2 Kings 22

1 Josiah [a son of eight years, whom Jehovah heals] was eight years old when he became king [to reign, rule as a monarch], and he reigned [exercised sovereign power] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, capital of Judah] thirty-one years [thirty and one, a complete cycle]. His mother’s [female parent, maternal figure] name was Jedidah [beloved, cherished] daughter [female child, descendant] of Adaiah [Jehovah has adorned Himself]; she was from Bozkath [a city in ancient Judah]. word study 2 And he did what was right [upright, just] in the eyes [sight, perception] of the LORD [Yehovah] and walked [lived, conducted his life] in all [every, entire] the ways [paths, manner of life] of his father [ancestor, forefather] David; he did not turn aside [deviate, stray] to the right [Benjamin, the southern direction] or to the left [north, the opposite direction]. word study 3 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, King [royal ruler, monarch] Josiah [whom Jehovah heals] sent [dispatched, commissioned] the scribe [secretary, recorder], Shaphan [rock badger, a type of animal] son of Azaliah [Jehovah has reserved], the son of Meshullam [blessed], to the house [dwelling place, temple] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], saying [to speak, command], word study 4 “Go up [ascend to a higher place] to Hilkiah [a spiritual leader] the high priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship] and have him count [sum, calculate] the money [silver, wealth] that has been brought [gathered, collected] into the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], which [that is, the amount] the doorkeepers [keepers of the threshold, guardians] have collected [gathered, assembled] from the people [the nation, a group of individuals]. word study 5 And let them deliver it into the hands [of authority and supervision] of the supervisors [overseers, those in charge] of those doing the work [labor, task] on the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], who in turn are to give [distribute, allocate] it to the workmen [laborers, craftsmen] repairing [restoring, strengthening] the damages [breaches, weaknesses] to the house [sanctuary, place of worship] of the LORD— word study 6 to the [skilled] carpenters [artificers], builders [constructors], and masons [stoneworkers]—to buy [acquire, purchase] timber [wood, trees] and dressed [hewn, cut] stone [rocks, quarry stones] to repair [restore, renovate] the temple [house of worship, sacred place]. word study 7 But they need [are not required] not account [to give a reckoning] for the money [silver, wealth] put into their hands [given into their care], since they work [deal, act] with integrity [faithfulness, trustworthiness].” word study 8 Then Hilkiah [chief spiritual leader] the high priest said to Shaphan [a scribe, secretary] the scribe, “I have found [discovered, attained] the Book of the Law [the scroll of instruction, Torah] in the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God]!” And he gave it to Shaphan, who read [called out, proclaimed] it. word study 9 And Shaphan [the secretary, scribe] the scribe went to the king [ruler, monarch] and reported, “Your servants [attendants, workers] have paid out the money [silver, wealth] that was found [discovered, uncovered] in the temple [house of the Lord, place of worship] and have put it into the hands [care, supervision] of the workers [laborers, workmen] and supervisors [overseers, leaders] of the house [dwelling place, temple] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God].” word study 10 Moreover, Shaphan [the secretary, recorder] the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah [the high priest, spiritual leader] the priest has given [delivered, entrusted] me a book [scroll, written document].” And Shaphan read [declared, proclaimed] it in the presence [before, face to face] of the king. word study 11 When the king [the monarch, ruler] heard [listened attentively to, obeyed] the words [chronicles, sayings] of the Book [scroll, written document] of the Law [instruction, divine guidance], he tore [rent, violently parted] his clothes [garments, robe] word study 12 and commanded [gave orders, instructed] Hilkiah [a high priest, spiritual leader] the priest [one who serves God, mediator], Ahikam [my brother has risen, a leader] son of Shaphan [a rock badger, a secretary], Achbor [a son of Micaiah, a noble] son of Micaiah [who is like God, a prophet], Shaphan [a scribe, recorder] the scribe [one who records, secretary], and Asaiah [a name shared by several Israelites, a servant] the servant [one who serves, attendant] of the king [the monarch, ruler]: word study 13 “Go and inquire [seek, ask, consult] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] for me, for the people [the nation, the community], and for all [everything, every person] Judah [the tribe, the region] concerning [about, regarding] the words [things, matters] in this book [scroll, written document] that has been found [discovered, uncovered]. For great [intense, immense] is the wrath [rage, anger] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] that burns [is kindled, is ignited] against us because our fathers [ancestors, forefathers] have not obeyed [hearkened, listened to] the words [things, matters] of this book [scroll, written document] by doing [making, performing] all [everything, every thing] that is written [recorded, inscribed] about [concerning, regarding] us.” word study 14 So Hilkiah [a high priest, spiritual leader] the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah [a prophetess, messenger of God] the prophetess, the wife of Shallum [meaning peace] son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper [one who guards, protects] of the wardrobe [clothing, robes]. She lived in Jerusalem [city of peace, the capital], in the Second [duplicate, secondary] District. word study 15 And Huldah said to them, “This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the God [Elohim, the supreme Being] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob], says: ‘Tell the man [a male person, an individual] who sent [to dispatch, to commission] you [as representatives, to act on their behalf] word study 16 that this is what the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] says: I am about to bring [send, inflict] calamity [evil, disaster] on this place [location, region] and on its people [inhabitants, dwellers], according to all the words [things, matters] of the book [scroll, written document] that the king [ruler, monarch] of Judah [the tribe, the kingdom] has read [called out, proclaimed], word study 17 because they have forsaken [abandoned, turned away from] Me and burned incense [offerings, worship] to other [different, foreign] gods, that they might provoke [anger, irritate] Me to anger [wrath, intense displeasure] with all [every, the entirety of] the works [deeds, actions] of their hands [strength, power]. My wrath [intense anger, rage] will be kindled [ignited, started] against this [specific, particular] place [location, region] and will not [never, under no circumstances] be quenched [extinguished, put out].’ word study 18 But as for the king [ruler, monarch] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, son of Jacob], who sent [dispatched, commissioned] you to inquire [seek, ask] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], tell him that this is what the LORD [Elohim, the supreme God], the God [El, the one supreme God] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, and his descendants], says: ‘As for the words [things, matters] that you heard [listened to, gave attention to], word study 19 because your heart was tender [soft, and penitent] and you humbled [made yourself low, submitted] yourself before the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] when you heard [listened and obeyed] what I spoke [declared, proclaimed] against this place [location, city] and against its people [inhabitants, dwellers], that they would become [exist as, come to be] a desolation [horror, waste] and a curse [wish for harm, evil], and because you have torn [rent, ripped] your clothes [garments, robes] and wept [cried, shed tears] before Me, I have heard [listened to, given attention] you,’ declares the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 20 ‘Therefore [in this manner, as a result] I will indeed gather [collect, bring together] you to your fathers [ancestors, heritage], and you will be gathered [brought, laid] to your grave [sepulchre, final rest] in peace [shalom, completeness and wellness]. Your eyes [sight, perception] will not see [look upon, behold] all the calamity [evil, disaster] that I [the Lord, Divine Speaker] will bring [cause to come, inflict] on this place [location, situation].’” So they brought [returned, gave back] her answer [response, message] back to the king [ruler, sovereign]. word study