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| 1 A son of eight years [is] Josiah in his reigning, and thirty and one years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Boskath, |
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 doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, and walketh in all the way of David his father, and hath not turned aside right or left. |
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| 3 And it cometh to pass, in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, the king hath sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Jehovah, saying, |
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| 4 'Go up unto Hilkiah the high priest, and he doth complete the silver that is brought into the house of Jehovah, that the keepers of the threshold have gathered from the people, |
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| 5 and they give it into the hand of the doers of the work, the overseers, in the house of Jehovah, and they give it to the doers of the work that [is] in the house of Jehovah, to strengthen the breach 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 artificers, and to builders, and [to repairers of] the wall, and to buy wood and hewn stones to strengthen the house; |
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| 7 only, the silver that is given into their hand is not reckoned with them, for in faithfulness they are dealing. |
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| 8 And Hilkiah the high priest saith unto Shaphan the scribe, 'A book of the law I have found in the house of Jehovah;' and Hilkiah giveth the book unto Shaphan, and he readeth it. |
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| 9 And Shaphan the scribe cometh in unto the king, and bringeth the king back word, and saith, 'Thy servants have poured out the silver that hath been found in the house, and give it into the hand of the doers of the work, the inspectors, in the house of Jehovah.' |
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| 10 And Shaphan the scribe declareth to the king, saying, 'A book hath Hilkiah the priest given to me;' and Shaphan readeth it before the king. |
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| 11 And it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the words of the book of the law, that he rendeth his garments, |
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 commandeth Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Achbor son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah servant of the king, saying, |
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| 13 'Go, seek Jehovah for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found, for great [is] the fury of Jehovah that is kindled against us, because that our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according to all that is written for us.' |
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| 14 And Hilkiah the priest goeth, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, unto Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the garments, and she is dwelling in Jerusalem in the second, and they speak 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 saith unto them, 'Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Say to the man who hath sent you unto me: |
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| 16 Thus said Jehovah, Lo, I am bringing in evil unto this place and on its inhabitants, all the words of the book that 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 that they have forsaken Me, and make perfume to other gods, so as to provoke Me to anger with every work of their hands, and My wrath hath been kindled against this place, and it is not quenched. |
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| 18 'And unto the king of Judah, who is sending you to seek Jehovah, thus do ye say unto him, Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, The words that thou hast heard |
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| 19 because thy heart [is] tender, and thou art humbled because of Jehovah, in thy hearing that which I have spoken against this place, and against its inhabitants, to be for a desolation, and for a reviling, and dost rend thy garments, and weep before Me I also have heard the affirmation of Jehovah |
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 therefore, lo, I am gathering thee unto thy fathers, and thou hast been gathered unto thy grave in peace, and thine eyes do not look on any of the evil that I am bringing in on this place;' and they bring the king back word. |
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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