Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Jodiaks Good Reign. 2 KINGS XXII, XXIII. He Destroys Idolati y. miah2(3. 2i). Aclibor—or Abdon (2 Chronicles 3^. 20), a man atrous abomination, he was a cruel persecutor of all who of influence at court (Jeremiah 2ti. 22). Tlie occasion waa urgent, and tlierefore they were sent—not to ZephaniaU (Zephaniah 1. 1), who was perhaps young—nor to Jeremiah, who was probably absent at liis house in Anathoth, but to one wlio was at hand and known for her prophetic gifts—to Huldaii, who was probably at this time a widow. Her husband Sliallum was grandson of one Harhas, "keepei' of the wardrobe." If this means the priestly wardrobe, he must have been a Levite. But it probably ftid not conform. The land was deluged with the blood of good men; amongst whom it is traditionally said Isaiah snflered a horrid death, by being sawn asunder (see on Hebrews 11. 37).
19-26. Amon'S Wicked Reign. 18. Amon his son reigned In Ills stead—This prince continued the idolatrous policy of his father; and, after an inglorious reign of two years, was massacred by some of his own domestics. The people slew the regicide conspirators, and placed refers to the royal wardrobe, she dwelt ... in the college—Ratlier in the Misnah, taking the original word as a proper name, not a school or college, but a particular suburb of Jerusalem. She was held in such, veneration that Jewish writers say she and Jehoiada the priest were the only persons not of tlie house of David (2 Chronicles his son Joslah on the throne.
CHAPTER XXII.
Ver. 1, 2. JosiAH's Good Reign. 1. Joslah was eight years old wlien he began to reign—Happier tliau his grandfather Manasseh, he seems to have fallen during his minority under the care of better guardians, wlio trained him in the principles and practice of piety; and so
24. 16) who were ever buried in Jerusalem. 15. she said tmto them, Thus saith tlie Lord God of Israel, tell the man that sent you—On being consulted, she delivered an oracular response in which judgment was blended with mercy; for it announced the impending calamities that at no distant period were to overtake the city and its inhabitants, but at the same time consoled the king witli an assurance that tills season of punislinieiit and sorrow should not be during his lifetime, on account of the faith, penitence and pious zeal for tlie Divine glory and worship which, in his public capacity and with his royal influence, he had displayed. strongly had his young affections been enlisted on the side of true and undeflled religion, that he continued to adhere all his life, with undeviating perseverancei to the cause of God and righteousness.
3-7. He Provides for the Repair of the Temple.
3. in the eighteenth year of King Joslah—Previous to this period, he had commenced the work of national reformation. The preliminary steps had been already taken ; not only the builders were employed, but money had been brought by all the people, and received by ths Levites at the door, and various other preparations had been made. But the course of this narrative turns on one interesting incident which happened in the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign, and hence that date is specified. In fact the whole land was thoroughly purified from every
CHAPTER XXIII.
Ver. 1-3. JosiAH Causes the Lam' to he Read. 1. the king sent and gatliercd nil the elders—This pious and patriotic king, not content with tlie promise of his own security, felt, after Huldali's response, an increased desire to avert the threatened calamities from his kingdom and people. Knowing the richness of the Divine clemency and grace to the penitent, he convened the elders of the people, and placing liimself at their head, accompanied by tlie collective body of the inluiliitants, went in solemn procession to the temple, wliere lie :>rdered the book of tlie law to be read to tl'.e assembled audience, and covenanted, with the unanimous concurrence of his subjects, to adlu re steadfastly to all the commandments of the Lord. It was an occasion of solemn interest, closely connected with a great national crisis, and the beautiful example of piety in the highest quarter would exert a salutary Induence over all classes of tlie people in animating their devotions and encouraging their return to the faitli of their fathers. 3. I)e read in their ears i.e., caused to be read. 3. all the |>eo|>Ie stood to the covenant— i. <:, the.v agreed to tl\e proposals made; they assented to what was reiiuired of llieni. object and all traces of idolatry. The king now addressed himself to the repair and embellishment of the temple, and gave directions to Hilkiah the high priest to take a general survey, in order to ascertain what was necessary to be done (see on 2 Chronicles Ai. 8-15).
8-15. HitKiAH Finds the Book of the Law. 8. Hilkiah said ... I have found the bool of tlie law in the Iiouse of the Lord, &C.—4. e., the law of Moses—the Pent;Ueuch. It was the temple copy—which, having been laid (Deuteronomy 31. 2.5, 20) beside tlie ark in the most holy place, and during the ungodly reigns of Manasseh and Amon—perhaps under Ahaz, when the temple itself had been profaned by idols, and the arlc also (2 Chronicles 35.
3) removed from its site—was someliow lost, and was now found again during the repair of tlie temple. [KeiIj.] Delivered by Hilkiali the discoverer to Sliaplian tlie scribe, it was by tlie latter shown and read to the king. It is thought, with great probability, that tlie passage read to the king, and by which the royal mind was so greatly excited, was a portion of Deuteronomy, the 28th, 29th and 30th chapters, in which is recorded a renewal of the national covenant, and an enumeration of tlie terriljle threats and cur.ses denounced against all wlio violated the 4-2S. He Dkstuoys Idolatry. 4. the king eoinmandefl Hilklah, &o. i.e., the high priest and other priests, for there was not a variety of dlllcijvl gradations in the temple, all the vessels, A-c.— llie wllole apiaratus of idol worship, burned them witliout J«"rusalem The law required them to be consigned to the Haines (Deuteronomy 7.25). in the flelils of Kidron — Most probably that part of the valley of Kidron, where lies Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. It Is a level, spacious basin, abounding at present with plantations. |UoiuNson.] The brook winds along the <>ast and south of the city, the channel of which is throughout a large portion of the yiar almost or wholly dry, except after lieav.y rains, when It suddenly swells and overflows. There was emptied all the impurities of the temple (2 Clironicle.s 29. 15, 1(!) and the city. Ills r(>loriiiliig iiredecessnrs had ordi-red the mutilated relics of Idolatry to bo thrown into that receptacle of tilth (1 Kings 15. 13; 2 Chronicles 15. 16; 30. U), but Joslah, while he Imitated their piety, far outstripped them In zeal; for he caused the ashes of the Inirut wood and the fragmenis of the broken metal to be cOllecled and conveyed to Beth-el, In order llu nceforth to associate Ideas of horror and avtlsion witli that place, as odious for the wornt iiolluthns. 5. put down tlie idolatroiia liiw, whether prince or people. The impressions of grief and terror which tlie reading produced on the mind of Josiah have seemed to many unaccountable. But, as it
Is certain from the extensive and familiar knowledge displayed by the propliets, that there were numbers of oUier copies in popular circulation, the king must have known its sacred contents In some degree. But lie niiglit liavo Ijcen a stranger ,to the passage read liim, or tlie reading of it might, in tlie peculiar circumstances, have found a way to his heart in a manner that he never felt before. His strong faith in the Divine word, and liis painful consciousness tliat the woeful and long-continued apostasies of the nation hail exposed tliem to tlie infliction of tlio judgments denounced, must have come ^vith overwhelming force on tlie lieart of so jiious a prince. I'-J-LI. tlie Iting commanded . . . go, inquire of tlie Lord for me, &c.—The agitattid feelings of tlie icing prompted liiin to ask immediate counsel liow to avert tliosi; curses und(>r whicll his kingdom lay; and fortliwith a deputation of his principal olllcers was sent to oi e endowed with tlie p-rophetlc spirit. Aliikam, a friend of Jcicmiali (Jere246 l>rlc»tj*— //6'6?x>it', Chemarliu, "soorclied," i. e., Guebres, or