1. Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
2. Now he did what was right in the eyes of Adonai and walked in all the ways of his father David, and turned not aside to the right or to the left.
3. It came to pass in the eighteenth year of King Josiah that the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam the scribe, to the House of Adonai, saying.
4. “Go up to Hilkiah the kohen gadol and let him weigh the silver that has been brought to the House of Adonai, which the doorkeepers have gathered from the people.
5. Then let them give it into the hand of the workmen appointed to oversee the work on the House of Adonai and let them in turn give it to the workmen that are in the House of Adonai to repair the damages to the House:
6. to the carpenters, builders and masons, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the House.”
7. However, there was no accounting made with them for the silver given into their hand, for they dealt faithfully.
8. Hilkiah the kohen gadol said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found a scroll of the Torah in the House of Adonai.” So Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan who read it.
9. Then Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought back word to the king and said, “Your servants have emptied out the silver that was found in the House and have given it into the hand of the workmen appointed to oversee the work on the House of Adonai.”
10. Shaphan the scribe also told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the kohen has given me a scroll.” Then Shaphan read it before the king.
11. After the king heard the words of the Torah scroll, he tore his clothes.