9 And Shafan the scribe came to the king, and brought the answer to the king, and said, 'Your servants have taken the silver that was found in the house, and have given it into the hands of the workers who are assigned to the house of the Lord.'

10 And Shaphan the scribe reported to the king, saying, 'Hilkiah the priest has given me the book.' And Shafan read it before the king.

11 And when the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his garments.

12 And the king of Hilkiah commanded the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micah, and Shapan the scribe, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying,

13 Go and ask the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judea, concerning the words of this book which has been found, for great is the wrath of the Lord, which has been kindled against us, because our fathers have not heard the words of this book, that we may do according to what is prescribed for us.

14 And Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shathan, and Asaiah, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Charchas, the keeper of the garments, and she dwelt in Jerusalem in the second part, and they spoke to her.

15 And she said to them, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, Say to the man who sent you to me,

16 Thus saith the Lord, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, all the words of the book which the king of Judah read.

17 Because they have forsaken me, and burn incense to other gods, to provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, my wrath is kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched.

18 And to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, say, 'Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, concerning the words which you have heard,

19 Inasmuch as thy heart was softened, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou hast heard what I have spoken against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they shall be an object of terror and curse, and thou hast torn thy garments, and hast wept before me, I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore behold, I will add thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be laid in thy tomb in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the calamity which I shall bring upon this place. And they brought an answer to the king.

Chapter 23

1 And the king sent, and they gathered together to him all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.