1,2 Josiah's good reign 3-7 He destroys idolatry 8-13 He takes order for the repair of the temple 14-22 Hilkiah, having found a book of the law, Josiah sends to Huldah to enquire of the Lord 23-28 Huldah prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem, but respite thereof in Josiah's time 29-33 Josiah, causing it to be read in a solemn assembly, renews the covenant with God

A.M. 3363-3394 B.C. 641-610
Josiah 2Ch 33:25 1Ki 13:2 2Ki 22:1 1Ch 3:14,15 Jer 1:2 Zep 1:1 Mt 1:10,11

Josias
eight years 2Ch 24:1 26:1 33:1 1Sa 2:18,26 1Ki 3:7-9 Ec 4:13

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 2Ch 14:2 17:3 29:2 1Ki 14:8 15:5 2Ki 22:2

declined De 5:32 17:11,20 28:14 Jos 1:7 23:6 Pr 4:27

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 1Ch 22:5 29:1 Ps 119:9 Ec 12:1 2Ti 3:15

to seek 2Ch 15:2 1Ch 28:9 Pr 8:17 Mt 6:33

purge 2Ch 33:17,22 Le 26:30 2Ki 23:4,14

the high places 2Ch 30:14 2Ki 18:4

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 strewed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.

brake down 2Ch 33:3 Ex 23:24 Le 26:30 De 7:5,25

images. or, sun images 2Ch 14:5 2Ki 23:4,5,11

made dust 2Ch 34:7 Ex 32:20 De 9:21 2Ki 23:12 Ps 18:42 Isa 27:9

graves [heb] face of the graves 2Ki 10:26,27 23:4,6

5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

he 1Ki 13:2 2Ki 23:16 Jer 8:1,2

cleansed 2Ch 34:7 Nu 35:33 Jer 3:10 4:14 Eze 22:24

6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.

in 2Ch 30:1,10,11 31:1 2Ki 23:15-20

mattocks. or, mauls 1Sa 13:20,21 Pr 25:18 Isa 7:25

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 2Ch 34:1 De 9:21

into powder [heb] to make powder
he returned 2Ch 31:1

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 Jer 1:2,3

sent Shaphan 2Ki 22:3,12,14 Jer 26:24 29:3 36:10 39:14 40:11 Eze 8:11

Maaseiah Jer 21:1 29:21,25

recorded 2Sa 8:16 20:24 1Ch 18:15

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 2Ch 34:14,15,18,20,22 2Ki 22:4 23:4

they delivered 2Ch 24:11-14 2Ki 22:5-7 Php 4:8

Manasseh 2Ch 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. 2Ch 34:7

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 2Ki 12:11,12,14 22:5,6 Ezr 3:7

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 2Ch 33:4-7,22

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 music.

faithfully 2Ch 31:12 2Ki 12:15 22:7 Ne 7:2 Pr 28:20 1Co 4:2

all 1Ch 6:31 15:16-22 16:4,5,41 23:5 25:1

skill The verb {skill} is now obsolete: the meaning is, `every one who is skilful, maiveen, on instruments of music.'

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 2Ch 2:10,18 8:10 Ne 4:10

and of the Levites 1Ch 23:4,5

scribes Ezr 7:6 Jer 8:8 Mt 26:3

officers 2Ch 19:11 1Ch 23:4 26:29,30

porters 2Ch 8:14 1Ch 9:17 15:18 16:38,42 26:1 Ezr 7:7

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 2Ki 22:8 De 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 2Ch 12:1 31:4 35:26 De 17:18,19 Jos 1:8 Ezr 7:10 Ps 1:2 Isa 5:24 30:9 Jer 8:8 Lu 2:39

Moses [heb] the hand of Moses Le 8:36 10:11 26:46

15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

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 2Ki 22:9,10 Jer 36:20,21

thy servants [heb] the hand of thy servants

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 2Ch 34:8-10

gathered together [heb] poured out, or melted

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 De 17:19 Jos 1:8 Ps 119:46,97-99 Jer 36:20,21

it [heb] in it

19 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.

the words Ro 3:20 7:7-11 Ga 2:19 3:10-13

that he rent 2Ki 19:1 22:11,19 Jer 36:22-24 Joe 2:13

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 2Ki 25:22 Jer 26:24 40:6,9,14

Abdon This person seems to have borne both the name of Achbor and Abdon. 2Ki 22:12

Achbor Jer 26:22

Micha
Michaiah () as he is named in the parallel passage, is here called () Micah, 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 2Ki 22:12

Asahiah

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 Ex 18:15 1Sa 9:9 1Ki 22:5-7 Jer 21:2 Eze 14:1 20:1-7

that are left 2Ch 28:6 33:11 2Ki 17:6,7 22:13 Isa 37:2-4 Jer 42:2

great Le 26:14 De 28:15 29:18-28 30:17-19 31:16-22 32:15-25 Ro 1:18 2:8-12 4:15

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 Ex 15:20 Jud 4:4 Lu 1:41-45 2:36 Ac 21:9

Hasrah Hasrah is most probably a mistake for Harhas; as the Septuagint reads, both here and in the parallel place.

Aras 2Ki 22:14

Harhas
wardrobe [heb] garments
college. or, school, or second part. It is probable that Mihneh was either the name of a street, or a particular part of the city of Jerusalem.

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 2Ki 22:15-20 Jer 21:3-7 37:7-10

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 2Ch 36:14-20 Jos 23:16 2Ki 21:12 23:26,27 Isa 5:4-6 Jer 6:19 19:3,15 35:17 36:31

all the curses 2Ch 34:21

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 2Ch 12:2 15:2 33:3-9 2Ki 24:3,4 Isa 2:8,9 Jer 15:1-4

my wrath Isa 42:25 Jer 7:20 La 2:4 4:11 Na 1:6 Re 14:10,11

shall not 2Ki 22:17 Jer 4:4 7:20 Eze 20:48 Mr 9:43-48

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 2Ch 34:21,23

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 2Ch 32:12,13 2Ki 22:18,19 Ps 34:18 51:17 Isa 57:15 66:2 Eze 9:4 36:26

humble 2Ch 32:26 33:12,19 Jas 4:6-10

didst rend 2Ch 34:19 Jer 36:23,24

I have even Ps 10:17 Isa 65:24

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 2Ch 35:24 2Ki 22:20 Isa 57:1,2 Jer 15:1 Eze 14:14-21

in peace Ps 37:37

neither 1Ki 21:29 2Ki 20:19 Isa 39:8

29 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

the king 1Sa 12:23 1Ch 29:2 Mr 14:8

gathered 2Ch 30:2 2Ki 23:1-3

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 2Ch 15:12,13 18:30 De 1:17 Job 3:19

he read 2Ch 6:1 17:7-9 De 17:18-20 Ne 8:2-5 Ec 1:12 12:9,10

the book 2Ch 34:15,18,19,24 Ex 24:7 2Ki 23:2,21 Jer 31:31,32

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 al omdo, `in his place,' the parallel passage 2ki 23:3 has al haammood, `by the pillar;' which is probably the true reading, as the LXX in both places read (), `the pillar' 2Ch 6:13 2Ki 11:4 23:3 Eze 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. 2Ch 23:16 29:10 Ex 24:6-8 De 29:1,10-15 Jos 24:25 Ne 9:38 10:29 Jer 50:5 Heb 8:6-13

and his testimonies Ps 119:11,112

with all 2Ch 15:12,15 2Ch 31:21 De 6:5 Lu 10:27-29

to perform Ps 119:106

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 2Ch 14:4 30:12 33:16 Ge 18:19 Ec 8:2

present [heb] found 2Ch 29:29

did Jer 3:10

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 2Ch 34:3-7 2Ki 23:4-20

the abominations 1Ki 11:5-7

all his days Jos 24:31 Jer 3:10 Ho 6:4

from following [heb] from after