Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, 'The high priest Hilkiah has given me a book.' Shaphan then read it aloud to the king — Shaphan reports to Josiah about the discovered book, then reads it aloud before the king. This reading before the monarch establishes royal awareness and authority regarding the text. The careful report of chain of custody—Hilkiah gives to Shaphan, Shaphan reports to Josiah and reads—indicates official procedural attention to the text's authenticity and importance.

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