_A.M. 3363. B.C. 641._ The general character of Josiah, _2Ki 22:1, 2 Kings 22:2. He repairs the temple, 2 Kings 22:3. The high- priest brings him the original book of the law, 2 Kings 22:8. He sends to consult Huldah the prophetess, 2 Kings 22:11. The destruction of Jerusalem foretold, 2 Kings 22:1... [ Continue Reading ]
_Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign_ Being young, he had not received any bad impressions from the example of his father and grandfather, but soon saw their errors, and God gave him grace to take warning by them. _He saw his father's sins, and considered, and did not the like, Ezekiel... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the eighteenth year of King Josiah_ Not of his life, but of his reign, as it is expressed, 2 Chronicles 34:3; 2 Chronicles 34:8. _The king sent Shaphan_ The secretary of state; _saying, Go up to Hilkiah, that he may sum the silver_ Take an exact account how much it is, and then dispose of it in... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have found the book of the law_ This is generally agreed to have been the archetype written by Moses, and by him ordered to be deposited with the ark in the most holy place; but which some pious high- priest had caused to be thus hid in the reign of Ahaz or Manasseh, to prevent its being destroye... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Shaphan read it before the king_ That is, some part of it, for it cannot be supposed that he read all of it, especially at one time. _When the king heard the words of the book_ The dreadful comminations contained in it against them for the sins still reigning among them; _he rent his clothes_ B... [ Continue Reading ]
_Asahiah, a servant of the king's_ Who most constantly waited upon the king's person; otherwise all of those here mentioned were the king's servants. _Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people,_ &c. What we shall do to appease his wrath, and whether the curses here threatened must come u... [ Continue Reading ]
_So Hilkiah the priest, &c., went unto Huldah the prophetess_ This is the only mention we have of this prophetess; and certainly it tends much to her honour that she was consulted on this important occasion, when, it is supposed, that not only Jeremiah, but Zephaniah also, was a prophet in Judah. Bu... [ Continue Reading ]
_Tell the man that sent you_ She uses no compliments. Even kings, though gods to us, are men to God, and shall be so dealt with: for with him there is no respect of persons. _Thus saith the Lord, I will bring evil upon this place_, &c. She lets him know, both what judgments God had in store for Juda... [ Continue Reading ]
_Because they have forsaken me_ The God of their fathers, and the only living and true God. _And burned incense to other gods_ Imaginary beings of their own devising, or _the works of their hands _ Gods which they themselves have made. _To provoke me to anger_ As if they designed this, and worshippe... [ Continue Reading ]
_Because thy heart was tender_ Here are four tokens of true repentance and conversion to God in Josiah: 1st, Tenderness, or softness of heart, in opposition to that hardness which arises from unbelief of God's declarations and threatenings: he trembled at God's word: he was grieved for the dishonour... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, therefore, I will gather thee to thy fathers_ It is justly observed here by Henry, that the saints in those days had doubtless a comfortable prospect of happiness on the other side of death, otherwise the being _gathered to their fathers_ would not have been so often made the matter of a pr... [ Continue Reading ]