^22:11When the king heard the words of the law scroll, he tore his clothes. ^22:12The king ordered Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, ^22:13“Go, seek an oracle from¹³ the Lord for me and the people—for all Judah. Find out about¹⁴ the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the Lord’s fury has been ignited against us,¹⁵ because our ancestors have not obeyed the words of this scroll by doing all that it instructs us to do.”¹⁶

^22:14So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shullam son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the supervisor of the wardrobe.¹⁷ (She lived in Jerusalem in the Mishneh¹⁸ district.) They stated their business,¹⁹^22:15and she said to them: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Say this to the man who sent you to me: ^22:16“This is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on this place and its residents, the details of which are recorded in the scroll which the king of Judah has read.²⁰^22:17This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrifices²¹ to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made.²² My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!’ ” ^22:18Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from the Lord: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says concerning the words you have heard: ^22:19‘You displayed a sensitive spirit²³ and humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard how I intended to make this place and its residents into an appalling example of an accursed people.²⁴ You tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,’ says the Lord. ^22:20‘Therefore I will allow you to die and be buried in peace.²⁵ You will not have to witness²⁶ all the disaster I will bring on this place.’ ” ’ ” Then they reported back to the king.

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Footnotes

13 Or “inquire of.”
14 Heb “concerning.”
15 Heb “for great is the anger of the Lord which has been ignited against us.”
16 Heb “by doing all that is written concerning us.” Perhaps עָלֵינוּ (’alenu), “concerning us,” should be altered to עָלָיו (’alav), “upon it,” in which case one could translate, “by doing all that is written in it.”
17 Heb “the keeper of the clothes.”
18 Or “second.” For a discussion of the possible location of this district, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (), .
19 Heb “and they spoke to her.”
20 Heb “all the words of the scroll which the king of Judah has read.”
21 Or “burned incense.”
22 Heb “angering me with all the work of their hands.” The translation assumes that this refers to idols they have manufactured (note the preceding reference to “other gods,” as well as 19:18). However, it is possible that this is a general reference to their sinful practices, in which case one might translate, “angering me by all the things they do.”
23 Heb “Because your heart was tender.”
24 Heb “how I said concerning this place and its residents to become [an object of] horror and [an example of] a curse.” The final phrase (“horror and a curse”) refers to Judah becoming a prime example of an accursed people. In curse formulations they would be held up as a prime example of divine judgment. For an example of such a curse, see Jer 29:22.
25 Heb “Therefore, look, I am gathering you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your tomb in peace.”
26 Heb “your eyes will not see.”