Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Chronicles 34

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  Josiah's good reign.
3  He destroys idolatry.
8  He takes order for the repair of the temple.
14  Hilkiah, having found a book of the law, Josiah sends to Huldah to enquire of the Lord.
23  Huldah prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem, but respite thereof in Josiah's time.
29  Josiah, causing it to be read in a solemn assembly, renews the covenant with God.
Verse 1

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.
A. M. 3363-3394. B.C. 641-610. Josiah
33:25, 1 Kings 13:2, 2 Kings 22:1-20, 1 Chronicles 3:14,15, Jeremiah 1:2, Zephaniah 1:1, Matthew 1:10,11
Josias
eight years.
24:1, 26:1, 33:1, 1 Samuel 2:18,26, 1 Kings 3:7-9, Ecclesiastes 4:13
Verse 2

And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
right in the sight
14:2, 17:3, 29:2, 1 Kings 14:8, 15:5, 2 Kings 22:2
declined
Deuteronomy 5:32, 17:11,20, 28:14, Joshua 1:7, 23:6, Proverbs 4:27
Verse 3

For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
A. M. 3370. B.C. 634. while he
1 Chronicles 22:5, 29:1, Psalms 119:9, Ecclesiastes 12:1, 2 Timothy 3:15
to seek
15:2, 1 Chronicles 28:9, Proverbs 8:17, Matthew 6:33
purge
33:17,22, Leviticus 26:30, 2 Kings 23:4,14
the high places
30:14, 2 Kings 18:4
Verse 4

And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.
brake down
33:3, Exodus 23:24, Leviticus 26:30, Deuteronomy 7:5,25
images
or, sun images.
14:5, 2 Kings 23:4,5,11
made dust
7, Exodus 32:20, Deuteronomy 9:21, 2 Kings 23:12, Psalms 18:42, Isaiah 27:9
graves
Heb. face of the graves.
2 Kings 10:26,27, 23:4,6
Verse 5

And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
he
1 Kings 13:2, 2 Kings 23:16, Jeremiah 8:1,2
cleansed
7, Numbers 35:33, Jeremiah 3:10, 4:14, Ezekiel 22:24
Verse 6

And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.
in
30:1,10,11, 31:1, 2 Kings 23:15-20
mattocks
or, mauls.
1 Samuel 13:20,21, Proverbs 25:18, Isaiah 7:25
Verse 7

And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
beaten
1, Deuteronomy 9:21
into powder
Heb. to make powder. he returned.
31:1
Verse 8

Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.
A. M. 3380. B.C. 624. the eighteenth
Jeremiah 1:2,3
sent Shaphan
2 Kings 22:3,12,14, Jeremiah 26:24, 29:3, 36:10, 39:14, 40:11, Ezekiel 8:11
Maaseiah
Jeremiah 21:1, 29:21,25
recorded
2 Samuel 8:16, 20:24, 1 Chronicles 18:15
Verse 9

And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.
Hilkiah
14,15,18,20,22, 2 Kings 22:4, 23:4
they delivered
24:11-14, 2 Kings 22:5-7, Philippians 4:8
Manasseh
30:10,18, 31:1
and they returned
Instead of wyyashuvoo, "and they returned," as the Keri has, we should, with the Kethiv, read weyoshevey, "and the inhabitants of;" a reading which is supported by many MSS,; printed editions, and all the versions, as well as necessity and common sense.
Verse 10

And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house:
in the hand
2 Kings 12:11,12,14, 22:5,6, Ezra 3:7
Verse 11

Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.
floor
or, rafter. the kings.
33:4-7,22
Verse 12

And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick.
faithfully
31:12, 2 Kings 12:15, 22:7, Nehemiah 7:2, Proverbs 28:20, 1 Corinthians 4:2
all
1 Chronicles 6:31-48, 15:16-22, 16:4,5,41, 23:5, 25:1-31
skill
The verb skill is now obsolete: the meaning is, "every one who is skilful, maiveen, on instruments of music."
Verse 13

Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.
the bearers
2:10,18, 8:10, Nehemiah 4:10
and of the Levites
1 Chronicles 23:4,5
scribes
Ezra 7:6, Jeremiah 8:8, Matthew 26:3
officers
19:11, 1 Chronicles 23:4, 26:29,30
porters
8:14, 1 Chronicles 9:17, 15:18, 16:38,42, 26:1-19, Ezra 7:7
Verse 14

And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses.
Hilkiah
2 Kings 22:8-20, Deuteronomy 31:24-26
a book
Literally, "a book of the law of the Lord, by the hand of Moses," i.e, as Dr. Kennicott understands it, "in the handwriting of Moses;" for, says he, though there are fifteen places in the Old Testament which mention the "Law of Moses," and "book of Moses," yet this one place only mentions "the book of the law in, or by, the hand of Moses."
the law
12:1, 31:4, 35:26, Deuteronomy 17:18,19, Joshua 1:8, Ezra 7:10, Psalms 1:2, Isaiah 5:24, Isaiah 30:9, Jeremiah 8:8, Luke 2:39
Moses
Heb. the hand of Moses.
Leviticus 8:36, 10:11, 26:46
Verse 16

And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it.
Shaphan
2 Kings 22:9,10, Jeremiah 36:20,21
thy servants
Heb. the hand of thy servants.
Verse 17

And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.
And they
gathered together
Heb. poured out, or melted.
Verse 18

Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
And Shaphan read
Deuteronomy 17:19, Joshua 1:8, Psalms 119:46,97-99, Jeremiah 36:20,21
it
Heb. in it.
Verse 19

And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.
the words
Romans 3:20, 7:7-11, Galatians 2:19, 3:10-13
that he rent
2 Kings 19:1, 22:11,19, Jeremiah 36:22-24, Joel 2:13
Verse 20

And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,
Ahikam
2 Kings 25:22, Jeremiah 26:24, 40:6,9,14
Abdon
This person seems to have borne both the name of Achbor and Abdon.
2 Kings 22:12
Achbor
Jeremiah 26:22
Michah
Michaiah, as he is named in the parallel passage, is here called Michah, merely by the omission of yah, one of the Divine names.
Asaiah
This variation only exists in the translation; the original being uniformly Asaiah, or rather, Asayah.
2 Kings 22:12
Asahiah
Verse 21

Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book.
enquire
Exodus 18:15, 1 Samuel 9:9, 1 Kings 22:5-7, Jeremiah 21:2, Ezekiel 14:1-11, 20:1-7
that are left
28:6, 33:11, 2 Kings 17:6,7, 22:13, Isaiah 37:2-4, Jeremiah 42:2
great
Leviticus 26:14-46, Deuteronomy 28:15, 29:18-28, 30:17-19, 31:16-22, 32:15-25, Romans 1:18, 2:8-12, 4:15
Verse 22

And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect.
the prophetess
Exodus 15:20, Judges 4:4, Luke 1:41-45, 2:36, Acts 21:9
Hasrah
Hasrah is most probably a mistake for Harhas; as the Septuagint reads, both here and in the parallel place, [Aras.]
Aras
2 Kings 22:14
Harhas
wardrobe
Heb. garments. college. or, school, or second part. It is probable that Mishneh was either the name of a street, or a particular part of the city of Jerusalem.
Verse 23

And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me,
Tell ye the man
2 Kings 22:15-20, Jeremiah 21:3-7, 37:7-10
Verse 24

Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil 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:
I will bring
36:14-20, Joshua 23:16, 2 Kings 21:12, 23:26,27, Isaiah 5:4-6, Jeremiah 6:19, Jeremiah 19:3,15, 35:17, 36:31
all the curses
Verse 25

Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.
Because
12:2, 15:2, 33:3-9, 2 Kings 24:3,4, Isaiah 2:8,9, Jeremiah 15:1-4
my wrath
Isaiah 42:25, Jeremiah 7:20, Lamentations 2:4, 4:11, Nahum 1:6, Revelation 14:10,11
shall not
2 Kings 22:17, Jeremiah 4:4, 7:20, Ezekiel 20:48, Mark 9:43-48
Verse 26

And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard;
as for
21,23
Verse 27

Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.
Because
"Because," says the Targumist, "thy heart was melted, and thou hast humbled thyself in the sight of the word of the Lord, meymra dyya, when thou didst hear His words, yath pithgamoi, against this place." Here meymra, the personal word, is plainly distinguished from pithgam, a word spoken.
thine heart
32:12,13, 2 Kings 22:18,19, Psalms 34:18, 51:17, Isaiah 57:15, 66:2, Ezekiel 9:4, Ezekiel 36:26
humble
32:26, 33:12,19, James 4:6-10
didst rend
19, Jeremiah 36:23,24
I have even
Psalms 10:17, Isaiah 65:24
Verse 28

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 that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.
I will gather
35:24, 2 Kings 22:20, Isaiah 57:1,2, Jeremiah 15:1, Ezekiel 14:14-21
in peace
Psalms 37:37
neither
1 Kings 21:29, 2 Kings 20:19, Isaiah 39:8
Verse 29

Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
the king
1 Samuel 12:23, 1 Chronicles 29:2-9, Mark 14:8
gathered
30:2, 2 Kings 23:1-3
Verse 30

And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.
great and small
Heb. from great even to small.
15:12,13, 18:30, Deuteronomy 1:17, Job 3:19
he read
6:1-11, 17:7-9, Deuteronomy 17:18-20, Nehemiah 8:2-5, Ecclesiastes 1:12, 12:9,10
the book
15,18,19,24, Exodus 24:7, 2 Kings 23:2,21, Jeremiah 31:31,32
Verse 31

And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, 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 which are written in this book.
In his place
Instead of âl ômdo, "in his place," the parallel passage 2 Ki 23:3, has âl häâmmood, "by the pillar;" which is probably the true reading, as the LXX. in both places read [ton stylon] "the pillar."
6:13, 2 Kings 11:4, 23:3, Ezekiel 46:2
made a covenant
This was expressed, 1. In general, To walk after Jehovah; to have no gods beside him. 2. To take this law for the regulation of their conduct. 3. In particular, To bend their whole heart and soul to the performance of it; so that they might not only have religion without, but piety within.
23:16, 29:10, Exodus 24:6-8, Deuteronomy 29:1,10-15, Joshua 24:25, Nehemiah 9:38, 10:29, Jeremiah 50:5, Hebrews 8:6-13
and his testimonies
Psalms 119:111,112
with all
15:12,15, 31:21, Deuteronomy 6:5, Luke 10:27-29
to perform
Psalms 119:106
Verse 32

And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
caused
14:4, 30:12, 33:16, Genesis 18:19, Ecclesiastes 8:2
present
Heb. found.
29:29
did
Jeremiah 3:10
Verse 33

And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.
took away
3-7, 2 Kings 23:4-20
the abominations
1 Kings 11:5-7
all his days
Joshua 24:31, Jeremiah 3:10, Hosea 6:4
from following
Heb. from after.

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