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The Fourth
Book of Kings 22
Josias was eight years old when he began to reign: he
reigned one and thirty years in Jerusalem: the name
of his mother was Idida, the daughter of Hadaia, of
Besecath.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the
Lord, and walked in all the ways of David his father:
he turned not aside to the right hand, or to the left.
And in the eighteenth year of b king Josias, the king
sent Saphan the son of Assia, the son of Messulam, the
scribe of the temple of the Lord, saying to him:
Go to Helcias the high priest, that the money may be
put together which is brought into the temple of the
Lord, which the doorkeepers of the temple have gathered
of the people.
And let it be given to the workmen by the overseers
of the house of the Lord: and lot them distribute it
to those that work in the temple of the Lord, to repair
the temple:
That is, to carpenters and masons, and to such as mend
breaches: and that timber may be bought, and stones
out of the quarries, to repair the temple of the Lord.
But let there be no reckoning made with them of the
money which they receive, but let them have it in their
power, and in their trust.
And Helcias the high priest said to Saphan the scribe:
I have found the book of the law in the house of the
Lord: and Helcias gave the book to Saphan, and he read
it.
And Saphan the scribe came to the king, and brought
him word again concerning that which he had commanded,
and said: Thy servants have gathered together the money
that was found in the house of the Lord, and they have
given it to be distributed to the workmen, by the overseers
of the works of the temple of the Lord.
And Saphan the scribe told the king, saying: Helcias
the priest hath delivered to me a book. And when Saphan
had read it before the king,
And the king had heard the words of the law of the Lord,
he rent his garments.
And he commanded Helcias the priest, and Ahicam the
son of Saphan, and Achobor the son of Micha, and Saphan
the scribe, and Asaia the king's servant, saying:
Go and consult the Lord for me, and for the people,
and for all Juda, concerning the words of this book
which is found: for the great wrath of the Lord is kindled
against us, because our fathers have not hearkened to
the words of this book, to do all that is written for
us.
So Helcias the priest, and Ahicam, and Achobor, and
Saphan, and Asaia went to Holda the prophetess the wife
of Sellum the son of Thecua, the son of Araas keeper
of the wardrobe, who dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second:
and they spoke to her.
And she said to them: Thus saith the Lord the God of
Israel: Tell the man that sent you to me:
Thus saith the Lord: Behold, I will bring evils upon
this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, all the
words of the law which the king of Juda hath read:
Because they have forsaken me, and have sacrificed to
strange gods, provoking me by all the works of their
hands: therefore my indignation shall be kindled against
this place, and shall not be quenched.
But to the king of Juda, who sent you to consult the
Lord, thus shall you say: Thus saith the Lord the God
of Israel: Forasmuch as thou hast heard the words of
the book,
And thy heart hath been moved to fear, and thou hast
humbled thyself before the Lord, hearing the words against
this place, and the inhabitants thereof, to wit, that
they should become a wonder and a curse: and thou hast
rent thy garments, and wept before me, I also have heard
thee, saith the Lord:
Therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou
shalt be gathered to thy sepulchre in peace, that thy
eyes may not see all the evils which I will bring; upon
this place. |