2 Kings 23:3

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.