2 Kings 22:7-17

7 nevertheless the silver, which they take/that the workmen take, be not reckoned to them, but have they it in (their own) power, and in faith (but trust them to have it under their own power, or control).
8 And Hilkiah, the bishop, said to Shaphan, the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, the scribe, which also read it. (And the High Priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan, the writer, I have found The Book of the Law in the House of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, the writer, and he read it.)
9 Also Shaphan, the scribe, came to the king, and told to him those things, which Hilkiah had commanded, and he said, Thy servants have spended the money, that was found in the house of the Lord, and they have given, that it should be parted to [the] craftsmen of the sovereigns of [the] works of the temple of the Lord. (And Shaphan, the writer, came to the king, and reported to the king about those things which he had commanded, and he said, Thy servants have spent the money that was found in the House of the Lord, and they have ordained that it be dealt out to the craftsmen by the foremen of the repairs to the Temple of the Lord.)
10 Also Shaphan, the scribe, told to the king, and said, Hilkiah, the priest of God, hath given to me a book; and when Shaphan had read that book before the king,
11 and the king had heard the words of the book of the law of the Lord, he rent his clothes. (and the king had heard the words of The Book of the Law of the Lord, he tore his clothes.)
12 And he commanded to Hilkiah, the priest, and to Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and to Achbor, the son of Michaiah, and to Shaphan the scribe, and to Asahiah, (a) servant of the king, and said,
13 Go ye, and ask, or counsel ye, the Lord on me, and on the people, and on all Judah, of the words of this book, that is found; for (the) great ire of the Lord is kindled against us, for our fathers heard not the words of this book, to do all thing which is written to us. (Go ye, and ask ye the Lord's counsel for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, about the words of this book, that is found; for great is the Lord's anger that is kindled against us, for our forefathers did not listen to the words of this book, to do all the things which be written to us.)
14 Therefore Hilkiah, the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went to Huldah, the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the clothes, the which Huldah dwelled in Jerusalem, in the second dwelling/in the second environing of the wall (in the second quarter); and they spake to her.
15 And she answered to them, The Lord God of Israel saith these things, Say ye to the man, that sent you to me,
16 The Lord God of Israel saith these things, Lo! I shall bring evils upon this place, and upon the dwellers thereof (and upon its inhabitants), and I shall fulfill all the words [of the law], which the king of Judah read;
17 for they forsook me, and made sacrifice to alien gods, and stirred me to ire in all the works of their hands; and mine indignation shall be kindled in this place, and shall not be quenched. (for they deserted me, and made sacrifice to foreign, or other, gods, and stirred me to anger with all the works of their hands; and my indignation shall be kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched.)

2 Kings 22:7-17 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.