2 Kings22
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Josiah was 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 Bozkath.
2And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
3And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Jehovah, saying,
4Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the money which is brought into the house of Jehovah, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered of the people:
5and let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen that have the oversight of the house of Jehovah; and let them give it to the workmen that are in the house of Jehovah, to repair the breaches of the house,
6unto the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
7Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand; for they dealt faithfully.
8And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
9And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen that have the oversight of the house of Jehovah.
10And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
11And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
12And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,
13Go ye, inquire of Jehovah 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 Jehovah that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.
14So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the second quarter); and they communed with her.
15And she said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Tell ye the man that sent you unto me,
16Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I 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.
17Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched.
18But unto the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Jehovah, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: As touching the words which thou hast heard,
19because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before Jehovah, 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 heard thee, saith Jehovah.
20Therefore, behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 2 Kings 22.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Josiah's good reign, His care for repairing the temple, The book of the law found. (1–10). Josiah consults Huldah the prophetess. (11–20).
vv1-10
The different event of Josiah's early succession from that of Manasseh, must be ascribed to the distinguishing grace of God; yet probably the persons that trained him up were instruments in producing this difference. His character was most excellent. Had the people joined in the reformation as heartily as he persevered in it, blessed effects would have followed. But they were wicked, and had become fools in idolatry. We do not obtain full knowledge of the state of Judah from the historical records, unless we refer to the writings of the prophets who lived at the time. In repairing the temple, the book of the law was found, and brought to the king. It seems, this book of the law was lost and missing; carelessly mislaid and neglected, as some throw their Bibles into corners, or maliciously concealed by some of the idolaters. God's care of the Bible plainly shows his interest in it. Whether this was the only copy in being or not, the things contained in it were new, both to the king and to the high priest. No summaries, extracts, or collections out of the Bible, can convey and preserve the knowledge of God and his will, like the Bible itself. It was no marvel that the people were so corrupt, when the book of the law was so scarce; they that corrupted them, no doubt, used arts to get that book out of their hands. The abundance of Bibles we possess aggravates our national sins; for what greater contempt of God can we show, than to refuse to read his word when put into our hands, or, reading it, not to believe and obey it? By the holy law is the knowledge of sin, and by the blessed gospel is the knowledge of salvation. When the former is understood in its strictness and excellence, the sinner begins to inquire, What must I do to be saved? And the ministers of the gospel point out to him Jesus Christ, as the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
vv11-20
The book of the law is read before the king. Those best honour their Bibles, who study them; daily feed on that bread, and walk by that light. Convictions of sin and wrath should put us upon this inquiry, What shall we do to be saved? Also, what we may expect, and must provide for. Those who are truly apprehensive of the weight of God's wrath, cannot but be very anxious how they may be saved. Huldah let Josiah know what judgments God had in store for Judah and Jerusalem. The generality of the people were hardened, and their hearts unhumbled, but Josiah's heart was tender. This is tenderness of heart, and thus he humbled himself before the Lord. Those who most fear God's wrath, are least likely to feel it. Though Josiah was mortally wounded in battle, yet he died in peace with God, and went to glory. Whatever such persons suffer or witness, they are gathered to the grave in peace, and shall enter into the rest which remaineth for the people of God.
Key Words
יֹאשִׁיָּה: Joshijah, the name of two Israelites
שְׁמֹנֶה: a cardinal number, eight (as if a surplus above the 'perfect' seven); also (as ordinal) eighth
שָׁנֶה: a year (as a revolution of time)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
מָלַךְ: to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel
יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
אֵם: a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father))
שֵׁם: an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
יְדִידָה: Jedidah, an Israelitess
בַּת: a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
Cross References
2 Kings 22Parallel account highlighting that the discovered book of the Law was written by Moses.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The command to place the Book of the Law beside the Ark, where it was later found.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The parallel account detailing the finding of the book and the subsequent royal inquiry.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Precedent under Jehoash where temple repair money was delivered without reckoning due to faithfulness.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel account of Huldah's specific message of peace and comfort to King Josiah.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel details of the levitical collection and temple repairs under Hilkiah and Shaphan.
Supported by JFB
Ahikam the son of Shaphan later protects the prophet Jeremiah, demonstrating his family's piety.
Supported by JFB
Identifies Achbor (or Abdon) as an influential court official in Jeremiah's time.
Supported by JFB
The specific covenant curses read to Josiah that caused him to rend his clothes.
Supported by JFB
Josiah's reformations and birth were explicitly prophesied by name centuries earlier.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The law requiring the king to write and read a personal copy of the Law.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Shaphan the scribe reports to the king, initiating the reading of the book.
Supported by JFB
Parallel verification of the priestly/royal lineage of Harhas and Huldah's husband.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Establishes the levitical gatekeepers/door keepers according to the command of David.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The righteous are mercifully taken away to rest in peace before overwhelming calamity arrives.
Supported by Matthew Henry