When the king heard those words, he realized how far his nation had drifted from God’s path, and he tore his clothes in mourning. 20 He then summoned five of his high-ranking officials: Hilkiah, Ahikam (son of Shaphan), Abdon (son of Micah), Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant. Josiah: 21 You must intercede for me and for all those who remain in Israel and Judah. Ask the Lord about these laws which we have just found. The Eternal must be furious with us because our ancestors disobeyed His laws in this book. Soon He will unleash that anger and punish us all. 22 The four men including Hilkiah went straight to Huldah the prophetess in Jerusalem’s Second Quarter because they knew He would speak through her. Huldah was the wife of Shallum (son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe). Huldah: 23-24 These are the words of the Eternal God of Israel: “Tell Josiah, king of Judah, that I will indeed curse this nation and these people, just as the book says I will, 25 because they have disobeyed Me and made sacrifices to other gods intending to infuriate Me by their actions. The pain and suffering you are about to experience will be unbearable and unending. 26 “But to the king of Judah who sent you to Me, I, the Eternal God of Israel, have noticed your reforms. 27 Because you recognized the True God’s laws, which convicted your nation of their sins, and you humbled yourself and mourned your nation’s actions by tearing your clothing, I have heard you and will have mercy on you. 28 You will die and lie with your ancestors in peace before I unleash My anger on this nation, so your eyes will not witness the great disaster that I am about to bring forth on this place and those dwelling here.” The four servants gave the king this message, 29 and he immediately summoned all the elders in Judah and Jerusalem. 30 The entire nation (great and small, priest and layman, man and woman) went up to the Eternal’s temple where Josiah read to them the laws from the book of the covenant that was found in the Eternal’s temple. 31-32 There, the king and the entire assembly in Jerusalem, people from Benjamin and Judah, stood and renewed Israel’s covenant with the Eternal, promising to follow His ways, obey His laws with all diligence, and perform the duties of the covenant described in the book. Then all the people in Jerusalem respected their covenant with the True God, the God of their ancestors, 33 and Josiah purged all the lands of Israel of false worship, making certain everyone in Israel served the Eternal God. The people remained faithful to the Eternal God of their ancestors throughout Josiah’s reign. |
Daily Prayer > Old Testament >
