II Kings 22

בֶּן־שְׁמֹנֶ֤ה שָׁנָה֙ יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ בְמׇלְכ֔וֹ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וְאַחַת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ יְדִידָ֥ה בַת־עֲדָיָ֖ה מִבָּֽצְקַֽת׃

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ בְּכׇל־דֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֔יו וְלֹא־סָ֖ר יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹֽאול׃ {פ}

He did what was pleasing to G OD and he followed all the ways of his forefather David; he did not deviate to the right or to the left.

וַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁמֹנֶ֤ה עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ שָׁלַ֣ח הַ֠מֶּ֠לֶךְ אֶת־שָׁפָ֨ן בֶּן־אֲצַלְיָ֤הוּ בֶן־מְשֻׁלָּם֙ הַסֹּפֵ֔ר בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃

In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent the scribe Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam to the House of G OD , saying,

עֲלֵ֗ה אֶל־חִלְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֔וֹל וְיַתֵּ֣ם אֶת־הַכֶּ֔סֶף הַמּוּבָ֖א בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָסְפ֛וּ שֹׁמְרֵ֥י הַסַּ֖ף מֵאֵ֥ת הָעָֽם׃

“Go to the high priest Hilkiah and let him weigh the silver that has been deposited in the House of G OD , which the guards of the threshold have collected from the people.

(ויתנה) [וְיִתְּנוּ֗הוּ] עַל־יַד֙ עֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה הַמֻּפְקָדִ֖ים (בבית) [בֵּ֣ית] יְהֹוָ֑ה וְיִתְּנ֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ לְעֹשֵׂ֤י הַמְּלָאכָה֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔ה לְחַזֵּ֖ק בֶּ֥דֶק הַבָּֽיִת׃

And let it be delivered to the overseers of the work who are in charge at the House of G OD , that they in turn may pay it out to the workers that are in the House of G OD , for the repair of the House:

לֶחָ֣רָשִׁ֔ים וְלַבֹּנִ֖ים וְלַגֹּֽדְרִ֑ים וְלִקְנ֤וֹת עֵצִים֙ וְאַבְנֵ֣י מַחְצֵ֔ב לְחַזֵּ֖ק אֶת־הַבָּֽיִת׃

to the carpenters, the laborers, and the masons, and for the purchase of wood and quarried stones for repairing the House.

אַ֚ךְ לֹא־יֵחָשֵׁ֣ב אִתָּ֔ם הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַנִּתָּ֣ן עַל־יָדָ֑ם כִּ֥י בֶאֱמוּנָ֖ה הֵ֥ם עֹשִֽׂים׃

However, no check is to be kept on them for the silver that is delivered to them, for they deal honestly.”

וַ֠יֹּ֠אמֶר חִלְקִיָּ֜הוּ הַכֹּהֵ֤ן הַגָּדוֹל֙ עַל־שָׁפָ֣ן הַסֹּפֵ֔ר סֵ֧פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֛ה מָצָ֖אתִי בְּבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּתֵּ֨ן חִלְקִיָּ֧ה אֶת־הַסֵּ֛פֶר אֶל־שָׁפָ֖ן וַיִּקְרָאֵֽהוּ׃

Then the high priest Hilkiah said to the scribe Shaphan, “I have found a scroll of the Teaching in the House of G OD .” And Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, who read it.

וַיָּבֹ֞א שָׁפָ֤ן הַסֹּפֵר֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיָּ֥שֶׁב אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ דָּבָ֑ר וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִתִּ֤יכוּ עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ הַנִּמְצָ֣א בַבַּ֔יִת וַֽיִּתְּנֻ֗הוּ עַל־יַד֙ עֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה הַמֻּפְקָדִ֖ים בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה׃

The scribe Shaphan then went to the king and reported to the king: “Your servants have melted down the silver that was deposited in the House, and they have delivered it to the overseers of the work who are in charge at the House of G OD .”

וַיַּגֵּ֞ד שָׁפָ֤ן הַסֹּפֵר֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ לֵאמֹ֔ר סֵ֚פֶר נָ֣תַן לִ֔י חִלְקִיָּ֖ה הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיִּקְרָאֵ֥הוּ שָׁפָ֖ן לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

The scribe Shaphan also told the king, “The high priest Hilkiah has given me a scroll”; and Shaphan read it to the king.

וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י סֵ֣פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֑ה וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָֽיו׃

When the king heard the words of the scroll of the Teaching, he rent his clothes.

וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־חִלְקִיָּ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֡ן וְאֶת־אֲחִיקָ֣ם בֶּן־שָׁ֠פָ֠ן וְאֶת־עַכְבּ֨וֹר בֶּן־מִיכָיָ֜ה וְאֵ֣ת׀ שָׁפָ֣ן הַסֹּפֵ֗ר וְאֵ֛ת עֲשָׂיָ֥ה עֶֽבֶד־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵאמֹֽר׃

And the king gave orders to the priest Hilkiah, and to Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Michaiah, the scribe Shaphan, and Asaiah the king’s minister:

לְכוּ֩ דִרְשׁ֨וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֜ה בַּעֲדִ֣י וּבְעַד־הָעָ֗ם וּבְעַד֙ כׇּל־יְהוּדָ֔ה עַל־דִּבְרֵ֛י הַסֵּ֥פֶר הַנִּמְצָ֖א הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־גְדוֹלָ֞ה חֲמַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר־הִיא֙ נִצְּתָ֣ה בָ֔נוּ עַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֜וּ אֲבֹתֵ֗ינוּ עַל־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת כְּכׇל־הַכָּת֥וּב עָלֵֽינוּ׃

“Go, inquire of G OD on my behalf, and on behalf of the people, and on behalf of all Judah, concerning the words of this scroll that has been found. For great indeed must be G OD ’s wrath that has been kindled against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this scroll to do all that has been prescribed for us.”

וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ חִלְקִיָּ֣הוּ הַ֠כֹּהֵ֠ן וַאֲחִיקָ֨ם וְעַכְבּ֜וֹר וְשָׁפָ֣ן וַעֲשָׂיָ֗ה אֶל־חֻלְדָּ֨ה הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֵ֣שֶׁת׀ שַׁלֻּ֣ם בֶּן־תִּקְוָ֗ה בֶּן־חַרְחַס֙ שֹׁמֵ֣ר הַבְּגָדִ֔ים וְהִ֛יא יֹשֶׁ֥בֶת בִּירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם בַּמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה וַֽיְדַבְּר֖וּ אֵלֶֽיהָ׃

So the priest Hilkiah, and Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah—the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe—who was living in Jerusalem in the Mishneh, and they spoke to her.

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּה־אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִמְר֣וּ לָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי׃

She responded: “Thus said the E TERNAL , the God of Israel: Say to the one who sent you to me:

כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֥יא רָעָ֛ה אֶל־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה וְעַל־יֹֽשְׁבָ֑יו אֵ֚ת כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י הַסֵּ֔פֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר קָרָ֖א מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה׃

Thus said G OD : I am going to bring disaster upon this place and its inhabitants, in accordance with all the words of the scroll that the king of Judah has read.

תַּ֣חַת׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲזָב֗וּנִי וַֽיְקַטְּרוּ֙ לֵאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים לְמַ֙עַן֙ הַכְעִיסֵ֔נִי בְּכֹ֖ל מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יְדֵיהֶ֑ם וְנִצְּתָ֧ה חֲמָתִ֛י בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה וְלֹ֥א תִכְבֶּֽה׃

Because they have forsaken Me and have made offerings to other gods and provoked My anger with all their deeds, My wrath is kindled against this place and it shall not be quenched.

וְאֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה הַשֹּׁלֵ֤חַ אֶתְכֶם֙ לִדְרֹ֣שׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה כֹּ֥ה תֹאמְר֖וּ אֵלָ֑יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמָֽעְתָּ׃

But say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of G OD : Thus said the E TERNAL , the God of Israel: As for the words that you have heard—

יַ֠עַן רַךְ־לְבָ֨בְךָ֜ וַתִּכָּנַ֣ע׀ מִפְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה בְּֽשׇׁמְעֲךָ֡ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבַּ֩רְתִּי֩ עַל־הַמָּק֨וֹם הַזֶּ֜ה וְעַל־יֹשְׁבָ֗יו לִֽהְי֤וֹת לְשַׁמָּה֙ וְלִקְלָלָ֔ה וַתִּקְרַע֙ אֶת־בְּגָדֶ֔יךָ וַתִּבְכֶּ֖ה לְפָנָ֑י וְגַ֧ם אָנֹכִ֛י שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃

because your heart was softened and you humbled yourself before G OD when you heard what I decreed against this place and its inhabitants—that it will become a desolation and a curse—and because you rent your clothes and wept before Me, I for My part have listened—declares G OD .

לָכֵן֩ הִנְנִ֨י אֹסִפְךָ֜ עַל־אֲבֹתֶ֗יךָ וְנֶאֱסַפְתָּ֣ אֶל־קִבְרֹתֶ֘יךָ֮ בְּשָׁלוֹם֒ וְלֹא־תִרְאֶ֣ינָה עֵינֶ֔יךָ בְּכֹל֙ הָרָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י מֵבִ֖יא עַל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַיָּשִׁ֥בוּ אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ דָּבָֽר׃

Assuredly, I will gather you to your ancestors and you will be laid in your tomb in peace. Your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.” So they brought back the reply to the king.