In 622 BCE, a book was found in the temple, and a king tore his robes

Second Kings 22 tells it almost casually. King Josiah orders repairs to the Jerusalem temple. During the work, the high priest Hilkiah reports a discovery: "I have found the book of the law in Yahweh's house." The scribe Shaphan carries it to the king and reads it aloud. Josiah hears it and tears his robes.

What follows is one of the most sweeping reforms in the Bible: shrines closed, rival altars torn down, worship centralized in Jerusalem, a Passover such as had not been kept "from the days of the judges who judged Israel" (2 Kings 23:22). For over two centuries, scholars have noticed that the reforms match the demands of one particular book: Deuteronomy, which insists on a single place of worship. The standard view is that the found book was some form of Deuteronomy, and scholarly discussion continues over how long it had waited in the temple before that day.

The scene is dated to 622 BCE. If the scholars are right, this is something almost unique in ancient literature: a book of the Bible stepping into the historical record on a named day, in a named place, read aloud to a king who took it seriously enough to tear what he was wearing.

Where to see it: read 2 Kings 22:8-13 for the finding, then set Deuteronomy 12:5's demand for one chosen place beside the reforms of 2 Kings 23. The match is the argument.