341 A son of eight years 'is' Josiah in his reigning, and thirty and one years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, 2 and he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, and walketh in the ways of David his father, and hath not turned aside—right or left.
3 And in the eighth year of his reign (and he yet a youth), he hath begun to seek to the God of David his father, and in the twelfth year he hath begun to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the shrines, and the graven images, and the molten images. 4 And they break down before him the altars of the Baalim, and the images that 'are' on high above them he hath cut down, and the shrines, and the graven images, and the molten images, he hath broken and beaten small, and streweth on the surface of the graves of those sacrificing to them, 5 and the bones of the priests he hath burnt on their altars, and cleanseth Judah and Jerusalem, 6 and in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their tools, round about. 7 And he breaketh down the altars and the shrines, and the graven images he hath beaten down very small, and all the images he hath cut down in all the land of Israel, and turneth back to Jerusalem.
8 And in the eighteenth year of his reign, to purify the land and the house he hath sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah head of the city, and Joah son of Johaz the remembrancer, to strengthen the house of Jehovah his God. 9 And they come in unto Hilkiah the high priest, and they give the money that is brought in to the house of God, that the Levites, keeping the threshold, have gathered from the hand of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah, and Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 10 and they give 'it' into the hand of the workmen, those appointed over the house of Jehovah, and they give it 'to' the workmen who are working in the house of Jehovah, to repair and to strengthen the house; 11 and they give 'it' to artificers, and to builders, to buy hewn stones, and wood for couplings and for beams to the houses that the kings of Judah had destroyed. 12 And the men are working faithfully in the business, and over them are appointed Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathite, to overlook; and of the Levites, every one understanding about instruments of song, 13 and over the burden-bearers, and overseers of every one doing work for service and service; and of the Levites 'are' scribes, and officers, and gatekeepers.
14 And in their bringing out the money that is brought in to the house of Jehovah, hath Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of Jehovah by the hand of Moses, 15 and Hilkiah answereth and saith unto Shaphan the scribe, 'A book of the law I have found in the house of Jehovah;' and Hilkiah giveth the book unto Shaphan, 16 and Shaphan bringeth in the book unto the king, and bringeth the king back word again, saying, 'All that hath been given into the hand of thy servants they are doing, 17 and they pour out the money that is found in the house of Jehovah, and give it into the hand of those appointed, and into the hands of those doing the work.' 18 And Shaphan the scribe declareth to the king, saying, 'A book hath Hilkiah the priest given to me;' and Shaphan readeth in it before the king. 19 And it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the words of the law, that he rendeth his garments, 20 and the king commandeth Hilkiah, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Abdon son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, servant of the king, saying, 21 'Go, seek Jehovah for me, and for him who is left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found, for great 'is' the fury of Jehovah that is poured on us, because that our fathers kept not the word of Jehovah, to do according to all that is written on this book.' 22 And Hilkiah goeth, and they of the king, unto Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tikvath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the garments, and she is dwelling in Jerusalem in the Second, and they speak unto her thus.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 34:1-22
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!