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| 1 Eight years old, was Josiah when he begun to reign,–and, thirty-one years, reigned he in Jerusalem. |
One and thirty years – Link No. 42 in the chain of Bible chronology. B50; R1980:4
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| 2 And he did that which was right, in the eyes of Yahweh,–and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left. |
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| 3 And, in the eighth year of his reign, he, being yet a boy, he began to seek unto the God of David his father,-and, in the twelfth year, he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, from the high places and the Sacred Stems, and the carved images and the molten images. |
In the eighth year – 651 BC, parallel to 1869 AD, when the editor of Zion's Watch Tower first began to search the Scriptures for the true plan of God. R3574:4*
While he was yet young – An example of the proper course for every young person in that the heart should be given to the Lord in the days of youth before evil experiences have come. R4838:5
He began to seek – It is one thing to be well disposed and another thing entirely to consecrate the heart to the Lord. R2390:3
In the twelfth year – By the time he was twenty, Josiah's religious convictions were so deep and fixed that he dared to begin the work of reformation. R4837:3, R3607:2
It is a great mistake to assume that children must first "sow wild oats" before they can appreciate righteousness. R4837:6
He began to purge – Under the Law every king of Israel had a responsibility to oppose idolatry with violence because the kingdom typically represented God and his reign of righteousness. But when fleshly Israel was cast off, all such laws were made null and void. R3607:3
With spiritual Israel each heart has its own dominion to conquer, to clear of idols. R3607:5
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| 4 And they threw down before him, the altars of the Baalim, and, the sun-pillars which were on high above them, he hewed down,–and, the Sacred Stems and the carved images and the molten images, brake he in pieces and ground to dust, and tossed over the face of the graves, of them who had been sacrificing unto them. |
Brake down the altars – As it was with Josiah's work, so it should be with all who present themselves to the Lord. They should begin by breaking off their sins, destroying the fleshly idols of the heart. R2390:5
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| 5 And, the bones of the priests, burned he upon their altars,–and so purified Judah and Jerusalem: |
Burnt the bones – This work of reform had been prophesied for him years before (1 Kings 13:1-3; 2 Kings 23:15-17). R3607:3
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| 6 also throughout the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even as far as Naphtali,–searched he their houses, round about. |
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| 7 And, when he had thrown down the altars and the Sacred Stems, and, the images, he had beaten to powder, and, the sun-pillars, he had hewn down throughout all the land of Israel, then returned he to Jerusalem. |
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| 8 And, in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purified the land and the house, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city and Joah son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of Yahweh his God. |
In the eighteenth year – 641 BC, parallel to 1879 AD, the date of the founding of Zion's Watch Tower. R3574:4*
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| 9 So they went in unto Hilkiah the high priest, and delivered the silver that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites who kept the entrance-hall had collected from the hand of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin,–and returned to Jerusalem. |
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| 10 And the overseers in the house of Yahweh, delivered it into the hand of the doer of the work,–yea they delivered it to the doers of the work, because they were working in the house of Yahweh, in searching and repairing the house: |
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| 11 yea they delivered it to the artificers and to the builders, to buy carved stones and timbers for the joinings,–and to build up the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.
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| 12 Now, the men, were working faithfully in the work, and over them as overseers, were–Jahath and Obadiah, Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to preside,–and Levites, all who had understanding in instruments of song; |
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| 13 also over the burden-bearers, and such as took the lead, for everyone who was working in any manner of service,–and, of the Levites, were scribes and officers and doorkeepers. |
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| 14 Now, as they were taking out the silver which had been brought into the house of Yahweh, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of Yahweh, by the hand of Moses. |
Found – In the process of the cleaning up and restoring of the Temple services commanded by King Josiah. R3608:2
A book – Possibly including the five books of Moses and the book of Judges, including the original copy of Deuteronomy written by Moses' own hand. R4850:3, R3608:3, R2390:6
Now, in due time, the Word of God is being found, shining with wonderful brilliancy upon the path of the just. R4851:5
Law of the LORD – The Word of the Lord was lost during the Dark Ages, resulting in confusion and deterioration of spiritual vitality. His Word is found now in the sense of being easily accessible. R3609:3
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| 15 Then spake up Hilkiah, and said unto Shaphan the scribe, The Book of the Law, have I found, in the house of Yahweh,–and Hilkiah gave the book unto Shaphan. |
Shaphan the scribe – His position corresponded somewhat to the Secretary of State at the present time. R3608:2
In the house of the LORD – King Ahaz had caused the manuscripts to be burned, but in God's providence one copy of the Law was buried under a pile of stone and rubbish in one of the rooms surrounding the Court of the Temple. R3608:2
In one sense, the Word of the Lord is still hidden, covered with a thick coating of false teaching and human tradition. R3609:4
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| 16 Then Shaphan took in the book unto the king, and returned yet further unto the king a message, saying,–All that was delivered into the hand of thy servants, they are doing; |
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| 17 and they have poured out the silver, that was found in the house of Yahweh, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the doers of the work. |
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| 18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, A book, hath Hilkiah the priest given to me. And Shaphan, read therein, before the king. |
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| 19 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. |
The king had heard – Due to the long period of idolatry preceding Josiah's work of reformation, the king may have never heard of the divine Law up to this time. R4850:3
To the masses of the people today, God's Book is lost. R4851:1
Words of the law – He realized that the nation of Israel had committed the very sins recorded in Deuteronomy 28, and that therefore they were subject to the very penalties therein specified. R3608:3
Rent his clothes – The tearing of the loose outer garment in olden times was a symbol of distress, perplexity or fear. R3608:3
So it is with the Christian who at last discovers the true meaning of the great law of love, and feels his shortcomings. R2391:3
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| 20 Then did the king command Hilkiah–and Ahikam son of Shaphan–and Abdon son of Micah–and Shaphan the scribe–and Asaiah servant of the king, saying: |
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| 21 Go, enquire of Yahweh for me, and for the remnant in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book which hath been found,–for great is the wrath of Yahweh, which hath been poured out upon us, because our fathers, kept not, the word of Yahweh, to do according to all that is written in this book. |
Wrath of the LORD – Deuteronomy 28 is a statement of the penalty due Josiah's kingdom because of idolatry preceding his day. R4851:1
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| 22 So Hilkiah and they whom the king had named went into Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tokhath son of Hasrah keeper of the wardrobe, she, having her dwelling in Jerusalem, in the new city,–and they spake unto her accordingly. |
Went to Huldah – Instead of Jeremiah or Zephaniah, perhaps to ascertain whether she would confirm their public prophecies of coming judgment upon the nation. R2391:1
The prophetess – God 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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| 23 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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| 24 Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me bringing in calamity upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof,-even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah: |
Evil upon this place – It was too late for any national reformation, as it is now too late for the reformation of Christendom. R2391:4
Curses – Evils. R3608:5
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| 25 Because they have forsaken me, and burned incense unto other gods, so as to provoke me to anger, with all the works of their hands, therefore hath my wrath been poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched. |
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| 26 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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| 27 Because tender was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, and didst humble thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me, therefore, I also, have heard, is the declaration of Yahweh. |
Thine heart was tender – Words of comfort and consolation for the king himself. R2391:4
The Lord's promise is comforting to all those who mourn in Zion, who are out of sympathy with evil and unrighteousness. R2391:6
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| 28 Behold me! gathering thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy sepulchres in peace, and thine eyes shall not look upon all the calamity which, I, am bringing in upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof. And they returned, unto the king, the message. |
To thy grave – Qeber, tomb, place of interment. E348
In peace – The king, and presumably others who manifested a similar spirit, would be preserved from the trouble. It would not come at a time and manner as to involve them. R4851:1, R3608:5
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| 29 Then the king sent,–and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. |
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| 30 And the king went up to the house of Yahweh–and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem–and the priests and the Levites, and all the people, from the great even unto the small,–and he read in their ears, all the words of the book of the covenant, which had been found in the house of Yahweh. |
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| 31 And the king stood in his place, and solemnised the covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all his heart and with all his soul,–to perform the words of the covenant that are written in this book. |
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| 32 And he caused to take a stand, all that were present in Jerusalem, and Benjamin,–and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. |
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| 33 And Josiah removed all the abominations, out of all the lands which belonged to the sons of Israel, and caused all that were present in Jerusalem to serve, yea to serve, Yahweh their God,–all his days, turned they not aside from following Yahweh, God of their fathers. |
All the abominations – The purging from idolatry was still more thoroughly carried out and the work of reformation made more deep. R4851:1
They departed not – The majority of the Israelites were swayed by the example of the king, without any clear moral and religious sentiments of their own. R3608:6
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