2 Kings 23:24

_MOREOVER THE WORKERS WITH FAMILIAR SPIRITS, AND THE WIZARDS, AND THE IMAGES, AND THE IDOLS, AND ALL THE ABOMINATIONS THAT WERE SPIED IN THE LAND OF JUDAH AND IN JERUSALEM, DID JOSIAH PUT AWAY, THAT HE MIGHT PERFORM THE WORDS OF THE LAW WHICH WERE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK THAT HILKIAH THE PRIEST FOUND IN THE HOUSE OF_ _ THE LORD._ Moreover the workers with familiar spirits - (see the notes at Deuteronomy 18:11; 1 Samuel 28:7.) AND THE WIZARDS - (see the notes at Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6; Leviticus

15-24 Josiah's zeal extended to the cities of Israel within his reach. He carefully preserved the sepulchre of that man of God, who came from Judah to foretell the throwing down of Jeroboam's altar. When they had cleared the country of the old leaven of idolatry, then they applied themselves to the keeping of the feast. There was not holden such a passover in any of the foregoing reigns. The revival of a long-neglected ordinance, filled them with holy joy; and God recompensed their zeal in destroying idolatry with uncommon tokens of his presence and favour. We have reason to think that during the remainder of Josiah's reign, religion flourished....

Verse 2 Kings 23:24. _THE_ WORKERS WITH _FAMILIAR SPIRITS_] See on 2 Kings 21:5. _AND THE IMAGES_] The _teraphim_. Genesis 31:19....

PERFORM - Rather, establish. Josiah saw that it was necessary, not only to put down open idolatry, but also to root out the secret practices of a similar character which were sometimes combined with the worship of Yahweh, notwithstanding that the Law forbade them (marginal references), and which probably formed, with many, practically almost the whole of their religion....

EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 23:1 JOSIAH'S RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT. HIS REFORMS AND DEATH. REIGN OF JEHOAHAZ. ACCESSION OF JEHOIAKIM. 2 KINGS 23:1 _Josiah_'_s renewal of the covenant_._ _The first care of Josiah, on receiving Huldah's message, which stamped the book found as the true "book of the covenant," was to call together a great assembly of the nation, which should be sufficiently representative of it, and renew the covenant between God and his people made originally a

MOREOVER, THE WORKERS WITH FAMILIAR SPIRITS, AND THE WIZARDS,.... Who were not to be allowed among the Israelites, Deuteronomy 18:10 AND THE IMAGES; OR TERAPHIM: AND THE IDOLS, AND ALL THE ABOMINATIONS; which were worshipped by the Heathens, and introduced among the Jews, and forbidden by the word of God: THAT WERE SPIED IN THE LAND OF JUDAH, AND IN JERUSALEM, DID JOSIAH PUT AWAY; for which, it seems, diligent search was made, and wherever they were discovered were removed: THAT HE MIGHT PERFORM THE WORDS OF THE LAW, WHICH WERE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK THAT HILKIAH THE PRIEST FOUND IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD; both with respect to witchcraft and idolatry, see Leviticus 20:27....

2. THE RESULTS OF THE REVIVAL AND THE DEATH OF JOSIAH CHAPTER 23:1-30 _ 1. The People hear the law (2 Kings 23:1; 2 Chronicles 34)_ 2. Josiah makes a covenant (2 Kings 23:3) 3. The great reformations (2 Kings 23:4) 4. The Passover celebrated (2 Kings 23:21; 2 Chronicles 35) 5. Further statements concerning Josiah (2 Kings 23:24

Celebration of the Passover. The mention of the eighteenth year (2 Kings 23:23; cf. 2 Kings 22:3) shows that the reforms of Josiah occupied six months. The book was discovered in the first month of the civil year, in autumn. It was read (_cf._ Deuteronomy 31:10) at the Feast of Tabernacles. The Passover contemplated in Deuteronomy 16:6 was celebrated in the central sanctuary. It was not the domestic feast of the Priestly Code (Exodus 12), but a general assembly of the nation. In 2 Chronicles 30 Hezekiah is said to have kept a similar feast, but this is denied in...

FAMILIAR SPIRITS. See note on Leviticus 19:31. IMAGES. teraphim. household gods. IDOLS. manufactured gods. PUT. clear. HILKIAH THE PRIEST FOUND. See 2 Kings 22:8, &c....

_Moreover the_workers with [R.V. THEM THAT HAD] _familiar spirits, and the wizards_ See note on 2 Kings 21:6. Josiah now proceeds to exterminate all the superstitious practices which grow up side by side with idolatry. _and the images_ R.V. THE TERAPHIM. These were a sort of household gods, and some charm or virtue seems to have been ascribed to the possession of them. Hence Rachel stole _the teraphim_(Genesis 31:19) when she was leaving her father's home. Micah made _teraphim_for his house in Mount Ephraim (Judges 17:5), and it was _the teraphim_which Michal, Saul's daughter, hid in the bed, to make believe that David was sick, and thus give him time to escape. that he might