דברי הימים ב, פרק ל״ד, פסוק ט״ו

The discovery of the Torah scroll in the Temple marks a historic turning point following a dark period of danger and concealment. During the reign of King Ahaz, the monarch systematically burned Torah scrolls. Fearing that the king would destroy the original scroll written by Moses, which was kept beside the Ark of the Covenant, the priests hurriedly hid it away. Following the king's death, extensive searches were conducted to recover the sacred document, but it remained lost. Years later, while repairs are being made to the Temple and funds are being gathered, Hilkiah the High Priest finally uncovers it. He announces the discovery with the excitement of one bearing great news, declaring that the original, long-lost scroll has at last been found [מצודת דוד].

A chilling detail accompanies this discovery. When the scroll is unearthed, it is found rolled exactly to the section containing harsh rebukes, with a specific warning about exile appearing at the very top of the page. Hilkiah recognizes that this is not a mere coincidence. Instead, he understands it as a direct sign from God, a deliberate message intended to shock the nation and awaken them to repentance [מצודת דוד].

Following this realization, Hilkiah hands the scroll over to Shaphan the scribe. This transfer serves two complementary purposes. On a practical level, it is the official duty of the scribe to read documents aloud to the king [רש״י]. On a deeper level, Hilkiah specifically wants Shaphan to see the severe warnings displayed at the top of the scroll. His intention is for the scribe to deliver this unsettling message directly to the king, hoping it will deeply shake the leadership and inspire a spiritual awakening throughout the nation [מצודת דוד].