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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Second Kings, Chapter XXII].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>S E C O N D K I N G S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XXII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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This chapter begins the story of the reign of good king Josiah, whose
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goodness shines the brighter because it came just after so much
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wickedness, which he had the honour to reform, and just before so great
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a destruction, which yet he had not the honour to prevent. Here, after
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his general character
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:1,2">ver. 1, 2</A>),
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we have a particular account of the respect he paid
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I. To God's house, which he repaired,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:3-7">ver. 3-7</A>
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II. To God's book, which he was much affected with the reading of,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:8-11">ver. 8-11</A>
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III. To God's messengers, whom he thereupon consulted,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:12-14">ver. 12-14</A>
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And by whom he received from God an answer threatening Jerusalem's
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destruction
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:15-17">ver. 15-17</A>),
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but promising favour to him
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:18-20">ver. 18-20</A>),
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upon which he set about that glorious work of reformation which we have
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an account of in the next chapter.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Josiah's Pious Reign; the Book of the Law Read.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 623.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Josiah <I>was</I> eight years old when he began to reign, and he
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reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name
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<I>was</I> Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.
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2 And he did <I>that which was</I> right in the sight of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>,
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and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not
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aside to the right hand or to the left.
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3 And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah,
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<I>that</I> the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of
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Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, saying,
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4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver
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which is brought into the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, which the keepers of
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the door have gathered of the people:
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5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the
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work, that have the oversight of the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>: and let
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them give it to the doers of the work which <I>is</I> in the house of
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the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, to repair the breaches of the house,
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6 Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber
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and hewn stone to repair the house.
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7 Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money
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that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt
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faithfully.
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8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I
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have found the book of the law in the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>. And
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Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
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9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king
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word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that
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was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of
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them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of
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the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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10 And Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, Hilkiah the
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priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the
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king.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Concerning Josiah we are here told,</P>
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<P>
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I. That he was very young when he began to reign
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
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only eight years old. Solomon says, <I>Woe unto thee, O land! when thy
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king is a child;</I> but happy art thou, O land! when thy king is
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<I>such</I> a child. Our English Israel had once a king that was such a
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child, Edward VI. Josiah, being young, had not received any bad
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impressions from the example of his father and grandfather, but soon
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saw their errors, and God gave his grace to take warning by them. See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+18:14-22">Ezek. xviii. 14</A>,
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&c.</P>
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<P>
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II. That he <I>did that which was right in the sight of the Lord,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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See the sovereignty of divine grace--the father passed by and left to
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perish in his sin, the son a chosen vessel. See the triumphs of that
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grace--Josiah born of a wicked father, no good education nor good
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example given him, but many about him who no doubt advised him to tread
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in his father's steps and few that gave him any good counsel, and yet
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the grace of God made him an eminent saint, <I>cut him off from the
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wild olive</I> and <I>grafted him into the good olive,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ro+11:24">Rom. xi. 24</A>.
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Nothing is too hard for that grace to do. He walked in a good way, and
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turned not aside (as some of his predecessors had done who began well)
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<I>to the right hand nor to the left.</I> There are errors on both
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hands, but God kept him in the right way; he fell neither into
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superstition nor profaneness.</P>
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<P>
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III. That he took care for the repair of the temple. This he did in the
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eighteenth year of his reign,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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Compare
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+34:8">2 Chron. xxxiv. 8</A>.
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He began much sooner to <I>seek the Lord</I> (as appears,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+34:3">2 Chron. xxxiv. 3</A>),
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but it is to be feared the work of reformation went slowly on and met
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with much opposition, so that he could not effect what he desired and
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designed, till his power was thoroughly confirmed. The consideration of
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the time we unavoidably lost in our minority should quicken us, when we
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have come to years, to act with so much the more vigour in the service
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of God. Having begun late we have need work hard. He sent Shaphan, the
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secretary of state, to Hilkiah the high priest, to take an account of
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the money that was collected for this use by the door-keepers
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>);
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for, it seems, they took much the same way of raising the money that
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Joash took,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+12:9"><I>ch.</I> xii. 9</A>.
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When people gave by a little at a time the burden was insensible, and,
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the contribution being voluntary, it was not complained of. This money,
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so collected, he ordered him to lay out for the repair of the temple,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:5,6"><I>v.</I> 5, 6</A>.
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And now, it seems, the workmen (as in the days of Joash) acquitted
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themselves so well that <I>there was no reckoning made with them</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>),
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which is certainly mentioned to the praise of the workmen, that they
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gained such a reputation for honesty, but whether to the praise of
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those that employed them I know not; a man should count money (we say)
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after his own father; it would not have been amiss to have <I>reckoned
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with the workmen,</I> that others also might be satisfied of their
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honesty.</P>
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<P>
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IV. That, in repairing the temple, <I>the book of the law</I> was
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happily found and brought to the king,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:8,10"><I>v.</I> 8, 10</A>.
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Some think this book was the autograph, or original manuscript, of the
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five books of Moses, under his own hand; others think it was only an
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ancient and authentic copy. Most likely it was that which, by the
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command of Moses, was laid up in the most holy place,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+21:24-26">Deut. xxxi. 24</A>,
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&c.
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1. It seems, this book of the law was lost or missing. Perhaps it was
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carelessly mislaid and neglected, thrown by into a corner (as some
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throw their Bibles), by those that knew not the value of it, and
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forgotten there; or it was maliciously concealed by some of the
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idolatrous kings, or their agents, who were restrained by the
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providence of God or their own consciences from burning and destroying
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it, but buried it, in hopes it would never see the light again; or, as
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some think, it was carefully laid up by some of its friends, lest it
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should fall into the hands of its enemies. Whoever were the
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instruments of its preservation, we ought to acknowledge the hand of
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God in it. If this was the only authentic copy of the Pentateuch then
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in being, which had (as I may say) so narrow a turn for its life and
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was so near perishing, I wonder the hearts of all good people did not
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tremble for that sacred treasure, as Eli's for the ark, and I am sure
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we now have reason to thank God, upon our knees, for that happy
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providence by which Hilkiah found this book at this time, found it when
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<I>he sought it not,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+65:1">Isa. lxv. 1</A>.
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If the holy scriptures had not been of God, they would not have been in
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being at this day; God's care of the Bible is a plain indication of his
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interest in it.
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2. Whether this was the only authentic copy in being or no, it seems
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the things contained in it were new both to the king himself and to the
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high priest; for the king, upon the reading of it, rent his clothes. We
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have reason to think that neither the command for the king's writing a
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copy of the law, nor that for the public reading of the law every
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seventh year
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+17:18,31:10,11">Deut. xvii. 18; xxxi. 10, 11</A>),
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had been observed for a long time; and when the instituted means of
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keeping up religion are neglected religion itself will soon go to
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decay. Yet, on the other hand, if the book of the law was lost, it
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seems difficult to determine what rule Josiah went by in doing that
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which was <I>right in the sight of the Lord,</I> and how the priests
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and people kept up the rites of their religion. I am apt to think that
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the people generally took up with abstracts of the law, like our
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abridgements of the statutes, which the priests, to save themselves the
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trouble of writing and the people of reading the book at large, had
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furnished them with--a sort of ritual, directing them in the
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observances of their religion, but leaving out what they thought fit,
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and particularly the promises and threatenings
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+26:1-14,De+28:1-68">Lev. xxvi. and Deut. xxviii.</A>,
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&c.), for I observe that these were the portions of the law which
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Josiah was so much affected with
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>),
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for these were new to him. No summaries, extracts, or collections, out
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of the Bible (though they may have their use) can be effectual to
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convey and preserve the knowledge of God and his will like the Bible
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itself. It was no marvel that the people were so corrupt when the book
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of the law was such a scarce thing among them; where that vision is not
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the people perish. Those that endeavoured to debauch them no doubt used
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all the arts they could to get that book out of their hands. The church
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of Rome could not keep up the use of images but by forbidding the use
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of the scripture.
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3. It was a great instance of God's favour, and a token for good to
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Josiah and his people, that the book of the law was thus seasonably
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brought to light, to direct and quicken that blessed reformation which
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Josiah had begun. It is a sign that God has mercy in store for a people
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when he magnifies his law among them and makes that honourable, and
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furnishes them with means for the increase of scripture-knowledge. The
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translating of the scriptures into vulgar tongues was the glory,
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strength, and joy of the Reformation from Popery. It is observable that
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they were about a good work, repairing the temple, when they found the
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book of the law. Those that do their duty according to their knowledge
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shall have their knowledge increased. To him that hath shall be given.
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The book of the law was an abundant recompence for all their care and
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cost about the repair of the temple.
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4. Hilkiah the priest was exceedingly well pleased with the discovery.
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"O," says he to Shaphan, "rejoice with me, for <I>I have found the book
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of the law,</I> <B><I>eureka, eureka,</I></B>--<I>I have found, I have
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found,</I> that jewel of inestimable value. Here, carry it to the king;
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it is the richest jewel of his crown. Read it before him. He walks in
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<I>the way of David his father,</I> and, if he be like him, he will
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love the book of the law and bid that welcome; that will be his delight
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and his counsellor."</P>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki22_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Ruin of Judah Foretold; the Favour Shown to Josiah.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 623.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of
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the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
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12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the
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son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the
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scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,
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13 Go ye, enquire of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> for me, and for the people, and
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for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found:
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for great <I>is</I> the wrath of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> that is kindled against us,
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because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this
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book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning
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us.
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14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan,
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and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum
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the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe;
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(now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed
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with her.
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15 And she said unto them, Thus saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God of Israel,
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Tell the man that sent you to me,
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16 Thus saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, Behold, I will bring evil upon this
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place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, <I>even</I> all the words of
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the book which the king of Judah hath read:
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17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto
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other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the
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works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against
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this place, and shall not be quenched.
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18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God of
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Israel, <I>As touching</I> the words which thou hast heard;
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19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled
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thyself before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, when thou heardest what I spake against
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this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should
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become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and
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wept before me; I also have heard <I>thee,</I> saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and
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thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes
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shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place.
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And they brought the king word again.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We hear no more of the repairing of the temple: no doubt that good work
|
|
went on well; but the book of the law that was found in it occupies us
|
|
now, and well it may. It is not laid up in the king's cabinet as a
|
|
piece of antiquity, a rarity to be admired, but it is read before the
|
|
king. Those put the truest honour upon their Bibles that study them and
|
|
converse with them daily, feed on that bread and walk by that light.
|
|
Men of honour and business must look upon an acquaintance with God's
|
|
word to be their best business and honour. Now here we have,</P>
|
|
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|
<P>
|
|
|
|
I. The impressions which the reading of the law made upon Josiah. He
|
|
rent his clothes, as one ashamed of the sin of his people and afraid of
|
|
the wrath of God; he had long thought the case of his kingdom bad, by
|
|
reason of the idolatries and impieties that had been found among them,
|
|
but he never thought it so bad as he perceived it to be by the book of
|
|
the law now read to him. The rending of his clothes signified the
|
|
rending of his heart for the dishonour done to God, and the ruin he saw
|
|
coming upon his people.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
II. The application he made to God hereupon: <I>Go, enquire of the Lord
|
|
for me,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
1. Two things we may suppose he desired to know:--"Enquire,
|
|
|
|
(1.) What we shall do; what course we shall take to turn away God's
|
|
wrath and prevent the judgments which our sins have deserved."
|
|
Convictions of sin and wrath should put us upon this enquiry, <I>What
|
|
shall we do to be saved? Wherewithal shall we come before the Lord?</I>
|
|
If you will thus enquire, enquire quickly, before it be too late.
|
|
|
|
(2.) "What we may expect and must provide for." He acknowledges,
|
|
"<I>Our fathers have not hearkened to the words of this book;</I> if
|
|
this be the rule of right, certainly our fathers have been much in the
|
|
wrong." Now that <I>the commandment came sin revived,</I> and appeared
|
|
sin; in the glass of the law, he saw the sins of his people more
|
|
numerous and more heinous than he had before seen them, and more
|
|
exceedingly sinful. He infers hence, "Certainly <I>great is the wrath
|
|
that is kindled against us;</I> if this be the word of God, as no doubt
|
|
it is, and he will be true to his word, as no doubt he will be, we are
|
|
all undone. I never thought the threatenings of the law so severe, and
|
|
the curses of the covenant so terrible, as now I find them to be; it is
|
|
time to look about us if these be in force against us." Note, Those who
|
|
are truly apprehensive of the weight of God's wrath cannot but be very
|
|
solicitous to obtain his favour, and inquisitive how they may make
|
|
their peace with him. Magistrates should enquire for their people, and
|
|
study how to prevent the judgments of God that they see hanging over
|
|
them.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
2. This enquiry Josiah sent,
|
|
|
|
(1.) By some of his great men, who are named
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>,
|
|
|
|
and again
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>.
|
|
|
|
Thus he put an honour upon the oracle, by employing those of the first
|
|
rank to attend it.
|
|
|
|
(2.) To Huldah the prophetess,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>.
|
|
|
|
The spirit of prophecy, that inestimable treasure, was sometimes put
|
|
not only into <I>earthen</I> vessels, but into the <I>weaker</I>
|
|
vessels, <I>that the excellency of the power might be of God.</I>
|
|
Miriam helped to lead Israel out of Egypt
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mic+6:4">Mic. vi. 4</A>),
|
|
|
|
Deborah judged them, and now Huldah instructed them in the mind of God,
|
|
and her being a wife was no prejudice at all to her being a prophetess;
|
|
<I>marriage is honourable in all.</I> It was a mercy to Jerusalem that
|
|
when Bibles were scarce they had prophets, as afterwards, when prophecy
|
|
ceased, that they had more Bibles; for God never leaves himself without
|
|
witness, because he will leave sinners without excuse. Jeremiah and
|
|
Zephaniah prophesied at this time, yet the king's messengers made
|
|
Huldah their oracle, probably because her husband having a place at
|
|
court (for he was keeper of the wardrobe) they had had more and longer
|
|
acquaintance with her and greater assurances of her commission than of
|
|
any other; they had, it is likely, consulted her upon other occasions,
|
|
and had found that the word of God in her mouth was truth. She was
|
|
near, for she dwelt at Jerusalem, in a place called <I>Mishneh,</I> the
|
|
second rank of buildings from the royal palace. The Jews say that she
|
|
prophesied among the women, the court ladies, being herself one of
|
|
them, who it is probable had their apartments in that place. Happy the
|
|
court that had a prophetess within the verge of it, and knew how to
|
|
value her.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
III. The answer he received from God to his enquiry. Huldah returned it
|
|
not in the language of a courtier--"Pray give my humble service to his
|
|
Majesty, and let him know that this is the message I have for him from
|
|
the God of Israel;" but in the dialect of a prophetess, speaking from
|
|
him before whom all stand upon the same level--<I>Tell the man that sent
|
|
you to me,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>.
|
|
|
|
Even kings, though gods to us, are men to God, and shall so be dealt
|
|
with; for <I>with him there is no respect of persons.</I></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
1. She let him know what judgments God had in store for Judah and
|
|
Jerusalem
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:16,17"><I>v.</I> 16, 17</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>My wrath shall be kindled against this place;</I> and what is hell
|
|
itself but the fire of God's wrath kindled against sinners? Observe,
|
|
|
|
(1.) The degree and duration of it. It is so kindled that <I>it shall
|
|
not be quenched;</I> the decree has gone forth; it is too late now to
|
|
think of preventing it; the iniquity of Jerusalem shall not be purged
|
|
with sacrifice or offering. Hell is unquenchable fire.
|
|
|
|
(2.) The reference it has,
|
|
|
|
[1.] To their sins: "They have committed them, as it were, with design,
|
|
and on purpose to provoke me to anger. It is a fire of their own
|
|
kindling; they would provoke me, and at length I am provoked."
|
|
|
|
[2.] To God's threatenings: "The evil I bring is according to the words
|
|
of the book which the king of Judah has read; the scripture is
|
|
fulfilled in it. Those that would not be bound by the precept shall be
|
|
bound by the penalty." God will be found no less terrible to impenitent
|
|
sinners than his word makes him to be.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
2. She let him know what mercy God had in store for him.
|
|
|
|
(1.) Notice is taken of his great tenderness and concern for the glory
|
|
of God and the welfare of his kingdom
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>Thy heart was tender.</I> Note, God will distinguish those that
|
|
distinguish themselves. The generality of the people were hardened and
|
|
their hearts unhumbled, so were the wicked kings his predecessors, but
|
|
Josiah's heart was tender. He received the impressions of God's word,
|
|
trembled at it and yielded to it; he was exceedingly grieved for the
|
|
dishonour done to God by the sins of his fathers and of his people; he
|
|
was afraid of the judgments of God, which he saw coming upon Jerusalem,
|
|
and earnestly deprecated them. This is tenderness of heart, and thus he
|
|
<I>humbled himself before the Lord,</I> and expressed these pious
|
|
affections by rending his clothes and weeping before God, probably in
|
|
his closet; but he that sees in secret says it was <I>before him,</I>
|
|
and he heard it, and put every tear of tenderness into his bottle.
|
|
Note, Those that most fear God's wrath are least likely to feel it. It
|
|
should seem that those words
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+26:32">Lev. xxvi. 32</A>)
|
|
|
|
much affected Josiah, <I>I will bring the land into desolation;</I> for
|
|
when he heard of <I>the desolation and of the curse,</I> that is, that
|
|
God would forsake them and <I>separate them to evil</I> (for till it
|
|
came to that they were neither desolate nor accursed), then he rent his
|
|
clothes: the threatening went to his heart.
|
|
|
|
(2.) A reprieve is granted till after his death
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+22:20"><I>v.</I> 20</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>I will gather thee to thy fathers.</I> The saints then, no doubt,
|
|
had a comfortable prospect of happiness on the other side death, else
|
|
being gathered to their fathers would not have been so often made the
|
|
matter of a promise as we find it was. Josiah could not prevail to
|
|
prevent the judgment itself, but God promised him he should not live to
|
|
see it, which (especially considering that he died in the midst of his
|
|
days, before he was forty years old) would have been but a small reward
|
|
for his eminent piety if there had not been another world in which he
|
|
should be abundantly recompensed,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+11:16">Heb. xi. 16</A>.
|
|
|
|
When the righteous is <I>taken away from the evil to come he enters
|
|
into peace,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+57:1,2">Isa. lvii. 1, 2</A>.
|
|
|
|
This is promised to Josiah here: <I>Thou shalt go to thy grave in
|
|
peace,</I> which refers not to the manner of his death (for he was
|
|
killed in a battle), but to the time of it; it was a little before the
|
|
captivity in Babylon, that great trouble, in comparison with which the
|
|
rest were as nothing, so that he might be truly said to die in peace
|
|
that did not live to share in that. He died in the love and favour of
|
|
God, which secure such a peace as no circumstances of dying, no, not
|
|
dying in the field of war, could alter the nature of, or break in
|
|
upon.</P>
|
|
|
|
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