Intertextuality Pair

2 Chronicles 34:8-19 → 2 Kings 22:3-23

Quotation

Later text

2 Chronicles 34:8-19BSB

Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, in order to cleanse the land and the temple, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God. So they went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites at the doors had collected from the people of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all the remnant of Israel, Judah, and Benjamin, and from the people of Jerusalem. They put it into the hands of the supervisors of those doing the work of the house of the LORD, who in turn gave it to the workmen restoring and repairing the house of the LORD. They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to buy dressed stone, as well as timbers for couplings and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to deteriorate. And the men did the work faithfully. The Levites overseeing them were Jahath and Obadiah, descendants of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descendants of Kohath. Other Levites, all skilled with musical instruments, were over the laborers and supervised all who did the work, task by task. Some of the Levites were secretaries, officers, and gatekeepers. While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD written by Moses. And Hilkiah said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD!" And he gave it to Shaphan. Then Shaphan brought the book to the king and reported, "Your servants are doing all that has been placed in their hands. They have paid out the money that was found in the house of the LORD and have put it into the hands of the supervisors and workers." Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes

Earlier text

2 Kings 22:3-23BSB

Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the scribe, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the house of the LORD, saying, “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. And let them deliver it into the hands of the supervisors of those doing the work on the house of the LORD, who in turn are to give it to the workmen repairing the damages to the house of the LORD— to the carpenters, builders, and masons—to buy timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. But they need not account for the money put into their hands, since they work with integrity.” Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD!" And he gave it to Shaphan, who read it. And Shaphan the scribe went to the king and reported, “Your servants have paid out the money that was found in the temple and have put it into the hands of the workers and supervisors of the house of the LORD.” Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes and commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the servant of the king: “Go and inquire of the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah concerning the words in this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book by doing all that is written about us.” So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District. And Huldah said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell the man who sent you that this is what the LORD says: I am about to bring calamity on this place and on its people, according to all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read, because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be kindled against this place and will not be quenched.’ But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for the words that you heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its people, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,’ declares the LORD. ‘Therefore I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place.’” So they brought her answer back to the king.

Significance

These are parallel accounts of the temple repair project and the pivotal discovery of the Book of the Law. Both record the same sequence: Shaphan is sent to the temple, Hilkiah reports finding the scroll, Shaphan reads it to the king, and Josiah tears his robes in anguish. The Chronicler adds that the repair workers "did the work faithfully" (בֶּאֱמוּנָה, be'emunah, 2 Chr 34:12) and provides more detail about the Levitical oversight of the project. Both emphasize that the scroll was read aloud before the king — the oral performance of Torah before the ruler echoing the Deuteronomic requirement for kings to write and read a copy of the law (Deut 17:18-19).

Found via
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Reference Type
Direct Quotation
Connection Method(s)
Redemptive-Historical Progression — The same sequence stands in both books — money for the workmen, Hilkiah's "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD," Shaphan reading it before the king, and Josiah tearing his clothes (2 Kings 22:3-11 // 2 Chronicles 34:8-19) — with the Chronicler re-presenting the account through Levitical oversight and workmen who "did the work faithfully" (34:12), so that the recovered word of God confronts a king already engaged in restoring God's house.

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