2 Kings 22:11

11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.

2 Kings 22:11 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.
New Living Translation (NLT)
11 When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair.
The Message Bible (MSG)
11 When the king heard what was written in the book, God's Revelation, he ripped his robes in dismay.
American Standard Version (ASV)
11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
11 When the king heard what the book of the Teachings said, he tore his clothes [in distress].
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
11 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
11 The king heard the words of the Scroll of the Law. When he did, he tore his royal robes.

2 Kings 22:11 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 22:11

And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the
book of the law
From whence it appears that he had never wrote out a copy of it, as the kings of Israel were ordered to do, when they came to the throne, ( Deuteronomy 17:18 Deuteronomy 17:19 ) nor had read it, at least not the whole of it; and yet it seems strange that he should be twenty six years of age, as he now was, and had proceeded far in the reformation of worship, and yet be without the book of the law, and the high priest also; it looks as if it was, as some have thought, that they had till now only some abstracts of the law, and not the whole: and perhaps the reformation hitherto carried on chiefly lay in abolishing idolatry, and not so much in restoring the ordinances of worship to their purity; for it was after this that the ordinance of the passover was ordered to be kept; and when the king observed, on hearing the law read, that it had not been kept as it should, that such severe threatenings were denounced against the transgressors of it;

that he rent his clothes;
as expressive of the rending of his heart, and of his humiliation and sorrow for the sins he and his people were guilty of.

2 Kings 22:11 In-Context

9 Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.”
10 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.
12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant:
13 “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”

Cross References 1

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