XXII. THE REIGN OF JOSIAH (2 Kings 22; 2 Kings 23:30; comp. 2 Chronicles 24:25) (1) JOSIAH. — The name seems to mean “Jah healeth.” (Comp. Exodus 15:26; Isaiah 30:26.) EIGHT YEARS OLD. — The queen-mother was probably paramount in the government during the first years of the reign. BOSCATH. — In... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WALKED ... — See Note on 2 Chronicles 34:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE EIGHTEENTH YEAR. — See the Notes on 2 Chronicles 34:3, _seq._ The discourses of Jeremiah, who began his prophetic ministry in the thirteenth year of Josiah, to which Thenius refers as incomprehensible on the assumption that idolatry was extirpated throughout the country in the twelfth year of... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWBEIT THERE WAS. — _Only let there be_. The words of 2 Kings 22:6 are part of the royal mandate. THAT WAS DELIVERED... THEY DEALT. — _That is given... they deal_. In 2 Kings 12:14; 2 Kings 12:16 the same construction is used in a different sense. (See the Notes there.)... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE FOUND. — Literally, _the book of the Torah have I found_. The definite form of the expression proves that what the high priest found was something already known; it was not a book, but _the_ book of the Law. How little the critics are agreed as to the precise character and contents of the boo... [ Continue Reading ]
THY SERVANTS. — Hilkiah and I. HAVE GATHERED. — Rather, _have poured out_ — _i.e._, from the alms-chest into the bags. IN THE HOUSE. — In the wider sense of the word, as including the outer court (2 Kings 12:9). Chronicles reads “in the house of the Lord,” which is probably right. So LXX., Vulg.,... [ Continue Reading ]
READ IT BEFORE THE KING. — Keil suggests such passages as Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26. If it were meant that Shaphan read _the whole_ of the book, as Thenius alleges, we should expect “_all_ the words of the book” in 2 Kings 22:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KING COMMANDED ... — Comp. the similar embassy to Isaiah (2 Kings 19:2). As to _Ahikam_ see Jeremiah 26:24; Jeremiah 40:5; and for _Achbor_, Jeremiah 26:22; Jeremiah 36:12. ASAHIAH A SERVANT OF THE KING’S. — Probably the same officer as “the knight” or _aide-de-camp_ who attended on the ki... [ Continue Reading ]
ENQUIRE OF THE LORD. — Or, _seek ye Jehovah_. Josiah wished to know whether any hope remained for himself and his people, or whether the vengeance must fall speedily. FOR THE PEOPLE. — Of Jerusalem. WRITTEN CONCERNING US. — Thenius conjectures _written therein_, a slight change in the Hebrew. But... [ Continue Reading ]
WENT UNTO HULDAH THE PROPHETESS. — Why not to Jeremiah or Zephaniah? Apparently because Huldah “dwelt in Jerusalem,” and they did not, at least at this time. Anathoth in Benjamin was Jeremiah’s town. Huldah, however, must have enjoyed a high reputation, as _prophets_ are mentioned in 2 Kings 23:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL BRING EVIL UPON ... — Literally, _I am about to bring evil unto_... Instead of _unto_, the LXX., Vulg., and Chronicles rightly read _upon_, which follows in the next phrase. WHICH THE KING OF JUDAH HATH READ. — The book had been read to him as the chronicler explains. The freedom of expressi... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH ALL THE WORKS (work) OF THEIR HANDS. — With the idols they have made. See 1 Kings 16:7, where the same phrase occurs. (Comp. also Isaiah 44:9; Psalms 115:4 _seq_.). SHALL NOT BE QUENCHED. — Comp. Jeremiah 4:4; Amos 5:6; Isaiah 1:31.... [ Continue Reading ]
TENDER. — See 1 Chronicles 29:1; 1 Chronicles 13:7; Deuteronomy 20:8. HAST HUMBLED THYSELF. — Comp. the behaviour of Ahab (1 Kings 21:27 _seq_.). BECOME A DESOLATION AND A CURSE. — See Jeremiah 44:22. “A curse” is not so much an instance of _causa pro effectu_ (Thenius), as a specification of the t... [ Continue Reading ]
THY GRAVE. — So some MSS. and the old versions. But the ordinary Hebrew text, _thy graves_, may be right, as referring to the burial-place formed by Manasseh, which would contain a number of chambers and niches (2 Kings 21:18). IN PEACE. — These words are limited by those which follow: “thine eyes... [ Continue Reading ]