II Kings Chapter 22

Exposé | Moral

Enjoy Life?

Because the sentence for wrongdoing is not executed quickly — that is why men are encouraged to do evil,
Koheles (Ecclesiastes) 8:11

*Ask if G-d is pleased with how you live your life?

No acknowledgment. No thanking. No prayer. No reading. No learning.

If your answer is, “yes,” think again.

“King Josiah, A Righteous King”

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. HIs mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah, of Bozkath.
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He did what was proper in the eyes of Hashem, following the ways of his forefather David; he did not veer right or left.
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“Go up to Hilkiah the Kohen Gadol, and [tell him] that he should collect the money that is brought to the Temple of Hashem, which the gatekeepers have collected from the people.
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and they should give it over to the workmen-in-charge in the Temple of Hashem, and they should give it to the workmen in the Temple of Hashem, to repair the deterioration of the Temple,
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However, no accounting shall be made with them for the money given over into their hand, for they act with integrity.”
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Hilkiah, the Kohen Gadol, said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found a Scroll of the Torah in the Temple of Hashem.” Hilkiah gave the Scroll to Shaphan, and he read it.
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Shaphan the scribe then told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the Kohen has given me a Scroll.” Shapan then read it before the king.
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It happened that when the king heard the words of the Scroll of the Torah, he rent his garment.
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“Go and inquire of Hashem on my behalf, and on behalf of the people and on behalf of all of Judah, concerning the words of this Scroll that was found; for great is the wrath of Hashem that has been incited against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this Scroll, to fulfill all that was written for us.”
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She said to them, “Thus said Hashem, God of Israel: Say to the man who sent you to me, ‘Thus said Hashem: Behold, I am bringing evil upon this place and upon its inhabitants — [namely] all the words of the Scroll that the king of Judah read —
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because they have forsaken Me and burned offerings to the gods of others, in order to anger Me with all their handiwork; My wrath has been incited against this place, and it will not be extinguished.’
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because your heart is soft and you humbled yourself before Hashem when you heard that which I have spoken about this place and its inhabitants, …
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Therefore, behold, I will gather you in to your forefathers — you will be gathered to your grave in peace — and your eyes will not see all the evil that I am bringing upon this place.’” They brought this report back to the king.
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1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and he walked in all the ways of David his father, and he turned away neither right nor left.
3 And it was in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam the scribe to the house of the Lord, saying:
4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and let him gather up all the silver that was brought to the house of the Lord, that the keepers of the utensils collected from the people.
5 And let them give it into the hands of the foremen of the work, who are appointed in the house of the Lord, and let them give it to the workers who are in the house of the Lord, to repair the damage of the Temple.
6 To the carpenters and to the builders and to the masons, and to purchase wood and quarried stones, to strengthen the Temple.
7 However, no reckoning shall be made with them of the silver that is given into their hands, for they deal honestly.”
8 And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Scroll of the Law in the house of the Lord,” and Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he read it.
9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought back word to the king, and said, “Your servants have melted the silver that was found in the Temple, and they have given it into the hands of the foremen of the work who were appointed over the house of the Lord.
10 And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a scroll,” And Shaphan read it before the king.
11 And it was when the king heard the words of the scroll of the Law, that he rent his garments.
12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam the son of Shaphan and Achbor the son of Micaiah and Shaphan the scribe and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,
13 “Go, inquire of the Lord on my behalf and on the behalf of the people and on behalf of all of Judah concerning the words of this scroll which has been found, for great is the Lord’s wrath which is kindled against us, since our forefathers did not obey the words of this scroll, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”
14 And Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam and Achbor and Shaphan and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah the son of Harhas, the keeper of the raiment, and she was sitting in Jerusalem in the study-hall, and they spoke to her.
15 And she said to them, “So has the Lord God of Israel spoken, ‘Say to the man who sent you to me,
16 “So has the Lord said, ‘Behold I bring calamity to this place and upon its inhabitants-all the words of the scroll that the king of Judah read.
17 Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to pagan deities, in order to provoke Me with all the deeds of their hands, My wrath is kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched.’
18 And concerning the king of Judah who has sent you to inquire of the Lord, so shall you say to him, ‘So has the Lord God of Israel said, “The words are what you heard.
19 Since your heart has become soft, and you have humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard what I spoke about this place and about its inhabitants, to become a desolation and a curse, and you rent your garments and wept before Me, I, too, have heard [it],’ says the Lord.
20 Therefore, behold I gather you in to your forefathers, and you shall be gathered into your graves in peace, and your eyes shall not see any of the calamity that I am bringing upon this place.” And they brought back word to the king.