2 Kings 22 - Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Josiah Begins His Rule Over Judah

22 Josiah was eight years old when he began to rule. He ruled 31 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. ²Josiah did what the Lord said was right. He followed God like his ancestor David. Josiah obeyed God’s teachings—he did exactly what God wanted.

Josiah Orders the Temple Repaired

³During the 18th year that Josiah was king, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the Lord’s Temple. Josiah said, ⁴“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest. Tell him that he must get the money that people brought to the Lord’s Temple. The gatekeepers collected that money from the people. ⁵The priests must use that money to pay the workers to repair the Lord’s Temple. They must give that money to the men who supervise the work on the Lord’s Temple. ⁶Use that money for the carpenters, stonemasons, and stonecutters. Also use that money to buy the timber and cut stones that are needed to repair the Temple. ⁷Don’t count the money that you give to the workers. They can be trusted.”

Book of the Law Found in the Temple

⁸Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “Look, I found the Book of the Law^[a] in the Lord’s Temple!” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and Shaphan read it.

⁹He went to King Josiah and told him what happened. Shaphan said, “Your servants have gathered all the money that was in the Temple. They gave it to the men who supervise the work on the Lord’s Temple.” ¹⁰Then he told the king, “And Hilkiah the priest also gave this book to me.” Then Shaphan read the book to the king.

¹¹When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes to show he was sad and upset. ¹²Then he gave a command to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant. ¹³King Josiah said, “Go and ask the Lord what we should do. Ask for me, for the people, and for all Judah. Ask about the words of this book that was found. The Lord is angry with us, because our ancestors did not listen to the words of this book. They did not obey all the commands that were written for us.”

Josiah and Huldah the Prophetess

¹⁴So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the woman prophet. Huldah was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas. He took care of the priests’ clothes. Huldah was living in the second quarter in Jerusalem. They went and talked with Huldah.

¹⁵Then Huldah said to them, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me: ¹⁶‘The Lord says this: I am bringing trouble on this place and on the people who live here. These are the troubles that are mentioned in the book that the king of Judah read. ¹⁷The people of Judah have left me and have burned incense to other gods. They made me very angry. They made many idols. That is why I will show my anger against this place. My anger will be like a fire that cannot be stopped!’

^18-19“King Josiah of Judah sent you to ask advice from the Lord. Tell Josiah that this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘You heard the words I spoke against this place and those who live here. And when you heard those things, your heart was soft, and you showed your sorrow before the Lord. I said that terrible things would happen to this place. So you tore your clothes to show your sadness, and you began to cry. That is why I heard you.’ This is what the Lord says. ²⁰‘I will bring you to be with your ancestors. You will die and go to your grave in peace. So your eyes will not see all the trouble that I am bringing on this place.’”

Then Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah gave that message to the king.

Footnotes

2 Kings 22:8 Book of the Law This is probably the book of Deuteronomy. Also in 23:2.

2 Kings 22 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

22 A son of eight years [is] Josiah in his reigning, and thirty and one years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Boskath, 2 and he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, and walketh in all the way of David his father, and hath not tu...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

22 Josiah was of eight years, when he began to reign, and he reigned one and thirty years in Jerusalem; the name of his mother was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. 2 And he did that, that was pleasant before the Lord, and he went by all the ways of David, his father; he bowed not, neither...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - World English Bible (WEB)

22 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2 He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, and walked in all the way of David his father, and didn’t turn away to the right hand ...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - The Voice (VOICE)

22 Josiah was 8 years old when he inherited the throne. His reign in Jerusalem lasted 31 years. His mother was Jedidah (daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath). 2 Josiah was righteous in the Eternal’s eyes. He continually did what was right, just as his ancestor David had. He did not ever step away from t...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Josiah and a Discovered Torah Scroll22 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 ...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Josiah Reigns over Judah22 Josi′ah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedi′dah the daughter of Adai′ah of Bozkath. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and he ...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

2 Kings 22 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Josiah Reigns over Judah22 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of his father David; he did not turn aside...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition (NRSVACE)

Josiah Reigns over Judah22 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of his father David; he did not turn a...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

2 Kings 22 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Josiah Reigns over Judah22 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.(A)2 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in all the way of his father David; he did not turn aside...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Josiah Rules in Judah22 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath. 2 He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from ...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - New Life Version (NLV)

Josiah Rules Judah22 Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2 Josiah did what is right in the eyes of the Lord. He walked in all the way of his father David. He did not turn aside t...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Josiah Reigns in Judah(A)22 Josiah (B)was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of (C)Bozkath. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he (...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

The Book of the Law found22 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David,...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - New International Version (NIV)

The Book of the Law Found(A)22 Josiah(B) was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.(C) 2 He did what was right(D) in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law22 Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 31 years. His mother’s name was Jedidah. She was the daughter of Adaiah. She was from Bozkath. 2 Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He lived the way King David had lived. He...
Read More

2 Kings 22 - New English Translation (NET)

Josiah Repents22 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother[a] was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah, from Bozkath. 2 He did what the Lord approved[b] and followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps;[c] he did not deviate to the right or th...
Read More