1. UJosiya wayeneminyaka eyisishiyagalombili ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa, wabusa iminyaka engamashumi amathathu nanye eJerusalema; igama likanina lalinguJedida indodakazi ka-Adaya waseBosikati.
2. Wenza okulungile emehlweni kaJehova, wahamba ngendlela yonke kaDavide uyise, kachezukelanga ngakwesokunene nangakwesokhohlo.
3. Kwathi ngomnyaka weshumi nesishiyagalombili wenkosi uJosiya inkosi yathuma uShafani indodana ka-Asaliya kaMeshulamu, umbhali, endlini kaJehova, yathi:
4. “Yenyukela kuHilikiya umpristi omkhulu ukuba abale imali eyiswe endlini kaJehova, iqoqwe ngabalindimnyango kubantu,
5. bayibeke esandleni sezisebenzi eziphethe indlu kaJehova, bakhokhele ngayo abasebenza umsebenzi wasendlini kaJehova ukulungisa izimfa zendlu,
6. ababazi, nabakhi, nabakha ngamatshe, nokuthenga imithi namatshe abaziweyo ukulungisa indlu.
7. Nokho akubalelwananga nabo ngemali eyabekwa esandleni sabo, ngokuba babethembekile ekuphatheni kwabo.”
8. UHilikiya, umpristi omkhulu, wathi kuShafani umbhali: “Ngifumene incwadi yomthetho endlini kaJehova.” UHilikiya wanika uShafani leyo ncwadi, wayifunda.
9. UShafani umbhali waya enkosini, waletha umbiko enkosini, wathi: “Izinceku zakho zithululile imali eyafunyanwa endlini, zayibeka esandleni sezisebenzi eziphethe indlu kaJehova.”
10. UShafani umbhali wayitshela inkosi, wathi: “UHilikiya umpristi unginike incwadi.” UShafani wayifunda phambi kwenkosi.
11. Kwathi lapho inkosi isizwile amazwi encwadi yomthetho, yaziklebhula izingubo zayo.