2 Kings 22:3

_AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE EIGHTEENTH YEAR OF KING JOSIAH, THAT THE KING SENT SHAPHAN THE SON OF AZALIAH, THE SON OF MESHULLAM, THE SCRIBE, TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, SAYING,_ In the eighteenth year of king Josiah. Previous to this period he had commenced the work of national reformation. The preliminary steps had been already taken-not only the builders were employed, but money had been brought by all the people, and received by the Levites at the door, and various other preparations had been made. But the course of this narrative turns on one interesting incident, which happened in the 18th year of Josiah's reign, and hence, that date is specified. In fact, the whole land was thoroughly purified from every object and all traces of idolatry. The king now addressed himself to the repair and embellishment of the temple, and gave directions to Hilkiah, the high priest, to take a general s...

1-10 The different event of Josiah's early succession from that of Manasseh, must be ascribed to the distinguishing grace of God; yet probably the persons that trained him up were instruments in producing this difference. His character was most excellent. Had the people joined in the reformation as heartily as he persevered in it, blessed effects would have followed. But they were wicked, and had become fools in idolatry. We do not obtain full knowledge of the state of Judah from the historical records, unless we refer to the writings of the prophets who lived at the time. In repairing the temple, the book of the law was found, and brought to the king. It seems, this book of the law was lost and missing; carelessly mislaid and neglected, as some throw their Bibles into corners, or maliciously concealed by some of the idolaters. God's care of the Bible plainly shows his interest in it. W...

IN THE EIGHTEENTH YEAR - This is the date of the finding of the Book of the Law and of the Passover (marginal reference, and 2 Kings 23:23), but is not meant to apply to all the various reforms of Josiah as related in 2 Kings 23:4. The true chronology of Josiah’s reign is to be learned from 2Ch 34:3-8; 2 Chronicles 35:1. From these places it appear that at least the greater part of his reforms preceded the finding of the Book of the Law. He began them in the 12th year of his reign, at the age of 20, and had accomplishied all, or the greater part, by his 18th year, when the Book of the Law was found. Shaphan i

EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 22:1 ACCESSION OF JOSIAH. REPAIR OF THE TEMPLE. RECOVERY OF THE BOOK OF THE LAW. 2 KINGS 22:1 GENERAL CHARACTER OF JOSIAH'S REIGN. _His repair of the temple_._ _The writer begins his account of Josiah's reign with the usual brief summary, giving his age at his accession, the length of his reign, his mother's name and birthplace ...

AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE EIGHTEENTH YEAR OF KING JOSIAH,.... Not of his age, but of his reign, as appears from 2 Chronicles 34:8 nor is what follows the first remarkable act he did in a religious way; for elsewhere we read of what he did in the eighth and twelfth years of his reign, 2 Chronicles 34:3, THAT THE KING SENT SHAPHAN THE SON OF AZALIAH, THE SON OF MESHULLAM THE SCRIBE, TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD; the king's secretary; the Septuagint version is, the scribe of the house of the Lord, and so the Vulgate Latin version; that kept the account of the expenses of the temple; with him two others were sent, 2 Chronicles 34:8, SAYING: as follows....

V. THE REIGN OF JOSIAH 1. The Revival CHAPTER 22 _ 1. Josiah begins to reign (2 Kings 22:1; 2 Chronicles 34:1)_ 2. The temple repaired (2 Kings 22:3; 2 Chronicles 34:8) 3. The law discovered (2 Kings 22:8; 2 Chronicles 34:14) 4. The reading of the law and its results (2 Kings 22:10) 5. The

2 KINGS 22:1 TO 2 KINGS 23:30_ A_. THE REIGN AND REFORMS OF JOSIAH. The fifty-seven years of the reigns of Manasseh and Amon were, according to Kings (not Chronicles), a period of apostasy, which probably continued for the first ten years of Josiah. The prophetic party had consequently remained out of power since the persecution of Manasseh (2 Kings 21:16). They regained their influence by the discovery of the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22:8). The prophetess Huldah, on being consulted, foretold that all the calamities predicted in the book would come true, but that Josiah should go to his grave in peace and not witness the ruin of hi

IT CAME TO PASS IN THE EIGHTEENTH YEAR. This was when king Josiah was twenty-six years old. It is probable that all these events did not occur in. single year, but the year in which they began, or culminated, is named. The pious training of the young king now began to show fruit. Surrounded by great officers who were zealous for the Law, he desired to effect. full restoration of the ancient religion, long corrupted by the idolatry which had been favored by the former kings. SHAPHAN THE SCRIBE. This great officer is often mentioned by Jeremiah (see Jeremiah 26:24), and his family continued prominent in Israel. When Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem he left Gedaliah, the grandson of Shaphan, as governor of the country (2 Kings 25:22). Several of Shaphan's sons are named as occu

THE EIGHTEENTH YEAR. Marks the completion of the work (2 Kings 23:23). Begun in the twelfth year (2 Chronicles 34:3; 2 Chronicles 34:8). Jeremiah was called in Josiah's thirteenth year (Jeremiah 1:2; Jeremiah 25:3), and was to Josiah what Isaiah had been to Hezekiah. SHAPHAN. Eight relatives mentioned in. Kings and. Chronicles: (1) His grandfather, Meshullam (2 Kings 22:3); (2) his father, Azaliah ...

_And it came to pass in the eighteenth year_ The Chronicler gives two dates anterior to this for events in the course of Josiah's life. He says (2 Chronicles 34:3-7 R.V.) -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 Asherim, and the graven images and the molten images. And they brake down the altars of the Baalim in his presence, and the sun-images that were on high above them he hewed down, and the Asherim and the graven 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. And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars and purged Judah and Jerusalem. And _so did he_in the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even unto