2 KINGS CHAPTER 23 Josiah causeth the law to be read in a solemn
assembly; reneweth the covenant of the Lord; destroyeth idolatry, 2
KINGS 23:1; breaketh down the altar at Beth-el, and burneth thereon
dead men's bones, 2 KINGS 23:15; keepeth the passover: other evidences
of his piety, 2 KINGS 23:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROPHETS; either Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Urijah; or the sons or
disciples of the prophets. HE READ; He caused to be read.... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE PILLAR; of which SEE POOLE ON "2 KINGS 11:14"; SEE POOLE ON "2
CHRONICLES 34:31". TO THE COVENANT, to wit, as to the taking of it;
they declared their consent to it, and their concurrence with the king
in that act, which possibly they did by standing upright, as the king
himself stood when he... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRIESTS OF THE SECOND ORDER; either those two who were next in
degree to the high priest, and in case of his sickness were to manage
his work; of whom see 2 SAMUEL 8:17; or the heads of the twentyfour
courses which David had appointed, 1CH 24. THE KEEPERS OF THE DOOR:
SEE POOLE ON "2 KINGS 22:4... [ Continue Reading ]
THE IDOLATROUS PRIESTS, Heb. _the chemarim_; which were ministers of
idols, HOSEA 10:5, distinct from the priests, ZEPHANIAH 1:4. Possibly
they were the highest rank of priests, because they are here employed
in the highest work, which was to burn incense. BAAL; a particular
god, of greatest esteem... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GROVE: SEE POOLE ON "2 KINGS 23:4". Of the children of the people,
i.e. of the common people, whose graves were made together in some
common place, which was generally accounted very impure and
contemptible, and therefore a fit place for this filth to be thrown
into. Or, of bastards, who are oft... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOUSES OF THE SODOMITES; wherein some males prostituted their
bodies to the lusts of others; which abominable practice was both a
punishment of idolatry, ROMANS 1:23,24,27, and a part of idol worship,
this being done to the honour of some of their idols, and by the
appointment and instigation of... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE PRIESTS, to wit, belonging to the high places there following,
whether such as worshipped idols, or rather, such as worshipped God in
those forbidden places, DEUTERONOMY 12:11, as may be gathered from the
following verse. DEFILED THE HIGH PLACES, by burning dead men's bones
upon them, as 2 K... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRIESTS OF THE HIGH PLACES, which worshipped the true God there.
CAME NOT UP TO THE ALTAR OF THE LORD IN JERUSALEM, i.e. were not
suffered to come thither to the exercise of their priestly function;
as a just punishment for the corruption of God's worship, and the
transgression of so plain and p... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE VALLEY OF THE CHILDREN OF HINNOM; of which see JOSHUA 15:8
NEHEMIAH 11:30 JEREMIAH 7:31, JEREMIAH 19:6,11. TO PASS THROUGH THE
FIRE TO MOLECH. SEE POOLE ON "LEVITICUS 18:21"; SEE POOLE ON
"DEUTERONOMY 18:10".... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HORSES; either,
1. The carved or graven horses, to which were adjoined a graven
chariot, in which there might be the picture of the sun, which the
heathens used to represent in this manner. Or rather,
2. Living horses; for,
1. Such the eastern nations used to consecrate to the sun, to signify... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE TOP OF THE UPPER CHAMBER OF AHAZ, i.e. upon the roof of the
king's house. They were so mad upon their idols, that they were not
content with all their public high places and altars, but made others
upon their house-tops, for the worship of the heavenly bodies. See
JEREMIAH 19:13 ZEPHANIAH 1:5... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MOUNT OF CORRUPTION, i.e. the Mount of Olives, 1 KINGS 11:7, here
called _the mount of corruption_, for the gross idolatry there
practised, which is oft expressed by the name of corruption. See
EXODUS 32:7 DEUTERONOMY 32:5. In the Hebrew is an elegant allusion
between _miscah, anointing_, and _m... [ Continue Reading ]
i.e. of the idolatrous priests, which he caused to be taken out of
their graves, 2 KINGS 21:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ALTAR THAT WAS AT BETH-EL. QUESTION. How could he rightly do this,
seeing Beth-el was a part of the kingdom of Israel, not of Judah?
ANSWER. Either, first, This city was now under the kingdom of Judah,
to which it was added by Abijah long since, 2 CHRONICLES 13:19. Or,
secondly, He did this by v... [ Continue Reading ]
AS JOSIAH TURNED HIMSELF: Josiah's care and zeal was so great, that he
would not trust his officers with these things, but would see them
done with his own eyes. Which the man of God proclaimed three hundred
years before it was done.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT TITLE IS THAT THAT I SEE? It was the manner then, as now it is,
to set up little pillars or stones by or upon the graves of the higher
sort of men, upon which the name of the person, and some remarkable
passages relating to him, were engraven.... [ Continue Reading ]
Which were now mixed together. SAMARIA; the place of his birth or
former abode, though now he were in Beth-el, 1 KINGS 13:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
By what authority he did this, SEE POOLE ON "2 KINGS 23:15".... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRIESTS OF THE HIGH PLACES; either,
1. The priests which Jeroboam had made of the meanest of the people,
whom he slew, both for their presumptuous usurpation of that sacred
office, which of itself was punishable with death by God's law,
NUMBERS 3:10, and for their idolatry. Or rather,
2. The pr... [ Continue Reading ]
KEEP THE PASSOVER: having abolished false worship, he now endeavours
to set up the true worship of the true God. IN THIS BOOK OF THE
COVENANT; in this book which I have found; wherein is contained the
covenant made between God and Israel, and the terms of it.... [ Continue Reading ]
SUCH A PASSOVER, i.e. celebrated with such solemn care, and great
preparation, and numerous sacrifices. 2 CHRONICLES 35:7, and universal
joy of all good men; which was much the greater, because of their
remembrance of the former wicked and miserable times under Manasseh
and Amon; and the good hopes... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WIZARDS; of which see on LEVITICUS 19:31, LEVITICUS 20:27 NUMBERS
22:5 DEUTERONOMY 18:11. THE IMAGES, AND THE IDOLS, and all the
abominations; three words noting the same thing, to show that till the
instruments and monuments of idolatry were destroyed, as God had
commanded. THAT WERE SPIED, i.e... [ Continue Reading ]
LIKE UNTO HIM THERE WAS NO KING BEFORE HIM, to wit, for his diligent
study in God's law, and his exact care, and unwearied industry, and
fervent zeal, in rooting out of idolaters, and all kinds and
appearances of idolatry, not only in Judah, but in Israel also; and in
the establishment of the true r... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD TURNED NOT FROM THE FIERCENESS OF HIS GREAT, WRATH; because
though the king was most hearty in his repentance, and acceptable to
God, as we said before, and therefore the judgment was delayed for his
time; yet the people were generally corrupt, and secretly averse from
Josiah's pious and ex... [ Continue Reading ]
To wit, upon the conditions in sundry places expressed, which they
broke, and therefore God justly made them to know his breach of
promise, as he threatens, NUMBERS 14:34.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
PHARAOH-NECHOH, called _Necos_ by Herodotus, who makes mention of this
fight; wherein, as he saith, _Necos conquered the Syrians in Magdalo_.
_The king of Assyria_, i.e. the king of Babylon, who having formerly
rebelled against the Assyrian his lord, had now conquered him; as
appears by the course o... [ Continue Reading ]
DEAD, i.e. mortally wounded, as in the former verse; and as we
commonly say of a sick man past hopes of recovery, that he is a dead
man: compare GENESIS 20:3. JEHOAHAZ THE SON OF JOSIAH, who was younger
than Jehoiakim, by comparing 2 KINGS 23:31 with 2 KINGS 23:36, yet
preferred by the people before... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
i.e. His grandparents, Manasseh and Amon. He restored that idolatry
which his father had destroyed, partly to gratify the generality of
the people, who had made him king, and who were inclined to their old
superstitions even in Josiah's time, as was observed before, though
restrained from the outwar... [ Continue Reading ]
PHARAOH-NECHOH PUT HIM IN BANDS; either because he presumed to take
the kingdom without his leave and consent; or because he renewed the
war against Pharaoh, as some affirm, and by him was conquered and
taken prisoner. RIBLAH; an eminent city in Syria; of which see NUMBERS
34:11 2 KINGS 25:6; where... [ Continue Reading ]
ELIAKIM THE SON OF JOSIAH; whom he perceived to be of a more mild and
peaceable disposition. TURNED HIS NAME TO JEHOIAKIM; because the
giving of names was accounted an act and sign of dominion; which
therefore parents did to their children, and conquerors to their
vassals or tributaries. Compare 2 K... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE BEGAN TO REIGN; either,
1. When he began to reign alone, and with full power, or after
Jehoahaz's death; till which the people would not disown him whom they
had anointed king, which was esteemed a great tie, 2 SAMUEL 19:10; nor
own or accept Jehoiakim as their king, but only as his brother... [ Continue Reading ]
By idolatry, the oppression of his people, and the persecution of the
prophets, and other good men, JEREMIAH 26:21 EZEKIEL 19:5.... [ Continue Reading ]