2 Kings 22:8-20

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law

8 And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found ¹the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

9 And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, "Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD."

10 Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it before the king.

11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, ²he tore his clothes.

12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and ³Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and ⁴Achbor the son of ⁵Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying,

13 "Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is ⁶the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us."

14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of ⁷Tikvah, son of ⁸Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in ⁹the Second Quarter), and they talked with her.

15 And she said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Tell the man who sent you to me,

16 Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read.

17 ¹⁰Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore ¹¹my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.

18 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard,

19 ¹²because your heart was penitent, and you ¹³humbled yourself before the LORD, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become ¹⁴a desolation and ¹⁵a curse, and you ¹⁶have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD.

20 Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and ¹⁷you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.'" And they brought back word to the king.

2 Kings 22:8-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 22

This chapter begins with the age and character of Josiah king of Judah, 2Ki 22:1-2, relates his orders for repairing the temple, 2Ki 22:3-7, his attention to the book of the law, which was found, and read to him, and the effect it had upon him, 2Ki 22:8-11, the command he gave to certain persons to inquire of the Lord about it, who applied to Huldah the prophetess, 2Ki 22:12-14, who returned an answer by them to the king, foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem, and giving the reason of it, and at the same time assuring the king it should not be in his days, 2Ki 22:15-20.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 31:24-26; 2 Chronicles 34:14
• 2. See Joshua 7:6
• 3. 2 Kings 25:22; Jeremiah 26:24; Jeremiah 39:14; Jeremiah 40:5
• 4. [2 Chronicles 34:20]
• 5. [2 Chronicles 34:20]
• 6. Deuteronomy 29:27
• 7. [2 Chronicles 34:22]
• 8. [2 Chronicles 34:22]
• 9. Zephaniah 1:10
• 10. 2 Kings 21:22; Deuteronomy 29:25, 26
• 11. [See ver. 13 above]
• 12. [Psalms 51:17; Isaiah 57:15]
• 13. 1 Kings 21:29
• 14. Leviticus 26:31, 32; 2 Chronicles 30:7; Jeremiah 25:18; Jeremiah 44:22; Micah 6:16
• 15. Jeremiah 24:9; Jeremiah 26:6; Jeremiah 44:22
• 16. ver. 11
• 17. Psalms 37:37; Isaiah 57:1, 2