King Josiah

By Beverly Webecke

(See 2 Kgs. 22:1–13; 2 Kgs. 23:1–3; 2 Chr. 34:1–2, 8, 14–21, 29–33.)

And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart … ; neither after him arose there any like him (2 Kgs. 23:25).

1. When Josiah was only eight years old, he became king of Judah. He ruled for thirty-one years. He was a good king, and he wanted to follow the Lord. However, Josiah had never been taught from the scriptures, because they had been lost.

2. After Josiah had ruled for eighteen years, he sent Shaphan, a scribe, to the temple to tell the high priest Hilkiah to take the silver collected from the people and use it to repair the temple.

3. Hilkiah found “the book of the law” (the scriptures) in the temple. He gave it to Shaphan, who read it, then took it to the king and read it to him.

4. Upon hearing the words of the scriptures, Josiah gathered his people and read the book to them.

5. King Josiah promised that he would walk in the ways of the Lord and obey His commandments. The people of Judah promised that they would be obedient, too, and that they would stop worshiping false gods.

Illustrated by Phyllis Luch