18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the 19 kings of Israel. His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up the Asherim and the graven images, before he humbled himself: behold, they are written 20 in the history of 1Hozai. So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house and Amon his son reigned in his stead. Amon's Reign and his Murder. Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem and his mother's name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 20 And he did that which was evil : in the sight of the LORD, as did 21 Manasseh his father. And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and 22 worshipped them: and he for sook the LORD, the God of his fathers, and walked not in the 23 way of the LORD. And the ser vants of Amon conspired against him, and put the king to death 24 in his own house. But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in 25 his stead. Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah ? 99 21 Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years 22 in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: and Amon sacrificed unto all the graven images which Manasseh his father had made, and 23 served them. And he humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon 24 2trespassed more and more. And his servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his 25 own house. But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead. 26 And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead. : Josiah's Restoration of the Temple. 34 22 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem and his mother's name was Jedidah the daughter 2 of Adaiah of Bozkath. And he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. 3 And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house 4 of the LORD, saying, Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the money which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the 'door have gathered of the 5 people: and let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the workmen which are in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of 6 the house; unto the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons; and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the 7 house. Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand; for they dealt faithfully. 1 Heb. threshold. Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty and one years in 2 Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. 8 [for vv. 3-7 see p. 104] Now 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 9 of the LORD his God. And they came to Hilkiah the high priest, and delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the 'door, had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin, and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. IO And they delivered it into the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD; and the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD gave it to amend and II repair the house; even to the carpenters and to the builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, 1 Or, chronicler 2 Heb. threshold. 3 Another reading is, and they returned to Jerusalem. 4 Or, they gave it to the workmen &c. Discovery of the Book of the Law, 8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to 9 Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have 1emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen that have the oversight of the house of the IO LORD. And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it II before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had 1 Or, poured out ΙΟΙ and the Prophecy of Huldah. 15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to 16 Shaphan. And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and moreover brought the king word again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do 17 it. And they have emptied out the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have Idelivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of 18 the workmen. And Shaphan the 3 scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read 19 therein before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had 1 Or, to preside over it 2 Heb. by the hand of. 3 Or, poured out heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. 12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king's 13 servant, saying, Go ye, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is 'written 14 concerning us. So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the second quarter;) and they communed with 15 her. And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Tell ye the man that 16 sent you unto me, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the 17 king of Judah hath read: because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched. 18 But unto the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: As touching the words 1 Or, enjoined us 2 Heb. Mishneh. heard the words of the law, that 20 he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah 21 the king's servant, saying, Go ye, inquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do according unto all that is 22 written in this book. So Hilkiah, and they whom the king had commanded, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the second quarter;) and they 23 spake to her to that effect. And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Tell ye the man that sent you 24 unto me, Thus saith the 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 25 king of Judah: because 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 is my wrath poured out upon this place, and 26 it shall not be quenched. But unto the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: As touching the words 1 Heb. Mishneh. 1 19 which thou hast heard, because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become 1a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith 20 the LORD. Therefore, behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again. 23 27 which thou hast heard, because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and hast humbled thyself before me, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard 28 thee, saith the LORD. Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof. And they brought the king word again. The Book of the Law read in public. And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders 2 of Judah and of Jerusalem. And the king went up to the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the 3 house of the LORD. And the king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and all his soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book: and all the people stood to the covenant. 3 1 Or, an astonishment 29 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of 30 Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up to the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, both great and small and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in 31 the house of the LORD. And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the 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 that were 32 written in this book. And he caused all that were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of 33 their fathers. And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained |