2 Kings 22

2 Kings 22:1-10

We have here in this chapter, 1. The good character of Jofiah, ver. 1, 2. His regard is God’s house and worship, ver. 3—7. 3. The imperfection made on him by God’s word, ver. 8—11. 4. The answer be reversed, on confining the prophetsis Habab thereupon, ver. 12—20.

1. ¶ Jofiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem; and he reigned twenty and one years in Jerusalem; and

and his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Azaiah of Bafsah. 2. And he did that which was right in the fight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned out afide to the right hand or to the left. 3. And it came to pals in the eighteenth year of king Jofiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaiah, the son of Meftulham, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying, 4. Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may turn the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the 1 door have gathered of the people. 5. And let them deliver it into the hand of the doors of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD; and let them give it to the doors of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house. 6. Unto carpenters, and builders, and matons, and to buy timber and hewn flume to repair the house. 7. Howbert, there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully. 8. And Hilkiah the high priest laid unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the 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 scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD. 10. And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book; and Shaphan read it before the king.

One merciful respite more is given to idolatrous Judah; another good king to prove them, if yet they will bring such fruit, before the ax is laid to the root of the tree.

1. Though Judah was very young, but eight years of age when he came to the crown, he gave very early symptoms of uncommon piety, and all his days the fruit answered the promising blasfism; and he neither turned to the right or left from following the steps of David, that great pattern of excellence. Note, (1.) Early piety is peculiarly pleasing and promising. (2.) When a son is taken out of so wicked a house as Amon’s, God’s sovereign and rich grace appears more eminently displayed in the choice and separation.

2. As soon as he was fit to take the reigns of government into his own hand, he began to reform the interrupted warthry, and repair the decayed temple of God. Nearly the same method seems to be taken, as in the days of Judah, chap. xii. to collect the money, and the same integrity appears in the persons employed. Note, They who delight in the temple service, may be trusted for their fidelity and honestly in the repairs of it.

3. In the repairs of the temple, the book of the law was happily found, generally supposed to be the very copy, Deut. xxvi. 24. Moses laid up in the most holy place; and which either some wicked high-priest had taken from thence, that he might hide what would put him to shame; or some good one, to prevent its being destroyed by the preceding idolatrous kings, had deserted, to preserve it from being destroyed. Perhaps in these fat days, the neglect of the word of God was so great, that another perfect copy no where remained; and from what appears, neither Judah, though so good a king, nor Hilkiah, though so good a priest, had before been so perfect a copy of this sacred treasure. It is conjectured, that in such troublesome times under idolatrous kings, the public reading of the law every sabbatical year, had been discontinued, and the kings no longer transcribed it, as was commanded. Whilst perhaps some abstracts from it served for a ritual, in which the threatenings and promises, Leo. xxvi. and Deut. xxviii. were omitted; these therefore, when read, so affected the king, v. 11. Note, (1.) The preservation of the inspired writings through so many ages, and amidst so many enemies, is a standing witness to their divine authority. (2.) When God’s word is thrust into a corner, unnoticed by, or cruelly with-held from the people, no marvel integrity abounds. (3.) They who have never read through all the book of God, know not how much it contains to make them tremble; and yet how many christians, yea protestants, are thus negligent, and never once in their time read God’s word entire.

4. Hilkiah having first read the book himself to Shaphan, desires him to convey it to the king, and read it in his ears, as it contained matters so deeply and nearly affecting him. Note, (1.) Reading their Bibles, is among the best employments in which kings can be engaged. (2.) They are inexcusable, who have thus feared book in their hands, and continue wilfully ignorant of its contents.

5. And it came to pals, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. 12. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Arhoor the son of Micaiah, and Shahban the scribe, and Afohiah a servant of the king, saying, 13. Go ye, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkned unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us. 14. So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Arhoor, and Shahban, and Afohiah, went unto Huldah the prophets, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the 1 wardrobe (now the death in Jerusalem, in the college) and they commanded with her. 15. And the said unto them, Thus faith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me. 16. Thus faith the LORD, behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read. 17. Because they have forsaken me, and have burnt incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands: therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. 18. But to the king of Judah which sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus faith the LORD God of Israel, As teaching the words which thou hast heard; 19. Because the heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou hearself what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a defolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me: I also have heard thee, faith the LORD. 20. Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

2 Kings 22:8-21

4. Heb. See the king’s ture. 88b. 6. 14. Deut. xxviii. 15. Jer. xxx 9. Amen. v. 4.

luses, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the LORD, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon. 14. And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they minidred, took they away. 15. And the sire-pans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away. 16. The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD, the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 17. The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits: and the wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathen work. 18. ¶ And the captain of the guard took: Seralah the chief prist, and Zephaniah the second prist, and the three keepers of the door. 19. And out of the city he took an officer, that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king’s presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and thresescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city. 20. And Nebuzar-adan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon, to Ribliah. 21. And the king of Babylon smote them, and flew them at Ribliah in the land of Hamath. ‘So Judah was carried away out of their land.

Near two months were spent in plundering the city, or given of God as a reprieve to the people, and then the decree went seeth.

1. The temple, and all the palaces in Zion, are laid in ashes, the walls dismounsed, and the whole city laid in ruins. The temple had now flood about four hundred and twenty years; and it is remarked by Josephus, that on the same month, and the same day, the second temple was destroyed by the Romans. Nate, (1.) The temple is no longer precious in God’s fight, when the people are apostate. (2.) God’s patience with savours by and by will end, and then judgment will overtake them to the unremind.

2. The few vessels of silver and gold which remained in the temple, were now carried away, with all the brass, the pillars, the sea, the bases, and all the vessels belonging to the service, which for its vast quantity is said to be without weight. Thus a period was put to their worthship. They who had so abused God’s house, and these consecrated vessels, deserved to be deprived of them.

3. Many of the great men are seized and executed, as being the supporters of the rebellion, v. 18—20. and the rest carried away captive, Jer. lii 29. only the poor of the land were left to fill the ground for their proud conquerors. Thus, after about 860 years possession, the same iniquities cast them out, as had been satal to the Canaanites, on whom they had executed God’s judgments. If Canaan be not spared, let not Israel think to escape.

4. ¶ And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even ‘over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler. 23. And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard

that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Carrah, and Seralah the son of Tanbumeth the Netophathite, and Jazaniah the son of a Magchathite, they, and their men. 24. And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. 25. But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishamah, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and ‘Orove Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah. 26. And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies arse, and ‘came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.

Heb. Of the kingson Chap. v. 1. Jer. 16. Heb. 16.

2 Kings 22:11-20

We have here the effect which the reading the law produced upon the good Judah.

1. He sent his clothes in token of his awakened sense of the guilt lying upon them. He perceived clearly the dreadful deobedience of his ancestors, and justly feared the impending wrath, which was denounced against them. Note, (1.) When God’s spiritual law is laid open to the heart, it will read it in deep humiliation under a sense of sin. (2.) When we see the heavy wrath of God hanging over us, it is high time to bethone us of flying from it.

2. He sent instantly to enquire of God, what method to take to avert the thorns, if yet there might be hope. Jeremiah and Zephaniah both prophesied at that time, but probably they were at a distance from Jerusalem; where Huldah, the wife of Shallum, who had a poll at court, was more known, and more to be applied to. Though a woman, yet honoured with prophetic inspiration, and though in a court, remnant for her piety. Note, (1.) Though God hath given the superiority to the man, yet will he put such honour upon the weaker sex, as may make them respected. (2.) If we have holy men or women near us, it is wise to make them our friends and advisers.

3. The prophets from God returned a plain answer to his enquiry. She used no compliment to introduce her message, v. 15, but declared the unquenchable wrath of God gone forth against the land, for their pall abominations; nor could any prayers or intricacies may its ravages, though for a time it might be suspended: because Judah’s heart was tender, impressed with the words of God’s law, and in deep humiliation laid low before the dead, and the words of God’s law, and in deep humiliation laid low before the dead, and the words of God’s law, and in deep humiliation laid low before the dead, and the words of God’s law, and in deep humiliation laid low before the dead, and the words of God’s law, and in deep humiliation laid low before the dead, and the words of God’s law, and in deep humiliation laid low before the dead, and the words of God’s law, and in deep humiliation laid low before the dead, and the words of God’s law, and

CHAP.

2 Kings 22:22-25

The few who remained were put under the care of Gedaliah, a good man it should seem, and one who, if it had been possible, might have yet preferred them from utter ruin; but what the king of Babylon left unsinsified, their own madness and folly compleated. Ishmael, one of the seed-royal, was among the number of these who came to Gedaliah, under pretence of submission to his government: but envying his power, or to be revenged of the Chaldeans, who supported him, he treacherously fell upon him, flew him and his friends, whether Jews or Chaldeans; and then, in spize of Jeremiah’s remonstrance, all the people who remained under him as their leader, went down to Egypt, and mixed probably with that idolatrous people, (See Deut. xxviii. 68.) and thus their desolations were accomplished.

27. ¶ ‘And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that ‘Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign,’ did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison. 28. And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, 29. And changed his prison-garments: and he ‘did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life. 30. And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.

2 Kings 22:27-30

How hopeless, how desperate appeared the case of Judah and her king! yet now in the midst of their captivity there arsieth up light in their darkness. Their captive king Jehoiachin is brought from his mournful prison, and, on the accession of Evil-merodach, Nebuchadnezzar’s son, admitted into the royal savour, obtains apartments in the palace, a noble provision for himself and family, and pre-eminence over the other kings who were captives with him. This happened just in the midst of the seventy years during which this captivity was to last, as a means to support the hopes, and confirm the faith of the people in the fulfilment of the promifes in due time. Nate, (1.) Whilst there is life, there is hope: we may not despair. God can turn the dungeon, when he pleases, into a palace. (2.) When our friend the great King shall sit on the throne of his kingdom, then he shall loose the bands of death, change the prison garments of his saints, claath them with immortality, and placing their throne next his own, make them sit down with him, and reign in glory everlasting.

Jer. xi. 5. de. THE