7. Josiah broke down the altars and the Asherah poles. He beat the idols into powder. He cut down all the incense altars used for Baal worship in all the country of Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
8. When Josiah was in his 18th year as king of Judah, he sent Shaphan, Maaseiah, and Joah to rebuild and repair the Temple of the Lord his God. Shaphan was the son of Azaliah. Maaseiah was the city leader. Joah, who was the son of Joahaz, wrote about what happened. So Josiah commanded the Temple to be repaired so that he could make Judah and the Temple clean.
9. These men came to Hilkiah the high priest. They gave him the money that people gave for God’s Temple. The Levite doorkeepers had collected this money from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim, and from all the Israelites who were left. They also collected this money from all Judah, Benjamin, and all the people living in Jerusalem.
10. Then the Levites paid the men who supervised the work on the Lord’S Temple. And the supervisors paid the workers who repaired the Lord’S Temple.
11. They gave the money to carpenters and builders to buy large rocks that were already cut, and to buy wood. The wood was used to rebuild the buildings and to make beams for the buildings. In the past, the kings of Judah did not take care of the Temple buildings. The buildings had become old and ruined.
12-13. The men worked faithfully. Their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah. Jahath and Obadiah were Levites, and they were descendants of Merari. Other supervisors were Zechariah and Meshullam. They were descendants of Kohath. The Levites who were skilled in playing instruments of music also supervised the laborers and all the other workers. Some Levites worked as secretaries, officials, and doorkeepers.
14. The Levites brought out the money that was in the Lord’S Temple. At that time Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that was given through Moses.
15. Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I found the Book of the Law in the Lord’S house.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.
16. Shaphan brought the book to King Josiah. Shaphan reported to the king, “Your servants are doing everything you told them to do.
17. They got the money that was in the Lord’S Temple and are paying the supervisors and the workers.”
18. Then Shaphan said to King Josiah, “Hilkiah the priest gave a book to me.” Then Shaphan read from the book in front of the king.
19. When King Josiah heard the words of the law being read, he tore his clothes.