¹⁷ but they did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted^(A) themselves with other gods, bowing down to them. They quickly turned from the way^(B) of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands. They did not do as their fathers did. ¹⁸ Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for the Israelites, the Lord was with^(C) him and saved the people from the power of their enemies while the judge was still alive.^[a] The Lord was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them. ¹⁹ Whenever the judge died, the Israelites would act even more corruptly^(D) than their fathers, going after other gods to worship and bow down to them. They did not turn from their evil practices or their obstinate^(E) ways.

²⁰ The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and He declared, “Because this nation has violated My covenant^(F) that I made with their fathers^(G) and disobeyed Me,

¹¹ When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.^{(A) 12} Then he commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam^(B) son of Shaphan, Achbor^(C) son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and the king’s servant Asaiah: ¹³ “Go and inquire of the Lord for me, the people, and all Judah about the instruction in this book that has been found. For great is the Lord’s wrath that is kindled against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words of this book in order to do everything written about us.”^(D)

Huldah’s Prophecy of Judgment

¹⁴ So^(E) Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess^(F) Huldah, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah,^(G) son of Harhas,^[a] keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District.^(H) They spoke with her.

¹⁵ She said to them, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘Say to the man who sent you to Me: ¹⁶ This is what the Lord says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants, fulfilling all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read,^{(I) 17} because they have abandoned Me and burned incense to other gods in order to provoke Me with all the work of their hands. My wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.^(J)