1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for thirty-one years.

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.

2 He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, walking in the ways of his forefather David. He did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.

3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David. In the twelfth year, he started to purify Judah and Jerusalem by removing the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast idols.

For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.

4 In his presence, they tore down the altars of the Baals, and he cut down the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast idols, crushing them into powder, and he scattered the dust over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.

5 He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and he purified Judah and Jerusalem.

And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

6 He did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, in their ruins all around.

And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.

7 He tore down the altars and the Asherah poles, smashed the carved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, to cleanse the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city governor, and Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to restore the house of the LORD his God.

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 of the LORD his God.

9 They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought to the house of God, which the Levites, the gatekeepers, had collected from Manasseh, Ephraim, and the remnant of Israel, as well as all Judah, Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.

10 They gave it into the hands of the supervisors of the work being done on the house of the LORD, who then gave it to the workmen repairing and restoring the temple.

And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house:

11 They gave it to the craftsmen and builders to buy dressed stones, timber for joists, and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.

Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.

12 The men worked faithfully. Jahath and Obadiah, Levites from the descendants of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam from the descendants of Kohath supervised them. The Levites, all skilled musicians, also assisted in the work.

And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick.

13 They were in charge of the laborers and oversaw all the workers involved in the various tasks. Some of the Levites served as scribes, officers, and gatekeepers.

Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.

14 While they were bringing out the money that had been brought to the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the scroll of the Law of the LORD written by Moses.

And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses.

15 Hilkiah announced to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the scroll of the Law in the house of the LORD." He gave the scroll to Shaphan.

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 Shaphan.

16 Shaphan took the scroll to the king and reported to him, saying, "We are carrying out everything that has been assigned to your servants.

And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it.

17 They have collected the money that was found in the house of the LORD and have handed it over to the supervisors and workers in charge of the work."

And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.

18 Shaphan the scribe also told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me the scroll," and Shaphan read it aloud before the king.

Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes in distress.

And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.

20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, the king's servant, saying:

And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,

21 "Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah about the words of this scroll that has been found. For great is the LORD's wrath that is poured out on us because our ancestors did not obey the words of the LORD by following everything written in this scroll."

Go, enquire 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 after all that is written in this book.

22 So Hilkiah and those sent by the king went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe. She was living in Jerusalem in the Second District, and they spoke with her there.

And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect.

23 She said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,

And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me,

24 'This is what the LORD says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and its inhabitants, all the curses written in the book that was read in the presence of the king of Judah.

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 king of Judah:

25 Because they have abandoned Me and burned incense to other gods, provoking Me to anger with all the works of their hands, My wrath will be poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.'

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 my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.

26 But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD, this is what you shall say to him: 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard:

And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard;

27 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and its inhabitants, and because you tore your clothes and wept in My presence, I have heard you,' declares the LORD.

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 humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.

28 'Now I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am about to bring on this place and its inhabitants.'" So they brought back this message to the king.

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 of the same. So they brought the king word again.

29 Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

30 The king went up to the house of the LORD with all the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites, and all the people, from the greatest to the least. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD.

And the king went up into 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, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.

31 The king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD, to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant written in this book.

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 which are written in this book.

32 He had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem acted according to the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

33 Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territories belonging to the Israelites, and he compelled everyone in Israel to serve the LORD their God. Throughout his reign, they did not turn aside from following the LORD, the God of their ancestors.

And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.