1. Josiah was eight years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled thirty-one years from Jerusalem. His mother Jedidah was the daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath.
2. Josiah always obeyed the Lord, just as his ancestor David had done.
3. After Josiah had been king for eighteen years, he told Shaphan, one of his highest officials:Go to the Lord's temple
4. and ask Hilkiah the high priest to collect from the guards all the money that the people have donated.
5. Tell Hilkiah to give it to the men supervising the repairs to the temple. They can use some of the money to pay
6. the workers, and with the rest of it they can buy wood and stone for the repair work.