Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets
Volume I: A Kingdom Divided
Lesson 25 Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law
the Second Book of the Kings 22:1–20
the Book of Zephaniah 1:7—2:3
the Book of Zephaniah 3:8–9
the Book of Zephaniah 3:11–15
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
cross references in Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
next lesson: Josiah Institutes Reforms
This material coordinates with Lesson 25 on pages 152–157 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.
“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, and I showed myself their Master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”—the Book of Jeremiah 31:31–34
welcome to Volume I of our in-depth study of the biblical prophets
We invite you to check out the sample first lesson and video from Volume I of this Turning to 
God’s Word 
two-part Catholic Bible study. Our online pages link to the free related lesson videos, a glossary, and cross references in the biblical text, and include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided contains 28 lessons and has been granted an imprimatur. It may be purchased from our website shop. The companion 23-lesson Volume II: Restoration & Redemption also is available for purchase. If you have a Bible-study question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.
open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:
Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.
let’s review—the Second Book of the Kings 21:1–26
In Lesson 24 Manasseh Reigns in Judah, Manasseh’s behavior is described as being more wicked than that of any of the pagan nations the LORD drove out when the descendants of Jacob settled in the Promised Land. It’s noteworthy that Manasseh’s father, Hezekiah, was the best king of Judah to date, and that the biblical text discloses that Manasseh was 12 years old when he began to rule. Had the LORD not extended Hezekiah’s life an additional 15 years, Manasseh never would have been born. After Manasseh’s death, his son Amon ascends to the throne, but after only two years he’s slain by servants. The murderers in turn are killed, and the people make Amon’s son Josiah king.
map notes—God is the King of Israel
The northern kingdom of Israel was conquered in 722–721 B.C. by the Assyrians and the people 
deported. The prophet Zephaniah, addressing the inhabitants of Judah at a later date, foretells rejoicing for the daughter of Zion, a term used to describe Jerusalem. In the Book of Zephaniah 3:15, the prophet announces: “The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more.” After the fall of the northern kingdom, its territory began to be referred to as Samaria. Zephaniah appropriates the term King of Israel to refer to God, who’s prophesied to one day rule over all of Jacob’s descendants, not just members of the tribe of Judah. Click on the map (right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 156 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.
zeal for the Church (50:32)
In the video overview for Lesson 25, “Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law,” Turning to 
God’s Word author Matthew Phelps looks at the Second Book of the Kings 22:7, which records that the workmen repairing the Temple aren’t asked to give an accounting for how they use the money that they’re given. The present-day application of this idea suggests that as long as the care of God’s house is going well, those charged with the job aren’t asked for an immediate accounting. This can be translated to present-day relevance when men and women figure out that Christians are given many graces and a lot of 
leeway to figure out how to build up the Church. Like Jesus, we also should be consumed with zeal for the Church as the earthly dwelling place of God.
The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the ranges for the sets of questions in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. You can follow along with the video as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 25, “Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law,” on pages 152–157 in the study book.
WHAT DO YOU THINK about the good kings of Judah?
In the twenty-second chapter in the Second Book of the Kings, Josiah is presented as one of the three great kings to rule over the descendants of Jacob.
? Who are the other two good kings in the history of God’s people? Hints: The first of these great kings is named in the Second Book of the Kings 22:1, and the second is Josiah’s great-grandfather, who was the subject of Lesson 22, “What Does the LORD Require?”
? What traits do all three of these kings share?
? How do these kings differ from each other?
? What do all three kings have in common with all of the kings of Judah and Israel?
? What previous prophecy points to the type of king that Josiah will be? If necessary, refer to the First Book of the Kings 13:1–3.
? What were the situations in Israel and Judah at the time in which that prophecy was issued?
? Consider what causes some kings to serve the LORD in faithfulness and some to turn to other gods.
? Consider what might cause some men and women to serve God in the present day while other people choose to reject religion.
? What’s the single biggest problem with all three of these kings who each serve as a shining example of how the kingship should function?
WHAT DO YOU THINK about the Temple repairs?
In the Second Book of the Kings 22:3–7, Josiah displays the same interest in maintaining the Temple that his great-grandfather Hezekiah had shown.
? Consider what this suggests about the attitude toward the Temple in the intervening years between the reigns of Hezekiah and Josiah.
? How did concern for the Temple play a significant role in David’s reign?
? How did the LORD react to David’s concern?
? What do these passages about David, Hezekiah, and Josiah and their concern for the house of the LORD suggest is one of the main roles of a king?
? How can this suggestion be seen as foreshadowing Jesus?
? What do Christians understand to be the new dwelling place of God?
the book of the law is uncovered
It’s fitting that once Josiah undertakes trying to keep the Temple intact, the LORD reveals the book of the law. Scholars believe that the scroll found in the Temple was some version of the Torah or first five books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). At the time of Josiah, these Hebrew Scriptures had been neglected for so long that people not only have failed to follow them, they’ve forgotten they exist. The people’s willingness to clean up and repair the house of the LORD leads to the discovery of God’s word. The law is uncovered in the context of putting God’s house in order. What might present-day Christians be able to learn from this account?
the liturgy of the word
Finding the scroll in the Temple marks the time when the descendants of Jacob become “people of the book.” A similar episode occurs later in salvation history when the remnant of God’s people return from Exile in Babylon. This emphasis on the written word of God can be seen in the Church today. By extension, Christians also are people of the book. Selections from both the Old and New Testaments are read at every Mass. Christians are responsible for knowing and carrying out God’s law, which is to be written on our minds, our lips, and in our hearts—reflected when we stand and make the sign of the cross three times before the Gospel is read at Mass. The second volume of this Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study, Thus Says the LORD: God 
Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption, looks at those called to speak for God during the post-exilic period.
a second opinion
When the book of the law is discovered, the king and priests are agitated by its contents and uncertain about its authenticity. It’s to their credit that they seek to learn what God thinks by sending to inquire of a prophetess, Hulduh. She reinforces the idea in the book of the law—God isn’t happy. The people have failed to uphold their part of the covenant, which stipulated that God’s protection is dependent on his people loving and serving only the LORD. If the people fail to do their part, then God will allow bad things to happen in order to call them back to him. Hulduh’s message is that trouble is coming, but because the king Josiah is repentant, God will defer his wrath.
WHAT DO YOU THINK about the way in which Josiah foreshadows Jesus?
The Second Book of the Kings 22:14–20 describes the LORD delaying wrath and judgment against the people because Josiah displays genuine repentance.
? How does Josiah’s behavior toward God differ from the behavior of previous kings of Judah?
? What does Josiah’s behavior suggest regarding the role of the king?
? For how long is the wrath of the LORD delayed as a result of Josiah’s behavior?
? What does Jesus do to hold off God’s punishment?
? For how long is Jesus’ behavior able to deter the wrath of God against humanity?
gloom & doom
In contrast to the upbeat message that no one has to worry about the wrath of God during Josiah’s 
lifetime, the prophet Zephaniah announces that the day of the LORD is at hand—and it’s not going to be pleasant. On the video for Lesson 25, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses the way in which the prophecy found in the Book of Zephaniah 1:7–14 works on multiple levels and can be understood in historical context as well as in light of Christianity.
wrath—you could look it up in our archives
The Old Testament often is criticized for depicting a vengeful God of wrath, while the God depicted in the New Testament is seen in contrast as a God of love. While the LORD’s wrath is mentioned in the historical narrative found in the twenty-second chapter in the Second Book of the Kings, the Book of Zephaniah 2:3 describes a way to avoid experiencing the wrath of the LORD. And in the third chapter in the Book of Zephaniah, the prophet foretells a time when the LORD no longer will hold the people’s sin against them. Learn about the meaning of the word “wrath” by reading Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.
the day of wrath as a moment in time
It’s significant that the day of wrath prophesied in the Book of Zephaniah 1:15–16 is restricted to a single day. While the prophecy certainly was interpreted at the time as referring to foreign forces coming against Judah, that would occur over a much longer period than a single day. A Christian interpretation is seen in the book of Revelation, which describes a final day that marks the second coming of Jesus Christ. The day of wrath is a relatively short period of time, but it’s not the end. There will be something else after God’s wrath. For those not in line with God’s will, things will not be very good, but for those who are within a tolerable degree of accord, heaven will be opened. God’s wrath isn’t an end in itself. Zephaniah’s goal is to motivate people to repent. The Turning to God’s Word 
Catholic Bible study The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness looks at how the final book of the New Testament was influenced by Old Testament prophets, including Zephaniah.
Dies Irae—more about the day of wrath
You can learn more about how Zephaniah’s prophecy and other related biblical passages inspired the composers Mozart and Verdi to create liturgical works based on the long-prophesied day of wrath. Check out the commentary “Dies Irae” on page 157 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.
Zephaniah’s words of hope
Although all prophetic messages are the same—repent or die—the point of entreating people to repent is so they might not die. In the Book of Zephaniah 3:8–9, the LORD urges his people to wait for him to bring about a positive change in their situation. In the Book of Zephaniah 3:11–15, the prophet describes a time of great joy when God will dwell with his people and they’ll no longer be afraid.
what’s known about the prophet Nahum
There’s only a brief mention of the prophet Nahum on page 155 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided and no mention of him at all in Volume II: Restoration & Redemption. Because so little is known about the prophet, scholars are at odds trying to establish precise dates for his prophecies against Assyria. It seems likely that these were spoken within a few years of the collapse of Ninevah in 612 B.C.
The Book of Nahum records a prophetic vision concerning the fall of Assyria, but this isn’t readily apparent until the capital city of Nineveh is named in the Book of Nahum 2:8. The destruction of Nineveh is presented as God’s judgment against the brutality of the Assyrians, who held sway for 300 years as the dominant power in the region. In the Book of Isaiah 10:5–11, Proto- (First) Isaiah describes Assyria as the rod of the LORD’s anger. Although God intended that Assyria be used to punish the sins of the descendants of Jacob, Nahum prophesies that Babylon will become the instrument by which Assyria will in turn be punished for excessive violence. God is seen as a warrior as well as a king over all nations. A primary take-away message from the Book of Nahum is that the prophet views the fate of all people—not just the descendants of Jacob—as resting in the hands of the LORD.
what’s happening when & where
Click on the timeline for Lesson 25 to expand it. It also appears on page 155 in the study book.
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he best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic Bible study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including the following passages from this lesson: the Second Book of the Kings 22:1–20 and the Book of Zephaniah 3:8–9.
the Book of Zephaniah 2:3—paragraphs 64, 711, 716
the Book of Zephaniah 3:14—paragraphs 722, 2676
ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out 
persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.
to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant 
cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.
don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.
ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. 
This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.
wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following links are to readings from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open one of the links and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV readings provide an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical texts. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
the Second Book of the Kings 22:1–20 (NIV)
the Book of Zephaniah 1:7—2:3 (NIV)
the Book of Zephaniah 3:8–9 (NIV)
the Book of Zephaniah 3:11–15 (NIV)
close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s biblical texts.
O God, you allowed Josiah to serve as an example
of a king whose piety could offset
just punishment due to his people.
Increase our loyalty and faithfulness to your Son,
and make us worthy of the sacrifice he accepted
in our place in order to redeem our sins. Amen.
Lesson 26 Josiah Institutes Reforms—the Second Book of the Kings 23:1–30,; the Book of Habakkuk 1:1–3, the Book of Habakkuk 2:1–4, the Book of Habakkuk 2:18–20, and the Book of Habakkuk 3:16–19a
Lesson 24 Manasseh Reigns in Judah—the Second Book of the Kings 21:1–26
you also may like our study of the Gospel According to John
The Gospel According to John: An Encounter with Grace & Truth, a 25-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, examines the Fourth Gospel’s view of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, with special emphasis on the institution of the sacraments of the Church as the means by which Christians are purified and made holy. This recently revised study includes maps and additional commentary, and takes a closer look at the way in which Jesus relates to individual men and women. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.
start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets— Volume I: A Kingdom Divided
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Information about beginning this or one of our other Turning to God’s Word Bible studies can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I always are available to answer your Bible-study questions or concerns. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer
*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus—but the same books aren’t found in existing Hebrew manuscripts, which aren’t as old as the oldest version of the Septuagint. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?
Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Scripture on the online study pages for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided links to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE). The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.
The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces those with more accessible English. A handful of significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.
Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.
You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.