Achbor, son of Micaiah, was a high-ranking official in King Josiah's service in the kingdom of Judah. When the high priest Hilkiah found the Book of the Law during restoration work in the temple around 622 BC, King Josiah sent a delegation to seek the Lord's will regarding the serious content of the book. Achbor was among those chosen who consulted the prophetess Huldah, and her words of judgment over Judah – but promise of mercy for the humble king – were brought back and sparked a thorough religious reform. In the parallel account in 2 Chronicles 34 he is called Abdon, son of Micah, which testifies to different naming traditions in the biblical sources. Achbor's son El-nathan continued the family's role in the kingdom's service as an official under King Jehoiakim.
During repairs to the temple, the high priest Hilkiah found the Book of the Law. The discovery was reported to King Josiah through the scribe Shaphan, and its contents deeply shook the king. This set in motion the events that led to Akbor's involvement.
8Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD." Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
9Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: "Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and handed it over to the workmen appointed to oversee the house of the LORD."
King Josiah sent Akbor along with the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, the scribe Shaphan, and Asaiah to inquire of the Lord about the contents of the Book of the Law that had been found.
13"Go and inquire of the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah about the words of this book that has been found. Great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us, because our fathers did not obey the words of this book by doing all that is written concerning us."
14So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District, and they spoke with her.
The delegation, including Akbor, sought out the prophetess Huldah in Jerusalem. She gave them a solemn message from the Lord concerning coming judgment on Judah because of the people's persistent apostasy and idolatry.
14So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District, and they spoke with her.
16This is what the LORD says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants—everything written in the book that the king of Judah has read—
17because they have abandoned me and burned incense to other gods, provoking me to anger with all the work of their hands. My wrath burns against this place, and it will not be quenched.
Huldah also delivered a message specifically to King Josiah: because he had humbled himself before the Lord and torn his clothes in grief over the people's sin, judgment would not come during his lifetime.
19Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and its inhabitants—that they would become a desolation and a curse—and because you tore your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD.
20Therefore I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place." So they brought back word to the king.
After the delegation brought back Huldah's prophecy, King Josiah gathered the people and launched a thorough religious reform involving a solemn covenant renewal and the removal of idolatry throughout Judah.
2The king went up to the house of the LORD, and with him every man of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets, and all the people, from the least to the greatest. And he read in their hearing every word of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD.
3The king stood by the pillar and made the covenant before the LORD: to follow the LORD and keep his commandments, his testimonies, and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, carrying out the words of this covenant written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant.
In 2 Chronicles, Akbor is referred to as Abdon son of Mica and is mentioned in the same event as a member of the delegation sent to the prophetess Huldah.
21"Go, inquire of the LORD for me and for those who remain in Israel and Judah concerning the words of the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that has been poured out on us, because our fathers did not keep the word of the LORD by doing everything written in this book.
22So Hilkiah and those the king had sent went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District, and they spoke with her about this.
Akbor's son Elkanah served as an official under King Jehoiakim. He is mentioned in connection with the retrieval of the prophet Uriah from Egypt (Jer 26:22) and later among those who heard Jeremiah's scroll read and urged the king not to burn it (Jer 36:12,25).
12he went down to the king's palace, to the chamber of the scribe, where all the officials were sitting: Elishama the scribe, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials.