1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.
2And he did that which was right in the sight of Yahuah (LORD), and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
3For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the Elohim (God) of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Yahudah (Judah) and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
4And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.
5And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Yahudah (Judah) and Jerusalem.
6And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.
7And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Yashar'el (Israel), he returned to Jerusalem.
8Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of Yahuah Elohav (the LORD his God).
9And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of Elohim (God), which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Yashar'el (Israel), and of all Yahudah (Judah) and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.
10And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of Yahuah (LORD), and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of Yahuah (LORD), to repair and amend the house:
11Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Yahudah (Judah) had destroyed.
12And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick.
13Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.
14And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of Yahuah (LORD), Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of Yahuah (LORD) given by Moses.
15And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of Yahuah (LORD). And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.
16And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to your servants, they do it.
17And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of Yahuah (LORD), and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.
18Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest has given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
19And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.
20And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king’s, saying,
21Go, enquire of Yahuah (LORD) for me, and for them that are left in Yashar'el (Israel) and in Yahudah (Judah), concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of Yahuah (LORD) that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of Yahuah (LORD), to do after all that is written in this book.
22And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect.
23And she answered them, Thus says Yahuah Elohim (the LORD God) of Yashar'el (Israel), Tell you the man that sent you to me,
24Thus says Yahuah (LORD), Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Yahudah (Judah):
25Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.
26And as for the king of Yahudah (Judah), who sent you to enquire of Yahuah (LORD), so shall you say unto him, Thus says Yahuah Elohim (the LORD God) of Yashar'el (Israel) concerning the words which you have heard;
27Because your heart was tender, and you did humble thyself before Elohim (God), when you heard his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and did rend your clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard you also, says Yahuah (LORD).
28Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, neither shall your eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.
29Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Yahudah (Judah) and Jerusalem.
30And the king went up into the house of Yahuah (LORD), and all the men of Yahudah (Judah), and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of Yahuah (LORD).
31And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Yahuah (LORD), to walk after Yahuah (LORD), and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book.
32And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of Elohim (God), the Elohim (God) of their fathers.
33And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Yashar'el (Israel), and made all that were present in Yashar'el (Israel) to serve, even to serve Yahuah (LORD) their Elohim (God). And all his days they departed not from following Yahuah (LORD), the Elohim (God) of their fathers.