Study Desk

Now ^(C1)in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,

"^(C1)Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, and have him ^(F1)count all the money brought into the house of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.

"^(C1)And have them hand it over to the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD, and have them give it to the workmen who are in the house of the LORD to repair the ^(F1)damage to the house:

to the carpenters, the builders, the masons, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the house.

"However, ^(C1)no accounting shall be made with them for the money handed over to them, because they deal honestly."

Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, "^(C1)I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who read it.

Then Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought back word to the king and said, "Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have handed it over to the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD."

Moreover, Shaphan the scribe informed the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, ^(C1)he tore his clothes.

Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, ^(C1)Ahikam the son of Shaphan, ^(F1)(C2)Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying,

"Go, inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found, for ^(C1)the wrath of the LORD that burns against us is great, because our fathers did not listen to the words of this book, to act in accordance with everything that is written regarding us."