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In the eighteenth year of King Yoshiyahu, the king sent Shafan the son of Atzalyahu, the son of Meshulam, the secretary, to the house of ADONAI after instructing him,
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"Go up to Hilkiyahu the cohen hagadol, and have him total the money that has been brought into the house of ADONAI, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.
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Then have them give it to the supervisors of the work being done in the house of ADONAI; they in turn are to use it to pay the laborers in the house of ADONAI to repair damaged places in the building -
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the carpenters, construction-workers and stonemasons - and to purchase timber and worked stone for doing the repairs on the building."
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However, they did not require an accounting from the supervisors given the money to spend, because they dealt honestly.
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Hilkiyahu the cohen hagadol said to Shafan the secretary, "I have found the scroll of the Torah in the house of ADONAI." Hilkiyah gave the scroll to Shafan, who read it.
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Then Shafan the secretary went back to the king and gave the king this report: "Your servants have poured out the money found in the house and handed it over to the people supervising the work in the house of ADONAI."
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Shafan the secretary also told the king, "Hilkiyah the cohen hagadol gave me a scroll." Then Shafan read it aloud before the king.
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After the king had heard what was written in the scroll of the Torah, he tore his clothes.
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Then the king issued this order to Hilkiyah the cohen, Achikam the son of Shafan, 'Akhbor the son of Mikhayah, Shafan the secretary and 'Asayah the king's servant:
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"Go; and consult ADONAI for me, for the people and for all Y'hudah in regard to what is written in this scroll which has been found. For ADONAI must be furious at us, since our ancestors did not listen to the words written in this scroll and didn't do everything written there that concerns us."