1Yoshiyahu was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Yerushalayim.

2And he did what was right in the eyes of יהוה, and walked in the ways of his father Dawiḏ, and did not turn aside, right or left.

3And in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the Elohim of his father Dawiḏ. And in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Yehuḏah and Yerushalayim from the high places, and the Ashĕrim, and the carved images, and the moulded images.

4And they broke down the altars of the Ba‛als in his presence, and the sun-pillars which were above them he cut down. And the Ashĕrim, and the carved images, and the moulded images he smashed, and ground them up and strewed it on the graves of those who had offered to them.

5And he burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and cleansed Yehuḏah and Yerushalayim,

6and in the cities of Menashsheh, and Ephrayim, and Shim‛on, as far as Naphtali, in their ruins all around.

7And he broke down the altars and the Ashĕrim, and ground the carved images into dust, and cut down all the sun-pillars throughout all the land of Yisra’ĕl, and returned to Yerushalayim.

8And in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land and the House, he sent Shaphan son of Atsalyahu, and Ma‛asĕyahu the head of the city, and Yo’aḥ son of Yo’aḥaz the recorder, to repair the House of יהוה his Elohim.

9And they went to Ḥilqiyahu the high priest, and they gave the silver that was brought into the House of Elohim, which the Lĕwites who kept the doors had gathered from the hand of Menashsheh and Ephrayim, and from all the remnant of Yisra’ĕl, and from all Yehuḏah and Binyamin, and which they had brought back to Yerushalayim,

10and they gave it in the hand of the workmen, those appointed over the House of יהוה. And they gave it to the workmen who worked in the House of יהוה, to repair and strengthen the house.

11And they gave it to the craftsmen and to the builders, to buy hewn stone and timber for couplings and for beams for the houses which the sovereigns of Yehuḏah had destroyed.

12And the men did the work trustworthily. And over them were appointed Yaḥath and Oḇaḏyahu the Lĕwites, of the sons of Merari, and Zeḵaryah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Qehathites, to oversee; and of the Lĕwites, all of whom were skilled in instruments of song,

13and over the burden bearers, and overseers of all who did work in any kind of service. And of the Lĕwites were scribes, and officers, and gatekeepers.

14And when they brought out the silver that was brought into the House of יהוה, Ḥilqiyahu the priest found the Book of the Torah of יהוה given by Mosheh.

15Then Ḥilqiyahu responded and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Torah in the House of יהוה.” And Ḥilqiyahu gave the book to Shaphan.

16And Shaphan brought the book to the sovereign, and brought the sovereign word, saying, “All that has been given into the hand of your servants, they are doing.

17“And they have poured out the silver that was found in the House of יהוה, and have given it into the hand of those appointed and the workmen.”

18And Shaphan the scribe informed the sovereign, saying, “Ḥilqiyahu the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the sovereign.

19And it came to be, when the sovereign heard the words of the Torah, that he tore his garments.

20And the sovereign commanded Ḥilqiyahu, Aḥiqam son of Shaphan, and Aḇdon son of Miḵah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asayah a servant of the sovereign, saying,

21“Go, inquire of יהוה for me, and for him who is left in Yisra’ĕl and in Yehuḏah, concerning the words of the book that is found. For great is the wrath of יהוה that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not guarded the Word of יהוה, to do according to all that is written in this book.”

22Then Ḥilqiyahu and those of the sovereign went to Ḥuldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Toqhath, son of Ḥasrah, keeper of the wardrobe, who was dwelling in Yerushalayim in the Second Quarter. And they spoke to her about this.

23And she said to them, “Thus said יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, ‘Say to the man who sent you to Me,

24“Thus said יהוה, ‘See, I am bringing evil on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the sovereign of Yehuḏah,

25because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other mighty ones, to provoke Me with all the works of their hands. Therefore My wrath is poured out on this place, and is not quenched.’ ” ’

26“And to the sovereign of Yehuḏah, who sent you to inquire of יהוה, say this to him, ‘Thus said יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, whose words you have heard,

27“Because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Elohim when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your garments and wept before Me, I also have heard,” declares יהוה.

28“See, I am gathering you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, so that your eyes would not see all the evil that I am bringing on this place and its inhabitants.” ’ ” So they brought back word to the sovereign.

29And the sovereign sent and gathered all the elders of Yehuḏah and Yerushalayim.

30And the sovereign went up to the House of יהוה with all the men of Yehuḏah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, and the priests and the Lĕwites, and all the people, both great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the House of יהוה.

31And the sovereign stood in his place and made a covenant before יהוה, to follow יהוה and to guard His commands and His witnesses and His laws, with all his heart and all his being, to do the words of the covenant that were written in this book.

32And he made stand all who were present in Yerushalayim and Binyamin. And the inhabitants of Yerushalayim did according to the covenant of Elohim, the Elohim of their fathers.

33And Yoshiyahu removed all the abominations from all the lands that belonged to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and made all who were present in Yisra’ĕl diligently serve יהוה their Elohim. All his days they did not turn away from following יהוה Elohim of their fathers.