1. UJosiya waqalisa ukulawula eneminyaka esibhozo, waza walawula eJerusalem iminyaka emashumi mathathu ananye. Unina yayinguYedida intombi ka-Adaya waseBhozekati.
2. Ke yena wênza okuhle emehlweni *kaNdikhoyo, ehamba ekhondweni likayise-mkhulu uDavide, enganxaxhi.
3. Ngonyaka wakhe weshumi elinesibhozo ukumkani uJosiya wathumela unobhala onguShafan unyana ka-Azaliya kaMeshulam endlwini kaNdikhoyo, wathi kuye:
4. “Yiya kumbingeleli omkhulu uHilekiya, utsho alungise laa mali ibiziswe endlwini kaNdikhoyo, leya ibiqokelelwe ngabagcini-mnyango ebantwini.
5. Yitsho bayigcinise kuloo madoda amiselwe ukongamela umsebenzi wendlu kaThixo. Loo madoda ke wona aze ahlawule abasebenzi abahlaziya indlu kaNdikhoyo:
6. abachweli, abakhi, neengcibi. Kananjalo mabathenge imithi namatye akroliweyo, ukuze kuhlaziywe indlu kaThixo.
7. Kambe ke ze bangenzi nkcukacha yangxelo ngaloo mali isezandleni zabo, kuba bangabantu abasebenza ngentembeko.”
8. UHilekiya umbingeleli omkhulu ke waxelela uShafan unobhala lowo, wathi: “Apha endlwini kaNdikhoyo ndifumene incwadi yomthetho.” Waza ke wamnika, ke yena uShafan wayifunda.
9. UShafan lowo ke waya kukumkani, waza wamazisa wathi: “Izicaka zakho ziyikhuphile imali ebisendlwini kaNdikhoyo, zaza zayinikezela kubasebenzi nakwabo bongamele umsebenzi wokuhlaziywa kwendlu kaThixo.”
10. Kananjalo ke unobhala lowo unguShafan wathi kukumkani: “Umbingeleli uHilekiya undinike incwadi.” Waza ke wayirhola, wayifundela ukumkani lowo.
11. Uthe ke ukumkani akuweva amazwi encwadi leyo yomthetho, suka wazikrazula izambatho zakhe.
12. Wamnika lo myalelo, ewubhekisa kumbingeleli uHilekiya, uAhikam unyana kaShafan, uAkibho unyana kaMikaya, uShafan unobhala, kunye noAsaya igosa likakumkani, esithi:
13. “Hambani niye kuqondisisa kuNdikhoyo egameni lam, nelabantu, noJuda ephela, nibuzise ngako konke okubhaliweyo kule ncwadi ifunyenweyo. Awunganganto umsindo kaNdikhoyo ngakuthi ngenxa yoobawo abangazange bawathobele amazwi ale ncwadi. Ewe, abenzanga ngokufanelekileyo mayela namazwi athethwa yile ncwadi ngokubhekiselele kuthi.”