2 Kings 23:31

31-37 After Josiah was laid in his grave, one trouble came on another, till, in twenty-two years, Jerusalem was destroyed. The wicked perished in great numbers, the remnant were purified, and Josiah's reformation had raised up some to join the few who were the precious seed of their future church and nation. A little time, and slender abilities, often suffice to undo the good which pious men have, for a course of years, been labouring to effect. But, blessed be God, the good work which he begins by his regenerating Spirit, cannot be done away, but withstands all changes and temptations....

Verse 31. _JEHOAHAZ_ WAS _TWENTY AND THREE YEARS OLD_] This was not the _eldest_ son of Josiah, which is evident from this, that he was _twenty-three_ years old when he began to reign; that he reigned but _three months_; that, being dethroned, his brother _Eliakim_ was put in his place, who was then _twenty-five years_ of age. Eliakim, therefore, was the eldest brother; but Jehoahaz was probably raised to the throne by the people, as being of a more active and martial spirit....

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

JEHOAHAZ WAS TWENTY THREE YEARS OLD WHEN HE BEGAN TO REIGN,.... Who seems to be the same with Shallum, Jeremiah 22:11 AND HE REIGNED THREE MONTHS IN JERUSALEM; a short reign, being deposed by the king of Egypt, as after related: AND HIS MOTHER'S NAME WAS HAMUTAL, THE DAUGHTER OF JEREMIAH OF LIBNAH; a city in the tribe of Judah, Joshua 10:29....

VI. FINAL APOSTASY OF JUDAH AND THE CAPTIVITY 1. Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim CHAPTER 23:31-37 _ 1. The three months' reign of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:31; 2 Chronicles 36:1)_ 2. Jehoiakim made king (2 Kings 23:34; 2 Chronicles 36:4) Chronicles tells us that immediately after the death of Josiah, the people of the land took Jehoahaz (which means “Jehovah holds up”) and made him king. He was not the LORD's choice, but the people's choice. He was not the eldest son and therefore the action of the people was an unlawful and a lawless one. He was an evil-doer; Josephus speaks of him as

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...

JEHOAHAZ. Also called Johanan (Jeremiah 22:11; 1 Chronicles 3:15). He was the younger brother of Jehoiakim (2 Kings 23:36)....

Reign of Jehoahaz. He is put down by the king of Egypt. Jehoiakim is made king, and becomes tributary to Egypt (2 Chronicles 36:1-4) 31. _his mother's name_was _Hamutal_ So he was by the same mother as well as by the same father as Zedekiah. See 2 Kings 24:18. On _Libnah_, see above 2 Kings 8:22....

JEHOAHAZ WAS TWENTY AND THREE YEARS OLD— Jehoahaz was not the eldest son of Josiah, as appears from this; he was but three and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned but three months; after which his brother Jehoiakim, when he was made king, _was five and twenty years old,_ 2 Kings 23:36. For this reason, it is said, that the people _anointed_ him; because, as he did not come to the crown by right of succession, his title might have otherwise been disputed. See the note on chap. 2 Kings 9:3. At this time, however, the Jews might have some reason to prefer the younger brother, because very probably he was of a more martial spirit, and better qualified to defend their liberties against the king of Egypt. His proper name, it is thought, was Shallum. The Scripture nowhere tells us upon wha

II. THE REIGN AND REMOVAL OF JEHOAHAZ 23:31-35 TRANSLATION (31) Jehoahaz was twenty-three yean old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; and the name of his mother was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. (32) And he did evil in the eyes of the LORD according to all which his fathers had done. (33) And Pharaoh Necho restrained him in Riblah in the land of Hamath from reigning over Jerusalem, and appointed a tribute upon the land, a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. (34) And Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in place of Josiah his father, and he changed his name to Jehoiakim. And he took Jehoahaz away; and he came to Egypt and he died there. (35) And the silver and the gold Jehoiakim gave to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the silver according to the word of Pharaoh. Each man according to his assessment, he exacted t...