2 Chronicles 34:8-21

The Book of the Law Found

8 ¹Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the ²governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz, ³the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.

9 They came to ⁴Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had collected from ⁵Manasseh and Ephraim and from all the remnant of Israel and from all Judah and Benjamin and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 And they gave it to the workmen who were working in the house of the LORD. And the workmen who were working in the house of the LORD gave it for repairing and restoring the house.

11 They gave it to the carpenters and the builders to buy quarried stone, and timber for binders and ⁶beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had let go to ruin.

12 And the men did the work faithfully. Over them were set Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to have oversight. ⁷The Levites, all who were skillful with instruments of music,

13 were over ⁸the burden-bearers and directed all who did work in every kind of service, and some of the Levites were scribes and officials and gatekeepers.

14 While they were bringing out the money that had been brought into the house of the LORD, ⁹Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given through Moses.

15 Then Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.

16 Shaphan brought the book to the king, and further reported to the king, "All that was committed to your servants they are doing.

17 They have emptied out the money that was found in the house of the LORD and have given it into the hand of the overseers and the workmen."

18 Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it before the king.

19 And when the king heard the words of the Law, ¹⁰he tore his clothes.

20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying,

21 "Go, inquire of the LORD for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found. For great is ¹¹the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do according to all that is written in this book."

2 Chronicles 34:8-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 34

This chapter begins with the good reign of Josiah, the reformation he made in the land, purging it from idolatry, 2Ch 34:1-7, relates the orders he gave to repair the house of the Lord, which was accordingly done, 2Ch 34:8-13, when the book of the law was found and brought to him, which greatly affected him, 2Ch 34:12-19, upon which he deputed some persons to inquire of the Lord, who did of Huldah the prophetess, to whom she gave an answer, which they returned to the king, 2Ch 34:20-28 and the chapter is concluded with an account of reading the book in the ears of all the people, and of the king, and then making a covenant with the Lord to serve him, 2Ch 34:27-33.

Of these two verses, \\see Gill on "2Ki 22:1"\\, \\see Gill on "2Ki 22:2"\\. 19893-950128-2136-2Ch34.2

Cross References

• 1. For ver. 8-28, see 2 Kings 22:3-20
• 2. 2 Chronicles 18:25
• 3. 2 Samuel 8:16
• 4. 2 Chronicles 35:8
• 5. [See ver. 6 above]
• 6. Nehemiah 2:8
• 7. 1 Chronicles 23:5
• 8. 2 Chronicles 2:2, 18; Nehemiah 4:10
• 9. [See ver. 9 above]
• 10. See Joshua 7:6
• 11. 2 Chronicles 12:7