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
24. the Lord says, ‘I will bring trouble to this place and to the people living here. I will bring all the terrible things that are written in the book that was read in front of the king of Judah.
25. I will do this because the people left me and burned incense to other gods. They made me angry because of all the bad things they have done. So I will pour out my anger on this place. Like a hot burning fire, my anger will not be put out!’
26. “Go back to King Josiah of Judah, who sent you to ask what the Lord wants. Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the words you heard being read:
27. Josiah, when you heard my words against this city and its people, you were sorry and humbled yourself before me. You even tore your clothes to show your sorrow and cried before me. Because your heart was tender, I the Lord, have heard you.
28. I will take you to be with your ancestors. You will go to your grave in peace. You will not have to see any of the trouble that I will bring on this place and on the people living here.’” Hilkiah and the king’s servants brought back this message to King Josiah.
29. Then King Josiah called for all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to come and meet with him.
30. The king went up to the Lord’S Temple. All the people from Judah, the people living in Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites, and all the people, both important and not important, were with Josiah. He read to them all the words in the Book of the Agreement. That book was found in the Lord’S Temple.
31. Then the king stood up in his place. He made an agreement with the Lord. He agreed to follow the Lord and to obey his commands, laws, and rules. He agreed to obey with all his heart and soul the words of the agreement written in this book.
32. Then Josiah made all the people in Jerusalem and Benjamin promise to accept the agreement. The people of Jerusalem obeyed the agreement of God, the God their ancestors obeyed.
33. The Israelites had idols from many different countries, but Josiah destroyed all the terrible idols. He made all the people in Israel serve the Lord their God. And as long as Josiah was alive, the people continued to serve the Lord, the God of their ancestors.