2. He lived in a way that pleased the Lord, always doing what was right, as his ancestor David had done. Josiah never changed this way of life.
3. When Josiah was in his eighth year as king, he began to follow the God worshiped by David his ancestor. He was still young when he began to obey God. When he was in his twelfth year as king he began to destroy the high places, the Asherah poles, and idols that were carved and idols that were made from molds from Judah and Jerusalem.
4. As Josiah watched, the people broke down the altars for the Baal gods. Then he cut down the incense altars that stood high above the people. He broke the idols that were carved and the idols that were made from molds. He beat the idols into powder and sprinkled the powder on the graves of the people who had offered sacrifices to the Baal gods.
5. Josiah even burned the bones of the priests who had served the Baal gods on their own altars. This is how he destroyed idols and idol worship from Judah and Jerusalem.
6. Josiah did the same for the towns in the areas of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and all the way to Naphtali. He did the same for the ruins near all these towns.
7. Josiah broke down the altars and the Asherah poles. He beat the idols into powder. He cut down all the incense altars used for Baal worship in all the country of Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
8. When Josiah was in his 18th year as king of Judah, he sent Shaphan, Maaseiah, and Joah to rebuild and repair the Temple of the Lord his God. Shaphan was the son of Azaliah. Maaseiah was the city leader. Joah, who was the son of Joahaz, wrote about what happened. So Josiah commanded the Temple to be repaired so that he could make Judah and the Temple clean.
9. These men came to Hilkiah the high priest. They gave him the money that people gave for God’s Temple. The Levite doorkeepers had collected this money from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim, and from all the Israelites who were left. They also collected this money from all Judah, Benjamin, and all the people living in Jerusalem.
12-13. The men worked faithfully. Their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah. Jahath and Obadiah were Levites, and they were descendants of Merari. Other supervisors were Zechariah and Meshullam. They were descendants of Kohath. The Levites who were skilled in playing instruments of music also supervised the laborers and all the other workers. Some Levites worked as secretaries, officials, and doorkeepers.
14. The Levites brought out the money that was in the Lord’S Temple. At that time Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that was given through Moses.
15. Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I found the Book of the Law in the Lord’S house.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.
16. Shaphan brought the book to King Josiah. Shaphan reported to the king, “Your servants are doing everything you told them to do.
17. They got the money that was in the Lord’S Temple and are paying the supervisors and the workers.”
18. Then Shaphan said to King Josiah, “Hilkiah the priest gave a book to me.” Then Shaphan read from the book in front of the king.
19. When King Josiah heard the words of the law being read, he tore his clothes.
20. Then the king gave a command to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the servant.
21. The king said, “Go, ask the Lord for me and for the people who are left in Israel and in Judah. Ask about the words in the book that was found. The Lord is very angry with us because our ancestors did not obey the Lord’S word. They did not do everything this book says to do.”
22. Hilkiah and the king’s servants went to the newer part of Jerusalem to see Huldah the prophetess. She was the wife of Shallum, the son of Tokhath, whose father was Hasrah. Shallum had the job of taking care of the king’s clothes. Hilkiah and the king’s servants told Huldah what had happened.
23. Huldah said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell King Josiah that