵⁸⁶⁹ of Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ and walked³²¹² in the ways¹⁸⁷⁰ of David¹⁷³² his father,¹ and declined⁵⁴⁹³ neither to the right hand,³²²⁵ nor to the left.⁸⁰⁴⁰

For in the eighth⁸⁰⁸³ year⁸¹⁴¹ of his reign,⁴⁴²⁷ while he was yet young,⁵²⁸⁸ he began²⁴⁹⁰ to seek¹⁸⁷⁵ after the Elohim⁴³⁰ of David¹⁷³² his father:¹ and in the twelfth⁸¹⁴⁷ year⁸¹⁴¹ he began²⁴⁹⁰ to purge²⁸⁹¹ Judah³⁰⁶³ and Jerusalem³³⁸⁹ from the high places,¹¹¹⁶ and the groves,⁸⁴² and the carved images,⁶⁴⁵⁶ and the molten images.⁴⁵⁴¹

And they brake down⁵⁴²² the altars⁴¹⁹⁶ of Baalim¹¹⁶⁸ in his presence;⁶⁴⁴⁰ and the images,²⁵⁵³ that were on high above them,⁴⁶⁰⁵ he cut down;¹⁴³⁸ and the groves,⁸⁴² and the carved images,⁶⁴⁵⁶ and the molten images,⁴⁵⁴¹ he brake in pieces,⁷⁶⁶⁵ and made dust¹⁸⁵⁴ of them, and strowed²²³⁶ it upon⁶⁴⁴⁰ the graves⁶⁹¹³ of them that had sacrificed²⁰⁷⁶ unto them.

And he burnt⁸³¹³ the bones⁶¹⁰⁶ of the priests³⁵⁴⁸ upon their altars,⁴¹⁹⁶ and cleansed²⁸⁹¹ Judah³⁰⁶³ and Jerusalem.³³⁸⁹

And so did he in the cities⁵⁸⁹² of Manasseh,⁴⁵¹⁹ and Ephraim,⁶⁶⁹ and Simeon,⁸⁰⁹⁵ even unto Naphtali,⁵³²¹ with their mattocks²⁷¹⁹ round about.⁵⁴³⁹

And when he had broken down⁵⁴²² the altars⁴¹⁹⁶ and the groves,⁸⁴² and had beaten³⁸⁰⁷ the graven images⁶⁴⁵⁶ into powder,¹⁸⁵⁴ and cut down¹⁴³⁸ all the idols²⁵⁵³ throughout all the land⁷⁷⁶ of Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ he returned⁷⁷²⁵ to Jerusalem.³³⁸⁹

Now in the eighteenth⁸⁰⁸³ year⁸¹⁴¹ of his reign,⁴⁴²⁷ when he had purged²⁸⁹¹ the land,⁷⁷⁶ and the house,¹⁰⁰⁴ he sent⁷⁹⁷¹ Shaphan⁸²²⁷ the son¹¹²¹ of Azaliah,⁶⁸³ and Maaseiah⁴⁶⁴¹ the governor⁸²⁶⁹ of the city,⁵⁸⁹² and Joah³⁰⁹⁸ the son¹¹²¹ of Joahaz³⁰⁹⁹ the recorder,²¹⁴² to repair²³⁸⁸ the house¹⁰⁰⁴ of Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ his Elohim.⁴³⁰

And when they came⁹³⁵ to Hilkiah²⁵¹⁸ the high¹⁴¹⁹ priest,³⁵⁴⁸ they delivered⁵⁴¹⁴ the money³⁷⁰¹ that was brought into⁹³⁵ the house¹⁰⁰⁴ of Elohim,⁴³⁰ which the Levites³⁸⁸¹ that kept⁸¹⁰⁴ the doors⁵⁵⁹² had gathered⁶²² of the hand³⁰²⁷ of Manasseh⁴⁵¹⁹ and Ephraim,⁶⁶⁹ and of all the remnant⁷⁶¹¹ of Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ and of all Judah³⁰⁶³ and Benjamin;¹¹⁴⁴ and they returned⁷⁷²⁵ to Jerusalem.³³⁸⁹

And they put⁵⁴¹⁴ it in the hand³⁰²⁷ of the workmen⁶²¹³ that had the oversight⁶⁴⁸⁵ of the house¹⁰⁰⁴ of Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ and they gave⁵⁴¹⁴ it to the workmen⁶²¹³ that wrought⁶²¹³ in the house¹⁰⁰⁴ of Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ to repair⁹¹⁸ and amend²³⁸⁸ the house:¹⁰⁰⁴

Even to the artificers²⁷⁹⁶ and builders¹¹²⁹ gave⁵⁴¹⁴ they it, to buy⁷⁰⁶⁹ hewn⁴²⁷⁴ stone,⁶⁸ and timber⁶⁰⁸⁶ for couplings,⁴²²⁶ and to floor⁷¹³⁶ the houses¹⁰⁰⁴ which the kings⁴⁴²⁸ of Judah³⁰⁶³ had destroyed.⁷⁸⁴³

And the men⁵⁸² did⁶²¹³ the work⁴³⁹⁹ faithfully:⁵³⁰ and the overseers⁶⁴⁸⁵ of them were Jahath³¹⁸⁹ and Obadiah,⁵⁶⁶² the Levites,³⁸⁸¹ of the sons¹¹²¹ of Merari;⁴⁸⁴⁷ and Zechariah²¹⁴⁸ and Meshullam,⁴⁹¹⁸ of the sons¹¹²¹ of the Kohathites,⁶⁹⁵⁶ to set it forward;⁵³²⁹ and other of the Levites,³⁸⁸¹ all that could skill⁹⁹⁵ of instruments³⁶²⁷ of musick.⁷⁸⁹²

Also they were over the bearers of burdens,⁵⁴⁴⁹ and were overseers⁵³²⁹ of all that wrought⁶²¹³ the work⁴³⁹⁹ in any manner of service:⁵⁶⁵⁶ and of the Levites³⁸⁸¹ there were scribes,⁵⁶⁰⁸ and officers,⁷⁸⁶⁰ and porters.⁷⁷⁷⁸

And when they brought out³³¹⁸ the money³⁷⁰¹ that was brought into⁹³⁵ the house¹⁰⁰⁴ of Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ Hilkiah²⁵¹⁸ the priest³⁵⁴⁸ found⁴⁶⁷² a book⁵⁶¹² of the law⁸⁴⁵¹ of Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ given by³⁰²⁷ Moses.⁴⁸⁷²

And Hilkiah²⁵¹⁸ answered⁶⁰³⁰ and said⁵⁵⁹ to Shaphan⁸²²⁷ the scribe,⁵⁶⁰⁸ I have found⁴⁶⁷² the book⁵⁶¹² of the law⁸⁴⁵¹ in the house¹⁰⁰⁴ of Yahweh.³⁰⁶⁸ And Hilkiah²⁵¹⁸ delivered⁵⁴¹⁴ the book⁵⁶¹² to Shaphan.⁸²²⁷

And Shaphan⁸²²⁷ carried⁹³⁵ the book⁵⁶¹² to the king,⁴⁴²⁸ and brought the king⁴⁴²⁸ word¹⁶⁹⁷ back again,⁷⁷²⁵ saying,⁵⁵⁹ All that was committed⁵⁴¹⁴ to³⁰²⁷ thy servants,⁵⁶⁵⁰ they do⁶²¹³ it.

And they have gathered together⁵⁴¹³ the money³⁷⁰¹ that was found⁴⁶⁷² in the house¹⁰⁰⁴ of Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ and have delivered⁵⁴¹⁴ it into the hand³⁰²⁷ of the overseers,⁶⁴⁸⁵ and to the hand³⁰²⁷ of the workmen.⁶²¹³

Then Shaphan⁸²²⁷ the scribe⁵⁶⁰⁸ told⁵⁰⁴⁶ the king,⁴⁴²⁸ saying,⁵⁵⁹ Hilkiah²⁵¹⁸ the priest³⁵⁴⁸ hath given⁵⁴¹⁴ me a book.⁵⁶¹² And Shaphan⁸²²⁷ read⁷¹²¹ it before⁶⁴⁴⁰ the king.⁴⁴²⁸

And it came to pass, when the king⁴⁴²⁸ had heard⁸⁰⁸⁵ the words¹⁶⁹⁷ of the law,⁸⁴⁵¹ that he rent⁷¹⁶⁷ his clothes.⁸⁹⁹

And the king⁴⁴²⁸ commanded⁶⁶⁸⁰ Hilkiah,²⁵¹⁸ and Ahikam²⁹⁶ the son¹¹²¹ of Shaphan,⁸²²⁷ and Abdon⁵⁶⁵⁸ the son¹¹²¹ of Micah,⁴³¹⁸ and Shaphan⁸²²⁷ the scribe,⁵⁶⁰⁸ and Asaiah⁶²²² a servant⁵⁶⁵⁰ of the king's,⁴⁴²⁸ saying,⁵⁵⁹

Go,³²¹² enquire¹⁸⁷⁵ of Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ for me, and for them that are left⁷⁶⁰⁴ in Israel³⁴⁷⁸ and in Judah,³⁰⁶³ concerning the words¹⁶⁹⁷ of the book⁵⁶¹² that is found:⁴⁶⁷² for great¹⁴¹⁹ is the wrath²⁵³⁴ of Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ that is poured out⁵⁴¹³ upon us, because our fathers¹ have not kept⁸¹⁰⁴ the word¹⁶⁹⁷ of Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ to do⁶²¹³ after all that is written³⁷⁸⁹ in this book.⁵⁶¹²

And Hilkiah,²⁵¹⁸ and they that the king⁴⁴²⁸ had appointed, went³²¹² to Huldah²⁴⁶⁸ the prophetess,⁵⁰³¹ the wife⁸⁰² of Shallum⁷⁹⁶⁷ the son¹¹²¹ of Tikvath,⁸⁶¹⁶ the son¹¹²¹ of Hasrah,²⁶⁴¹ keeper⁸¹⁰⁴ of the wardrobe;⁸⁹⁹ (now she dwelt³⁴²⁷ in Jerusalem³³⁸⁹ in the college:)⁴⁹³² and they spake¹⁶⁹⁶ to her to that effect.

And she answered⁵⁵⁹ them, Thus saith⁵⁵⁹ Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ Elohim⁴³⁰ of Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ Tell⁵⁵⁹ ye the man³⁷⁶ that sent⁷⁹⁷¹ you to me,

Thus saith⁵⁵⁹ Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ Behold, I will bring⁹³⁵ evil⁷⁴⁵¹ upon this place,⁴⁷²⁵ and upon the inhabitants³⁴²⁷ thereof, even all the curses⁴²³ that are written³⁷⁸⁹ in the book⁵⁶¹² which they have read⁷¹²¹ before⁶⁴⁴⁰ the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Judah:³⁰⁶³

Because they have forsaken⁵⁸⁰⁰ me, and have burned incense⁶⁹⁹⁹ unto other³¹² mighty ones,⁴³⁰ that they might provoke me to anger³⁷⁰⁷ with all the works⁴⁶³⁹ of their hands;³⁰²⁷ therefore my wrath²⁵³⁴ shall be poured out⁵⁴¹³ upon this place,⁴⁷²⁵ and shall not be quenched.³⁵¹⁸

And as for⁴¹³ the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Judah,³⁰⁶³ who sent⁷⁹⁷¹ you to enquire¹⁸⁷⁵ of Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ so shall ye say⁵⁵⁹ unto him, Thus saith⁵⁵⁹ Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ Elohim⁴³⁰ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ concerning the words¹⁶⁹⁷ which thou hast heard;⁸⁰⁸⁵

Because thine heart³⁸²⁴ was tender,⁷⁴⁰¹ and thou didst humble³⁶⁶⁵ thyself before⁶⁴⁴⁰ Elohim,⁴³⁰ when thou heardest⁸⁰⁸⁵ his words¹⁶⁹⁷ against this place,⁴⁷²⁵ and against the inhabitants³⁴²⁷ thereof, and humbledst³⁶⁶⁵ thyself before⁶⁴⁴⁰ me, and didst rend⁷¹⁶⁷ thy clothes,⁸⁹⁹ and weep¹⁰⁵⁸ before⁶⁴⁴⁰ me; I have even heard⁸⁰⁸⁵ thee also, saith⁵⁰⁰² Yahweh.³⁰⁶⁸

Behold, I will gather⁶²² thee to thy fathers,¹ and thou shalt be gathered⁶²² to thy grave⁶⁹¹³ in peace,⁷⁹⁶⁵ neither shall thine eyes⁵⁸⁶⁹ see⁷²⁰⁰ all the evil⁷⁴⁵¹ that I will bring⁹³⁵ upon this place,⁴⁷²⁵ and upon the inhabitants³⁴²⁷ of the same. So they brought the king⁴⁴²⁸ word¹⁶⁹⁷ again.⁷⁷²⁵

Then the king⁴⁴²⁸ sent⁷⁹⁷¹ and gathered⁶²² together all the elders²²⁰⁵ of Judah³⁰⁶³ and Jerusalem.³³⁸⁹

And the king⁴⁴²⁸ went up⁵⁹²⁷ into the house¹⁰⁰⁴ of Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ and all the men³⁷⁶ of Judah,³⁰⁶³ and the inhabitants³⁴²⁷ of Jerusalem,³³⁸⁹ and the priests,³⁵⁴⁸ and the Levites,³⁸⁸¹ and all the people,⁵⁹⁷¹ great¹⁴¹⁹ and small:⁶⁹⁹⁶ and he read⁷¹²¹ in their ears²⁴¹ all the words¹⁶⁹⁷ of the book⁵⁶¹² of the covenant¹²⁸⁵ that was found⁴⁶⁷² in the house¹⁰⁰⁴ of Yahweh.³⁰⁶⁸

And the king⁴⁴²⁸ stood⁵⁹⁷⁵ in his place,⁵⁹⁷⁷ and made³⁷⁷² a covenant¹²⁸⁵ before⁶⁴⁴⁰ Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ to walk³²¹² after³¹⁰ Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ and to keep⁸¹⁰⁴ his commandments,⁴⁶⁸⁷ and his testimonies,⁵⁷¹⁵ and his statutes,²⁷⁰⁶ with all his heart,³⁸²⁴ and with all his soul,⁵³¹⁵ to perform⁶²¹³ the words¹⁶⁹⁷ of the covenant¹²⁸⁵ which are written³⁷⁸⁹ in this book.⁵⁶¹²

And he caused all that were present⁴⁶⁷² in Jerusalem³³⁸⁹ and Benjamin¹¹⁴⁴ to stand⁵⁹⁷⁵ to it. And the inhabitants³⁴²⁷ of Jerusalem³³⁸⁹ did⁶²¹³ according to the covenant¹²⁸⁵ of Elohim,⁴³⁰ the Elohim⁴³⁰ of their fathers.¹

And Josiah²⁹⁷⁷ took away⁵⁴⁹³ all the abominations⁸⁴⁴¹ out of all the countries⁷⁷⁶ that pertained to the children¹¹²¹ of Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ and made all that were present⁴⁶⁷² in Israel³⁴⁷⁸ to serve,⁵⁶⁴⁷ even to serve⁵⁶⁴⁷ Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ their Elohim.⁴³⁰ And all his days³¹¹⁷ they departed⁵⁴⁹³ not from following³¹⁰ Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ the Elohim⁴³⁰ of their fathers.¹