1. Josiah was eight years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for 31 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.
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: