2 Chronicles 34:14-21 - While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD that had been given through Moses. Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD." He gave it to Shaphan.
Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: "Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers." Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.
When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: "Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book."
I wondered earlier if Shaphan had read the book before taking it to Josiah. After reading this similar account, I'm almost certain he did read at least some -- maybe even all -- of it before going to the king. I wonder which section he read to Josiah. At least part of it must have been about laws they had not been keeping and probably the resulting curses that God promised to send on the law breakers.
I wonder how Shaphan decided which section to read. Did he pick out the part about worshiping idols? Did he take what he thought was the most poignant? The harshest? The most commonly broken?
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