The Second Book of the Kings, commonly called the Fourth Book of the Kings
2 Kings 22
Chapter XXII · Vol. II, pp. 799–800
1 Josiah's good reign. 3 He provideth for the repair of the temple. 8 Hilkiah having found a book of the law, Josiah sendeth to the prophetess Huldah to inquire of the Lord. 15 Huldah prophesieth the destruction of Jerusalem, but respite thereof in Josiah's time.
1 Josiah wasa eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of bBoscath.
2 And he did cthat which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
c ch.18.3. 1 Ki.11.38; 3.6; 15.5. De.5.32. Jos.1.7. Eze.18.14. Je.22.15,16.
3 And it came to pass in the deighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,1
d 2 Ch.34.3,8, i.e. the eighteenth year of his reign.
A.M. 3381. B.C. 623.
1 A comparison with 2 Ch. xxxiv. shows that the attention of Josiah began to be awakened to divine things in the sixteenth year of his age and eighth of his reign. Four years later he commenced the great work of reformation, removing the idolatrous shrines and altars, and clearing away the images from every district of the land. It is worthy of note that his work was not confined to Judah; he extended it to the country of the ten tribes, a portion of whom must have returned ere this period to their former homes, 2 Ch. 34. 6. In the 18th year of his reign, having cleared the land of its idolatry, he began, as is here stated, to repair the temple (comp. 2 Ch. 34. 8).—P.
4 Go up to eHilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the fdoor have gathered of the people:
e 2 Ch.34.9-13. ch.12.4,9-15.
5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the goversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,
g 2 Ch.34.12. ch.12.11,12.
6 Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
7 Howbeit hthere was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt ifaithfully.2
h ch.12.15.
i Ne.7.2; 13.13. Da.6.4. Pr.28.20. 2 Ti.2.2. 1 Co.4.2. He.3.2,5.
2 It has been poetically pronounced, and popularly adopted, that 'an honest man's the noblest work of God.' And if 'honesty' be understood as including the payment of the debts we owe to God as well as to man, the sentiment may justly be approved; and will lead us both to the discovery and acknowledgment of our own poverty and incapacity to pay, and to the riches and grace of him (Ep. 2. 4) by whom we are bought with a price; whose we are, and whom we should serve, Ac.27.23. 1 Co. 6.20.—C.
8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the kbook of the law in the house of the LORD.3 And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
k 2 Ch.34.14. De.31.26. It seems to have been the original copy written by Moses.
3 This would seem to have been the Mosaic autograph, 2 Ch. 34. 14. Nor need we be surprised at its preservation during so long a period. The interval from Moses to Josiah was but 950 years, and there are still extant MSS. of a confessedly greater age. C.——Whether the book discovered was the autograph of Moses or not, there can be no doubt (1) That it was the whole book which we now call the Pentateuch, with most probably the other sacred books subsequently added, for it appears from Joshua that all the inspired writings were placed in the tabernacle first, and then in the temple, immediately upon their being written; and (2) That this was the temple copy of the law, and consequently of equal authenticity with the Mosaic autograph, if not that autograph itself.—P.
9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered4 the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.
4 Heb. melted.
10 And Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book: and Shaphan lread it before the king.
l Je.36.21. ver.8,11.
11 And it came to pass, when the king had heardm the words of the book5 of the law, that he rent his clothes.
m With De.17.17,19. 2 Ch.34.19. Je.36.24. Joel 2.13.
5 We are not to infer that the king had never before heard either this or any other part of the Mosaic Scriptures—such an inference being utterly inconsistent with the character of Hilkiah, his tutor and guardian. The conduct of Josiah is the natural expression of a mind carried back to the days of Moses, who had written what God had spoken to him 'face to face,' and then carried forward into the future judgments threatened against idolatry, and aroused to a deeper feeling of the impending danger by the venerable relic of inspired antiquity now brought to light. See ver. 13.—C.
12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achborn the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,
n 2 Ch.34.20. ch.19.2,3. Je.26.22,24; 36.12.
13 Goo ye, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled pagainst us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.
14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the qprophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the rwardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;6) and they communed with her.
q 2 Ch.34.22. Ex.15.20. Ju.4.4. Lu.2.36.
A.M. 3381. B.C. 623.
r Heb. garments, Ne.7.72.
6 Or, in the second part.—[The second rank of buildings adjoining the royal palace. Boothroyd translates it 'suburbs.'—Note, It is thus the Scriptures indicate and establish, not by assertion or argument, but by fact, the intellectual and spiritual co-equality of man and woman. The Spirit of the Lord is upon Huldah, and she is consulted by the high-priest and the nobles.—C.]
15 And she said unto them, sThus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
s Je.23.28. ch.1.6,16.
16 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, tI will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:
t Da.9.12. Le.26.15-39. De.28.15-68; 29.18-28; 30.17,18; 31.16-18; 32.15-26, with ch.xxiv. xxv.
17 Because they have uforsaken me, and have burnt incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the xworks of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be yquenched.
18 But to the king of Judah, which sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall zye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;
19 Because thine aheart was tender,7 and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have bheard thee, saith the LORD.
a 1 Sa.24.5. Ps.51.17. Is.57.15,16; 66.2. Le.26.40,41. Mi.6.8.
7 'Softened' (Boothroyd). 'Trembled' (Targum).—C.
b ch.19.20; 20.5.
20 Behold therefore, cI will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave 8in peace;9 and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
c Ge.25.8. Is.57.1,2. Ps.37.37. ch.23.29,30.
8 In peace with God, and before the ruinous war break out.
9 So did he die; for though slain in battle at Megiddo, he was brought to Jerusalem, and gathered to his fathers 'in peace' with God and his own people, upon whom God did not, till after Josiah's death, send the threatened judgments of invasion and captivity.—C.
Notes
[Ver. 14. 'College' is an unfortunate rendering of the Hebrew. It was given on the authority of some Jewish rabbins. The word appears to be a proper name, or at least a descriptive title, applied to a distinct, and then well-known, quarter of Jerusalem. The literal meaning of the Hebrew word Mishneh is 'second place.' The site of the place referred to in the city cannot now be determined. P.]
Reflections.—Sometimes there are eminent patterns of piety in the most profane family. And wise is the display of God's abundant love and grace. It bodes well when princes begin their cares with the reformation of religion. And it is extremely honourable when the most untainted honesty prevails in the management of public funds and general affairs. But how dreadful is it when the oracles of God are thrust into corners! and much more so when they are little known or regarded by those who have them daily in their hands! It is very unbecoming for great men to live ignorant of, and unconcerned about, their Bibles. For the time is at hand when their contents shall make the most careless and hardened despisers and neglecters tremble: and God's word, when blessed by his Spirit, is quick and powerful to the piercing and conviction of men's consciences. And when we see the wrath of God hanging over our heads, it is full time to think how to prevent it. Such as are under deep convictions or oppressive fears ought to consult the Lord's prophets. Holy men and women are the fittest to be our friends and advisers. And it is a great benefit to courts when they have Heaven's favourites at hand. How dreadful is it for a nation to be loaded with crimes which the Lord will not pardon. Obstinate and wilful sinning must end in remediless and eternal misery. But it is a great mercy to have our hearts early and deeply affected with the things of God. Such as tremble under apprehensions of God's wrath are in a fair way to escape it. And happy are those who, being at peace with God and their own conscience, are taken away before the infliction of public and awful judgments.