And the king stood by a pillar
As the manner of kings was, ( 2 Kings 11:14 ) and is thought to be the brasen scaffold erected by Solomon, on which he stood at the dedication of the temple, and now Josiah at the reading of the law, ( 2 Chronicles 6:13 ) , it is said to be his place, ( 2 Chronicles 34:31 ) , (See Gill on 2 Kings 11:14)
and made a covenant before the Lord:
agreed and promised in the presence of God, both he and his people:
to walk after the Lord:
the worship of the Lord, as the Targum; closely to attend to that:
and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes:
all the laws of God, moral, civil, and ceremonial:
with all their heart, and all their soul:
cordially and sincerely:
to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book:
lately found, and now read unto them:
and all the people stood to the covenant:
agreed to it, and promised to keep it; so the Targum,
``all the people took upon them the covenant,''
engaged to observe it.