Chapter 22

1Josiah 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.   אבֶּן־שְׁמֹנֶ֚ה שָׁנָה֙ יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ בְמָלְכ֔וֹ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֚ים וְאַחַת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑םִ וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ יְדִידָ֥ה בַת־עֲדָ֖יָה מִבָּצְקַֽת:
2And 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.   בוַיַּ֥עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ בְּכָל־דֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֔יו וְלֹא־סָ֖ר יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹֽאול:
3And 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:   גוַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁמֹנֶ֚ה עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ שָׁלַ֣ח הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ אֶת־שָׁפָ֨ן בֶּן־אֲצַלְיָ֚הוּ בֶן־מְשֻׁלָּם֙ הַסֹּפֵ֔ר בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר:
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.   דעֲלֵ֗ה אֶל־חִלְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֔וֹל וְיַתֵּ֣ם אֶת־הַכֶּ֔סֶף הַמּוּבָ֖א בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָסְפ֛וּ שֹׁמְרֵ֥י הַסַּ֖ף מֵאֵ֥ת הָעָֽם:
5And 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.   הוְיִתְּנֻ֗הוּ (כתיב וְיִתְּנֻ֗הֻ) עַל־יַד֙ עֹשֵֹ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה הַמֻּפְקָדִ֖ים בֵּ֣ית (כתיב בבֵּ֣ית) יְהֹוָ֑ה וְיִתְּנ֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ לְעֹשֵֹ֚י הַמְּלָאכָה֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔ה לְחַזֵּ֖ק בֶּ֥דֶק הַבָּֽיִת:
6To the carpenters and to the builders and to the masons, and to purchase wood and quarried stones, to strengthen the Temple.   ולֶחָ֣רָשִׁ֔ים וְלַבֹּנִ֖ים וְלַגֹּֽדְרִ֑ים וְלִקְנ֚וֹת עֵצִים֙ וְאַבְנֵ֣י מַחְצֵ֔ב לְחַזֵּ֖ק אֶת־הַבָּֽיִת:
7However, no reckoning shall be made with them of the silver that is given into their hands, for they deal honestly."   זאַךְ לֹא־יֵחָשֵׁ֣ב אִתָּ֔ם הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַנִּתָּ֣ן עַל־יָדָ֑ם כִּ֥י בֶאֱמוּנָ֖ה הֵ֥ם עֹשִֹֽים:
8And 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.   חוַ֠יֹּאמֶר חִלְקִיָּ֜הוּ הַכֹּהֵ֚ן הַגָּדוֹל֙ עַל־שָׁפָ֣ן הַסֹּפֵ֔ר סֵ֧פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֛ה מָצָ֖אתִי בְּבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּתֵּ֨ן חִלְקִיָּ֧ה אֶת־הַסֵּ֛פֶר אֶל־שָׁפָ֖ן וַיִּקְרָאֵֽהוּ:
I have found the Scroll of the Law: It was hidden under a layer of stones where they had concealed it when Ahaz burned the Torah.   סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה מָצָאתִי: טְמֹן תַּחַת הַנִּדְבָּךְ, שֶׁהִטְמִינוּ שָׂם כְּשֶׁשָּׂרַף אָחָז אֶת הַתּוֹרָה.
9And 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.   טוַיָּבֹ֞א שָׁפָ֚ן הַסֹּפֵר֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיָּ֥שֶׁב אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ דָּבָ֑ר וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִתִּ֚יכוּ עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ הַנִּמְצָ֣א בַבַּ֔יִת וַֽיִּתְּנֻ֗הוּ עַל־יַד֙ עֹשֵֹ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה הַמֻּפְקָדִ֖ים בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה:
10And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest gave me a scroll," And Shaphan read it before the king.   יוַיַּגֵּ֞ד שָׁפָ֚ן הַסֹּפֵר֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ לֵאמֹ֔ר סֵפֶר נָ֣תַן לִ֔י חִלְקִיָּ֖ה הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיִּקְרָאֵ֥הוּ שָׁפָ֖ן לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ:
11And it was when the king heard the words of the scroll of the Law, that he rent his garments.   יאוַֽיְהִי֙ כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י סֵ֣פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֑ה ויִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָֽיו:
12And 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,   יבוַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־חִלְקִיָּ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֡ן וְאֶת־אֲחִיקָ֣ם בֶּן־שָׁ֠פָן וְאֶת־עַכְבּ֨וֹר בֶּן־מִיכָיָ֜ה וְאֵ֣ת | שָׁפָ֣ן הַסֹּפֵ֗ר וְאֵ֛ת עֲשָׂיָ֥ה עֶֽבֶד־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵאמֹֽר:
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."   יגלְכוּ֩ דִרְשׁ֨וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֜ה בַּעֲדִ֣י וּבְעַד־הָעָ֗ם וּבְעַד֙ כָּל־יְהוּדָ֔ה עַל־דִּבְרֵ֛י הַסֵּ֥פֶר הַנִּמְצָ֖א הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־גְדוֹלָ֞ה חֲמַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר־הִיא֙ נִצְּתָ֣ה בָ֔נוּ עַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֜וּ אֲבֹתֵ֗ינוּ עַל־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֔ה לַעֲשֹ֖וֹת כְּכָל־הַכָּת֥וּב עָלֵֽינוּ:
inquire of the Lord on my behalf: He saw written, “The Lord will lead you and your king…”   דִרְשׁוּ אֶת ה' בַּעֲדִי: רָאָה כָּתוּב יוֹלֵךְ ה' אֹתְךָ וְאֶת מַלְכְּךָ.
14And 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.   ידוַיֵּ֣לֶךְ חִלְקִיָּ֣הוּ הַ֠כֹּהֵן וַאֲחִיקָ֨ם וְעַכְבּ֜וֹר וְשָׁפָ֣ן וַעֲשָׂיָ֗ה אֶל־חֻלְדָּ֨ה הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֵ֣שֶׁת | שַׁלֻּ֣ם בֶּן־תִּקְוָ֗ה בֶּן־חַרְחַס֙ שֹׁמֵ֣ר הַבְּגָדִ֔ים וְהִ֛יא ישֶׁ֥בֶת בִּירוּשָׁלַ֖םִ בַּמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה וַֽיְדַבְּר֖וּ אֵלֶֽיהָ:
to Huldah: Our Rabbis said that because a woman is more merciful than a man, he, therefore, did not send to Jeremiah. Others say that Jeremiah was not there since he went to bring back the ten tribes.   אֶל חֻלְדָּה: אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ: לְפִי שֶׁהָאִשָּׁה מְרַחֶמֶת יוֹתֵר מִן הָאִישׁ, לְכָךְ לֹא שָׁלַח אֶל יִרְמְיָהוּ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: יִרְמְיָהוּ לֹא הָיָה שָׂם, שֶׁהָלַךְ לְהַחֲזִיר עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים.
in the study-hall: [Heb. בַּמִּשְׁנֶה] (Jonathan renders:) in the study hall. There is a gate in the Temple court, named “the Gate of Huldah.” [This is found in] Tractate Middoth, 1:3. Others interpret בַּמִּשְׁנֶה as “outside the wall,” between the two walls, which are double [around] the city. [בַּמִּשְׁנֶה She was teaching the Oral Law to the elders of the generation. That is the Mishnah. Annotation of R.A.) His identity is unknown. בַּמִשְׁנֶה, From (Deut. 1:1) “These are the words,” until (ibid. 34:12) “before the eyes of all Israel,” and likewise all the things that are repeated in the Torah, she expounded on in public, and revealed the punishments and the exiles which were doubled for those who transgress the secrets and the allusions of the Torah, the secret of equity.]   בַּמִּשְׁנֶה: בְּבֵית אוּלְפָּנָא. שַׁעַר יֵשׁ בָּעֲזָרָה שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ שַׁעַר חֻלְדָּה בְּמַסֶּכֶת מִדּוֹת. וְיֵשׁ שֶׁפּוֹתְרִים 'בַּמִשְׁנֶה', חוּץ לַחוֹמָה, בֵּין שְׁתֵּי הַחוֹמוֹת, שֶׁהִיא מִשְׁנֶה לָעִיר, (בַּמִּשְׁנֶה. הָיְתָה לוֹמְדָה הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה לַזְּקֵנִים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר, וְהִיא הִיא הַמִּשְׁנֶה, הג"ה דר"ע). בַּמִּשְׁנֶה. (מֵ'אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים' עַד 'לְעֵינֵי כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל', דְּהַיְנוּ סֵפֶר דְּבָרִים הַקָּרוּי מִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה, וְכֵן כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הַנִּכְפָּלִים בַּתּוֹרָה דָּרְשָׁה בָּרַבִּים, וְגִלְּתָה הָעֳנָשִׁים וְהַגָּלֻיּוֹת הַנִּכְפָּלִים לָעוֹבְרִים עַל סוֹדוֹ וְרִמְזֵי הַתּוֹרָה. סוֹד מֵישָׁרִים).
15And she said to them, "So has the Lord God of Israel spoken, 'Say to the man who sent you to me,   טווַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִמְר֣וּ לָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי:
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.   טזכֹּה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֥יא רָעָ֛ה אֶל־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה וְעַל־יֽשְׁבָ֑יו אֵת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י הַסֵּ֔פֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר קָרָ֖א מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה:
17Because 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.'   יזתַּ֣חַת | אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲזָב֗וּנִי וַֽיְקַטְּרוּ֙ לֵאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים לְמַ֙עַן֙ הַכְעִיסֵ֔נִי בְּכֹ֖ל מַעֲשֵֹ֣ה יְדֵיהֶ֑ם וְנִצְּתָ֧ה חֲמָתִ֛י בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה וְלֹ֥א תִכְבֶּֽה:
18And 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.   יחוְאֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה הַשֹּׁלֵ֚חַ אֶתְכֶם֙ לִדְר֣שׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה כֹּ֥ה תֹאמְר֖וּ אֵלָ֑יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֚ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמָֽעְתָּ:
19Since 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.   יטיַ֠עַן רַךְ־לְבָ֨בְךָ֜ וַתִּכָּנַ֣ע | מִפְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה בְּֽשָׁמְעֲךָ֡ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבַּרְתִּי֩ עַל־הַמָּק֨וֹם הַזֶּ֜ה וְעַל־ישְׁבָ֗יו לִהְי֚וֹת לְשַׁמָּה֙ וְלִקְלָלָ֔ה וַתִּקְרַע֙ אֶת־בְּגָדֶ֔יךָ וַתִּבְכֶּ֖ה לְפָנָ֑י וְגַ֧ם אָנֹכִ֛י שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה:
20Therefore, 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.   כלָכֵן֩ הִנְנִ֨י אֹֽסִפְךָ֜ עַל־אֲבֹתֶ֗יךָ וְנֶאֱסַפְתָּ֣ אֶל־קִבְרֹתֶיךָ֘ בְּשָׁלוֹם֒ וְלֹא־תִרְאֶ֣ינָה עֵינֶ֔יךָ בְּכֹל֙ הָֽרָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י מֵבִ֖יא עַל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַיָּשִׁ֥בוּ אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ דָּבָֽר:
and you shall be gathered into your graves in peace: And what is the peace?   וְנֶאֱסַפְתָּ אֶל קִבְרֹתֶיךָ בְּשָׁלוֹם: וּמַהוּ הַשָּׁלוֹם.
and your eyes shall not see: the destruction of the Temple.   וְלֹא תִרְאֶינָה עֵינֶיךָ: .בְּחֻרְבַּן הַבָּיִת