8. The eighteenth year. This year, reckoned back from the fourth year of Jehoiakim as the first of Nebuchadnezzar and from Josiah’s death in his 31st year, in 609 (date based on the new Babylonian chronicle; see II, 95), was 623/22.
Purged the land. After cleansing the Temple Josiah was ready to begin his work of repair.
Sent Shaphan. Shaphan was the scribe (2 Kings 22:3, 10), one of the chief officers of the king. The other officers here listed are not mentioned in the parallel account in Kings.
