2 Kings 22

Listen to 2 Kings 22

Josiah Reigns in Judah

1 1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of 2Bozkath.
2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the way of David his father, 3and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

Josiah Repairs the Temple

3 In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the house of the LORD, saying,
4 "Go up to 4Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money 5that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which 6the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people.
5 7And let it be given into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD, and let them give it to the workmen who are at the house of the LORD, repairing the house
6 (that is, to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons), and let them use it for buying timber and quarried stone to repair the house.
7 But 8no accounting shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into their hand, for they deal honestly."

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law

8 And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found 9the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
9 And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, "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 Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it before the king.
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, 10he tore his clothes.
12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and 11Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and 12Achbor the son of 13Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying,
13 "Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is 14the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us."
14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of 15Tikvah, son of 16Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in 17the Second Quarter), and they talked with her.
15 And she said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Tell the man who sent you to me,
16 Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read.
17 18Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore 19my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.
18 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard,
19 20because your heart was penitent, and you 21humbled yourself before the LORD, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become 22a desolation and 23a curse, and you 24have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD.
20 Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and 25you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.'" And they brought back word to the king.

2 Kings 22 Commentary

Chapter 22

Josiah's good reign, His care for repairing the temple, The book of the law found. (1-10) Josiah consults Huldah the prophetess. (11-20)

Verses 1-10 The different event of Josiah's early succession from that of Manasseh, must be ascribed to the distinguishing grace of God; yet probably the persons that trained him up were instruments in producing this difference. His character was most excellent. Had the people joined in the reformation as heartily as he persevered in it, blessed effects would have followed. But they were wicked, and had become fools in idolatry. We do not obtain full knowledge of the state of Judah from the historical records, unless we refer to the writings of the prophets who lived at the time. In repairing the temple, the book of the law was found, and brought to the king. It seems, this book of the law was lost and missing; carelessly mislaid and neglected, as some throw their Bibles into corners, or maliciously concealed by some of the idolaters. God's care of the Bible plainly shows his interest in it. Whether this was the only copy in being or not, the things contained in it were new, both to the king and to the high priest. No summaries, extracts, or collections out of the Bible, can convey and preserve the knowledge of God and his will, like the Bible itself. It was no marvel that the people were so corrupt, when the book of the law was so scarce; they that corrupted them, no doubt, used arts to get that book out of their hands. The abundance of Bibles we possess aggravates our national sins; for what greater contempt of God can we show, than to refuse to read his word when put into our hands, or, reading it, not to believe and obey it? By the holy law is the knowledge of sin, and by the blessed gospel is the knowledge of salvation. When the former is understood in its strictness and excellence, the sinner begins to inquire, What must I do to be saved? And the ministers of the gospel point out to him Jesus Christ, as the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Verses 11-20 The book of the law is read before the king. Those best honour their Bibles, who study them; daily feed on that bread, and walk by that light. Convictions of sin and wrath should put us upon this inquiry, What shall we do to be saved? Also, what we may expect, and must provide for. Those who are truly apprehensive of the weight of God's wrath, cannot but be very anxious how they may be saved. Huldah let Josiah know what judgments God had in store for Judah and Jerusalem. The generality of the people were hardened, and their hearts unhumbled, but Josiah's heart was tender. This is tenderness of heart, and thus he humbled himself before the Lord. Those who most fear God's wrath, are least likely to feel it. Though Josiah was mortally wounded in battle, yet he died in peace with God, and went to glory. Whatever such persons suffer or witness, they are gathered to the grave in peace, and shall enter into the rest which remaineth for the people of God.

Cross References 25

  • 1. See 2 Chronicles 34:1, 2
  • 2. Joshua 15:39
  • 3. See Deuteronomy 5:32
  • 4. [2 Kings 12:10]
  • 5. 2 Kings 12:4
  • 6. 2 Kings 12:9
  • 7. 2 Kings 12:11, 12, 14
  • 8. 2 Kings 12:15
  • 9. Deuteronomy 31:24-26; 2 Chronicles 34:14
  • 10. See Joshua 7:6
  • 11. 2 Kings 25:22; Jeremiah 26:24; Jeremiah 39:14; Jeremiah 40:5
  • 12. [2 Chronicles 34:20]
  • 13. [2 Chronicles 34:20]
  • 14. Deuteronomy 29:27
  • 15. [2 Chronicles 34:22]
  • 16. [2 Chronicles 34:22]
  • 17. Zephaniah 1:10
  • 18. 2 Kings 21:22; Deuteronomy 29:25, 26
  • 19. [See ver. 13 above]
  • 20. [Psalms 51:17; Isaiah 57:15]
  • 21. 1 Kings 21:29
  • 22. Leviticus 26:31, 32; 2 Chronicles 30:7; Jeremiah 25:18; Jeremiah 44:22; Micah 6:16
  • 23. Jeremiah 24:9; Jeremiah 26:6; Jeremiah 44:22
  • 24. ver. 11
  • 25. Psalms 37:37; Isaiah 57:1, 2

Chapter Summary

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.

2 Kings 22 Commentaries

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.