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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 Eight years old, was Josiah when he began to reign, and, thirty-one years, reigned he in Jerusalem,–and, this mother's name, was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah, of Bozkath. |
Josiah – Meaning "Jehovah will support." R2390:2
Jedidah – Meaning "the beloved of Jehovah." R2390:2
Adaiah – Meaning "the honored of Jehovah." R2390:2
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| 2 And he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh,–and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left. |
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| 3 And it came to pass, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Yahweh, saying– |
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| 4 Go up unto Hilkiah, the high priest, that he pour out the silver that hath been brought into the house of Yahweh,–which the keepers of the entrance-hall have gathered from the people, |
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| 5 that they may give it into the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh, that they may give it to the doers of the work, who are in the house of Yahweh, to repair the breaches of the house; |
Repair the house – After cleansing the land of idols, he determined next to repair the Temple. R2390:5
So with the consecrated; after destroying the fleshly idols of the heart comes usefulness and service to the Lord, in building up the true temple. R2390:5
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| 6 to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons,–and to buy timber, and hewn stones, for repairing the house. |
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| 7 Howbeit there used to be no reckoning made with them, as to the silver that was given into their hand,–because, with faithfulness, were they dealing. |
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| 8 Then said Hilkiah the high priest, unto Shaphan the scribe–The book of the law, have I found, in the house of Yahweh. So Hilkiah delivered the book unto Shaphan, and he read it. |
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| 9 Then came Shaphan the scribe unto the king, and brought the king word again,–and said–Thy servants have poured out the silver that was found in the house, and have delivered it unto the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh. |
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| 10 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying–A book, hath Hilkiah the priest delivered unto me. And Shaphan read it before the king. |
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| 11 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. |
The book of the law – Presumably the original copy of the book of Deuteronomy, written by Moses' own hand. R2390:6
Corresponding to the Reformation movement of the 16th century, leading to the finding and understanding of God's law, the Bible. R2391:5
The reading of it awakened one of the greatest revivals in the history of that nation. R4051:1
Rent his clothes – An expression of dismay. The book's delineations of the Law were so different from what had been taught by the priests that the king was astonished. R2390:6
Realizing how far short Israel had come and noting the punishments prescribed, he was greatly troubled. R2391:1
In olden times, this was a symbol of distress, perplexity or fear. R3608:3
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| 12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Achbor son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying: |
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| 13 Go ye–enquire of Yahweh, for me and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book which hath been found,–for, great, is the wrath of Yahweh, in that it hath fired up against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according to all which is written concerning us. |
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| 14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas keeper of the vestments, she having her dwelling in Jerusalem, in the new city,–and they spake unto her. |
Unto Huldah – For several reasons: (1) perhaps a woman, especially one connected with the court, would give a softer message; (2) Jeremiah and Zephaniah may have been away from Jerusalem; (3) the king may have considered the above two prophets too extreme; or (4) to obtain an outside testimony since Jeremiah was the son of the High Priest and Zephaniah his own cousin. R2391:2
The prophetess – God, who is no respecter of persons, requires faithfulness on the part of female as well as male stewards in the use of all their talents. R1549:4
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| 15 And she said unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Say ye unto the man who hath sent you unto me: |
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| 16 Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! about to bring calamity upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof,–all the words of the book, which, the king of Judah, hath read: |
Evil upon this place – It was too late for any national reformation. So far as Christendom is concerned there is no balm in Gilead that will help and recover her. R2391:4
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| 17 Because they have forsaken me, and burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger, with all the workmanship of their hands; and so my wrath shall fire up against this place, and shall not be quenched: |
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| 18 But, unto the king of Judah, who hath sent you to enquire of Yahweh, thus, shall ye say unto him,–Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard: |
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| 19 Because, tender, was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before Yahweh when thou heardest what I had spoken against this place and against the inhabitants thereof–that they should become a desolation and a curse, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, therefore also, I, have hearkened–declareth Yahweh. |
Thine heart was tender – An honest, believing heart, realizing that the nation of Israel had committed the very sins recorded in Deut. 28. R3608:3
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| 20 For this cause, behold me! about to gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy graves, in peace, and so thine eyes shall not look upon all the misfortune which I am about to bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again. |
Behold therefore – Because of the splendid work of reformation which the king had inaugurated. Q765:2
Thy grave in peace – Conditioned on Josiah's faith and obedience to the Lord. Q765:2
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