made one Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Shaphan the scribe, and
Joab the recorder, and Eliakim the high priest, curators of the temple,
and of the charges contributed thereto; who made no delay, nor put the
work off at all, but prepared architects, and whatsoever was proper
for those repairs, and set closely about the work. So the temple was
repaired by this means, and became a public demonstration of the king's
piety.

2. But when he was now in the eighteenth year of his reign, he sent
to Eliakim the high priest, and gave order, that out of what money was
overplus, he should cast cups, and dishes, and vials, for ministration
[in the temple]; and besides, that they should bring all the gold or
silver which was among the treasures, and expend that also in making
cups and the like vessels. But as the high priest was bringing out the
gold, he lighted upon the holy books of Moses that were laid up in the
temple; and when he had brought them out, he gave them to Shaphan the
scribe, who, when he had read them, came to the king, and informed him
that all was finished which he had ordered to be done. He also read over
the books to him, who, when he had heard them read, rent his garment,
and called for Eliakim the high priest, and for [Shaphan] the scribe,
and for certain [other] of his most particular friends, and sent them to
Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, [which Shallum was a man of
dignity, and of an eminent family,] and bid them go to her, and say
that [he desired] she would appease God, and endeavor to render him
propitious to them, for that there was cause to fear, lest, upon the
transgression of the laws of Moses by their forefathers, they should
be in peril of going into captivity, and of being cast out of their own
country; lest they should be in want of all things, and so end their
days miserably. When the prophetess had heard this from the messengers
that were sent to her by the king, she bid them go back to the king, and
say that "God had already given sentence against them, to destroy the
people, and cast them out of their country, and deprive them of all
the happiness they enjoyed;" which sentence none could set aside by
any prayers of theirs, since it was passed on account of their
transgressions of the laws, and of their not having repented in so long
a time, while the prophets had exhorted them to amend, and had foretold
the punishment that would ensue on their impious practices; which
thre