2Kings 22:20 - Prayer Tents

King Josiah of Judah

22Josiah was eight years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. His mother was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah from the town of Bozkath.H2977H8083H8141H1121H4427H4427H7970H259H8141H3389H517H8034H3040H1323H5718H1218 2Josiah did what was pleasing to the LORD; he followed the example of his ancestor King David, strictly obeying all the laws of God.H6213H3477H5869H3068H3212H1870H1732H1H5493H3225H8040

The Book of the Law Is Discovered

3In 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:H8083H6240H8141H4428H2977H4428H7971H8227H1121H683H1121H4918H5608H1004H3068H559 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.H5927H2518H1419H3548H8552H3701H935H1004H3068H8104H5592H622H5971 5Tell him to give the money to the men who are in charge of the repairs in the Temple. They are to payH5414H3027H6213H4399H6485H1004H3068H5414H6213H4399H1004H3068H2388H919H1004 6the carpenters, the builders, and the masons, and buy the timber and the stones used in the repairs.H2796H1129H1443H7069H6086H4274H68H2388H1004 7The men in charge of the work are thoroughly honest, so there is no need to require them to account for the funds."H2803H3701H5414H3027H6213H530 8Shaphan 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.H2518H1419H3548H559H8227H5608H4672H5612H8451H1004H3068H2518H5414H5612H8227H7121 9Then 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."H8227H5608H935H4428H7725H4428H1697H7725H559H5650H5413H3701H4672H1004H5414H3027H6213H4399H6485H1004H3068 10And then he said, "I have here a book that Hilkiah gave me." And he read it aloud to the king.H8227H5608H5046H4428H559H2518H3548H5414H5612H8227H7121H6440H4428 11When the king heard the book being read, he tore his clothes in dismay,H4428H8085H1697H5612H8451H7167H899 12and 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:H4428H6680H2518H3548H296H1121H8227H5907H1121H4320H8227H5608H6222H5650H4428H559 13"Go and consult the LORD for me and for all the people of Judah about the teachings of this book. The LORD is angry with us because our ancestors have not done what this book says must be done."H3212H1875H3068H5971H3063H1697H5612H4672H1419H2534H3068H3341H1H8085H1697H5612H6213H3789 14Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to consult a woman named Huldah, a prophet who lived in the newer part of Jerusalem. (Her husband Shallum, the son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas, was in charge of the Temple robes.) They described to her what had happened,H2518H3548H296H5907H8227H6222H3212H2468H5031H802H7967H1121H8616H1121H2745H8104H899H3427H3389H4932H1696 15and she told them to go back to the king and give himH559H559H3068H430H3478H559H376H7971 16the following message from the LORD: "I am going to punish Jerusalem and all its people, as written in the book that the king has read.H559H3068H935H7451H4725H3427H1697H5612H4428H3063H7121 17They have rejected me and have offered sacrifices to other gods, and so have stirred up my anger by all they have done. My anger is aroused against Jerusalem, and it will not die down.H5800H6999H312H430H3707H4639H3027H2534H3341H4725H3518 18As for the king himself, this is what I, the LORD God of Israel, say: You listened to what is written in the book,H4428H3063H7971H1875H3068H559H559H3068H430H3478H1697H8085 19and you repented and humbled yourself before me, tearing your clothes and weeping, when you heard how I threatened to punish Jerusalem and its people. I will make it a terrifying sight, a place whose name people will use as a curse. But I have heard your prayer,H3824H7401H3665H6440H3068H8085H1696H4725H3427H8047H7045H7167H899H1058H6440H8085H5002H3068 20and the punishment which I am going to bring on Jerusalem will not come until after your death. I will let you die in peace." The men returned to King Josiah with this message.H622H1H622H6913H7965H5869H7200H7451H935H4725H7725H4428H1697H7725