2 Kings 22:8-18

The Lost Book

8 Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, "¹I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan who read it.

9 Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought back word to the king and said, "Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD."

10 Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.

11 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, ²he tore his clothes.

12 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, ³Ahikam the son of Shaphan, ⁴Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king's servant saying,

13 "Go, inquire of the LORD for me and the people and all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found, for ⁵great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us, because * our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us."

Huldah Predicts

14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of ⁶Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the ⁷Second Quarter); and they spoke to her.

15 She said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Tell the man who sent you to me,

16 thus says the LORD, "Behold, I ⁸bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read.

17 "⁹Because * they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods that they might provoke Me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore My wrath burns against this place, and it shall not be quenched."'

18 "But to ¹⁰the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD thus shall you say to him, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel, "Regarding the words which you have heard,

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2 Kings 22:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 22

This chapter begins with the age and character of Josiah king of Judah, 2Ki 22:1-2, relates his orders for repairing the temple, 2Ki 22:3-7, his attention to the book of the law, which was found, and read to him, and the effect it had upon him, 2Ki 22:8-11, the command he gave to certain persons to inquire of the Lord about it, who applied to Huldah the prophetess, 2Ki 22:12-14, who returned an answer by them to the king, foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem, and giving the reason of it, and at the same time assuring the king it should not be in his days, 2Ki 22:15-20.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 10

1. Deuteronomy 31:24-26; 2 Chronicles 34:14, 15
2. Genesis 37:34; Joshua 7:6
3. 2 Kings 25:22; Jeremiah 26:24
4. 2 Chronicles 34:20
5. Deuteronomy 29:23-28; Deuteronomy 31:17, 18
6. 2 Chronicles 34:22
7. Zephaniah 1:10
8. Deuteronomy 29:27; Daniel 9:11-14
9. Deuteronomy 29:25, 26; 2 Kings 21:22
10. 2 Chronicles 34:26

Footnotes 2

[a]. In 2 Chr 34:20, "Abdon, son of Micah"
[b]. In 2 Chr 34:22, "Tokhath, son of Hasrah"