2 Kings 22
1 Josiah's good reign.
3 He takes care for the repair of the temple.
8 Hilkiah having found a book of the law, Josiah sends to Huldah to enquire of the Lord.
15 Huldah prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem, but respite thereof in Josiah's time.
Josiah <02977> [A.M. 3363-3394. B.C. 641-610. Josiah.]
This prince was one of the best, if not the best, of all the Jewish kings since the time of David. He began well, continued well, and ended well.
[Josias.]
eight years old ........... years <08141 01121 08083> [eight years old.]
Bozkath <01218> [Boscath.]
This was a city in the plain country of the tribe of Judah; and is mentioned in the parallel passage along with Lachish and Eglon.
[Bozkath.]
approved ............... right <03477 03225> [right.]
<03212> [walked.]
deviate <05493> [turned.]
eighteenth <08083> [A.M. 3380. B.C. 642. in the.]
Hilkiah <02518> [Hilkiah.]
melt down <08552> [that he may.]
Ten years seem to have elapsed since the people began to present the accustomed offerings; yet no one had taken an account of them, nor were they applied to the purpose for which they were given.
melt down ... silver <03701 08552> [sum the silver.]
guards <08104> [the keepers.]
door <05592> [door. Heb. threshold.]
hand ................. pay <05414> [deliver.]
repair <02388> [to repair.]
audit <02803> [Howbeit.]
honest <0530 06213> [they dealt faithfully.]
found <04672> [I have found.]
This certainly was a genuine copy of the divine law, and probably the autograph of Moses, as it is said, in the parallel place of Chronicles, to be the book of the law of the Lord by Moses. It is not probable that this was the only copy of the law in the land, or that Josiah had never before seen the book of Moses; but the fact seems to be, that this was the original of the covenant renewed by Moses in the plains of Moab, and now being unexpectedly found, its antiquity, the occasion of its being made, the present circumstances of the people, the imperfect state in which the reformation was as yet, after all that had been done, would all concur to produce the effect here mentioned on the mind of the pious Josiah.
Shaphan <08227> [Shaphan.]
scribe <05608> [the scribe.]
melted <05413> [gathered. Heb. melted.]
Shaphan ............... Shaphan <08227> [Shaphan.]
king ................. king <04428> [the king.]
tore <07167> [that he rent.]
king .................... king's <04428> [the king.]
Ahikam <0296> [Ahikam.]
Acbor <05907> [Achbor.]
[Abdon. Michaiah. or, Micah.]
seek <01875> [enquire.]
<01419> [great.]
ancestors <01> [because our fathers.]
prophetess <05031> [prophetess.]
Tikvah <08616> [Tikvah.]
[Tikvath, Hasrah. wardrobe. Heb. garments.]
Mishneh district <04932> [college. or, second part.]
bring <0935> [Behold.]
details <01697> [all the words.]
[have foresaken.]
idols <04639> [the works.]
anger <02534> [therefore.]
extinguished <03518> [shall not be.]
king <04428> [the king.]
Say <0559> [thus shall ye.]
spirit <03824> [thine heart.]
humbled <03665> [humbled.]
appalling <08047> [a desolation.]
tore <07167> [hast rent.]
wept <01058> [wept.]
heard ............................... heard <08085> [I also have.]
allow .... die <0622> [I will gather.]
allow .... die <0622> [thou shalt.]
During thy life, none of these calamities shall fall upon thee nor thy people; no adversary shall be permitted to disturb the peace of Judea; and thou shalt at last "be gathered into thy grave in peace." Now, though it is stated that Pharaoh-Necho slew him at Megiddo, yet the Assyrians and the Jews were at peace; and though Josiah might feel it his duty to oppose the Egyptian king's going against his friend and ally, and that, in his endeavours to oppose him, he was mortally wounded at Megiddo, yet certainly he was not killed there, but was brought to Jerusalem, where he died in peace.
allow .... die <0622> [gathered.]
