d by the arrows of the Egyptian archers, was taken back
to Jerusalem to die.)

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned
thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in
the eyes of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father,
and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

{324}

And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the
king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the
scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying, "Go up to Hilkiah the high
priest, that he may make account of the money which is brought into
the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of
the people: and let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen that
have the oversight of the house of the Lord: and let them give it to
the workmen which are in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches
of the house; unto the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the
masons; and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the house."
Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was
delivered in to their hand; for they dealt faithfully.

And Hilkiah the priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the
book of the law in the house of the Lord."

And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan
the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and
said, "Thy servants have emptied out the money that was found in the
house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen that have
the oversight of the house of the Lord."

And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest hath
given me a book."

And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the
king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his
clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and the king's
officers, saying, {325} "Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for
the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that
is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against
us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this
book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us."

So Hilkiah the priest, and the king's officers went to Huldah the
prophetess, who said, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Behold, I will bring evil
upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words
of the book which the king