19 When the king heard the words of the law , he tore his clothes . 20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah , Ahikam the son of Shaphan , Abdon the son of Micah , Shaphan the scribe , and Asaiah the king's servant , saying , 21 "Go , inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah , concerning the words of the book which has been found ; for great is the wrath of the Lord which is poured out on us because e our fathers have not observed the word of the Lord , to do according to all that is written in this book ." 22 So Hilkiah and those whom the king had told went to Huldah the prophetess , the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath , the son of Hasrah , the keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter); and they spoke to her regarding this . 23 She said to them, "Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel , 'Tell the man who sent you to Me, 24 thus says the Lord , "Behold , I am bringing evil on this place and on its inhabitants , even all the curses written in the book which they have read in the presence of the king of Judah . 25 " Because e they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods , that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands ; therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place and it shall not be quenched ."' 26 "But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the Lord , thus you will say to him, 'Thus says the Lord God of Israel regarding the words which you have heard , 27 " Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before e God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants , and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you," declares the Lord . 28 "Behold , I will gather you to your fathers and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace , so your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants .""' And they brought back word to the king .
29 Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem . 30 The king went up to the house of the Lord and all the men of Judah , the inhabitants of Jerusalem , the priests , the Levites and all the people , from the greatest to the least ; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord . 31 Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord , and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul , to perform the words of the covenant written in this book . 32 Moreover, he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand with him. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God , the God of their fathers . 33 Josiah removed all the abominations from all the lands belonging to the sons of Israel , and made all who were present in Israel to serve the Lord their God . Throughout his lifetime e they did not turn from following the Lord God of their fathers .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 34:19-33
Chapter Contents
Josiah's good reign in Judah.
As the years of infancy cannot be useful to our fellow-creatures, our earliest youth should be dedicated to God, that we may not waste any of the remaining short space of life. Happy and wise are those who seek the Lord and prepare for usefulness at an early age, when others are pursuing sinful pleasures, contracting bad habits, and forming ruinous connexions. Who can express the anguish prevented by early piety, and its blessed effects? Diligent self-examination and watchfulness will convince us of the deceitfulness and wickedness of our own hearts, and the sinfulness of our lives. We are here encouraged to humble ourselves before God, and to seek unto him, as Josiah did. And believers are here taught, not to fear death, but to welcome it, when it takes them away from the evil to come. Nothing hastens the ruin of a people, nor ripens them for it, more than their disregard of the attempts made for their reformation. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. The current and tide of affections only turns at the command of Him who raises up those that are dead in trespasses and sins. We behold peculiar loveliness, in the grace the Lord bestows on those, who in tender years seek to know and to love the Saviour. Hath Jesus, the Day-spring from on high, visited you? Can you trace your knowledge of this light and life of man, like Josiah, from your youth? Oh the unspeakable happiness of becoming acquainted with Jesus from our earliest years!