CHAPTER 22 Sep. 16 
Josiah’s Reign
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and walked in all the way of David his father, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 3It happened 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 Yahweh, saying, 4Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the money which is brought into the house of Yahweh, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered of the people. 5Let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of Yahweh; and let them give it to the workmen who are in the house of Yahweh, to repair the breaches of the house, 6to the carpenters, to the builders and to the masons, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the house. 7However there was no accounting made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand; for they dealt faithfully.
The Book of the Law Is Found 
8Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of Yahweh. Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again and said, Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of Yahweh. 10Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, Hilkiah the priest has delivered a book to me. Shaphan read it before the king. 11It happened, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he tore his clothes. 12The 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, 13Go inquire of Yahweh for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the wrath of Yahweh that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us. 14So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter); and they talked with her. 15She said to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me, 16Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. 17Because they have forsaken Me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore My wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched. 18But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, thus you shall tell him, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: Concerning the words which you have heard, 19because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Yahweh when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes, and wept before Me; I also have heard you, says Yahweh. 20Therefore behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, neither shall your eyes see all the evil which I will bring on this place’. They brought back this message to the king.

Commentary

22:11 Josiah lived a life pleasing to God, as did others of his generation, and yet he was in ignorance of all the details of God’s law. Full knowledge, even of some quite important things, didn't stop Josiah from being credited with doing what was right before God and not 'turning aside to the right hand or to the left' (:2). He was judged according to how well he responded to that which he did know. And this may be a helpful window for us into how we should feel towards those who sincerely seek to follow the Lord and yet with imperfect knowledge. Time and again the prophets judged Israel according to their "ways", rather than according to their theological or academic knowledge (Ez. 18:30). We must bear this in mind in considering the status of those who only have partial access to or understanding of God’s word. And yet once Josiah knew these words of God, he eagerly obeyed them as far as he could and asked for forgiveness for his disobedience to them- thus recognizing that sins of ignorance are still a felt offence against God. Our ignorance doesn’t stop Him being hurt by our disobedience, just as others’ ignorance doesn’t mean they don’t hurt us by their inappropriate words or actions. Hence sins of ignorance still required atonement under the Law of Moses. 
22:13 It would seem that the part of the book of the law which was found included God’s threatened judgments against Israel for their disobedience; it was “the book of the covenant” (23:2) and likely included the curses of Lev. 26 and Dt.28. Yet Jeremiah comments that when this was discovered, this word of God was for him the joy and rejoicing of his heart and he fed on it with joy (Jer. 15:16). All of God’s word, including those parts of the Old Testament which some may consider as repetitive judgments which we’d rather not read, should be fed on by us and be some source of joy to us.  
22:14 The fact that a woman was a prophetess at this time shows that women aren’t disqualified from speaking forth God’s word in any context.
22:19 Your heart was tender- How is our response when a new understanding of the word's teaching in practical, everyday issues stares us in the face from the pages of Scripture?