THE REIGN OF JOSIAH (2 Chronicles 34-35).

The history of Josiah, as related here, is in substantial agreement with the narrative of 2 Kings 22, 23 The main difference lies in the fact that the chronicler assigns the various reforms of this king to his eighth, twelfth, and eighteenth years; whereas the compiler of Kings groups them all together, in connection with the repair of the Temple and finding of the Book of the Law, in the eighteenth year of the reign. Our account, moreover, briefly describes the suppression of idolatry, and dwells at great length on the celebration of the Passover; in Kings the contrary is the case.

(1) Josiah was eight years old.—So 2Kings 22:1, which adds, “and his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.”

(3) For.—Now.

In the eighth year.—The specifications of time in this verse are peculiar to the chronicler.

While he was yet young.—Being about sixteen.

He began to seek.—2Chronicles 17:3-4; 1Chronicles 13:3.

And in the twelfth year.—When, perhaps, he began to govern alone.

He began to purge.—It is not said that the whole work was completed in the twelfth year; indeed, 2Chronicles 34:33 implies the contrary. But the writer having begun the story of the destruction of idolatrous objects, naturally continues it to its close, though that properly belongs to Josiah’s eighteenth year (2Kings 22:3, compared with 2Kings 23:4 seq.). It is not, therefore, clear (as Thenius asserts) that the chronicler has put the extirpation of idolatry first, simply to show that the pious king needed no special prompting to such a course; or that, as Noldeke supposes, the writer meant to clear this highly-extolled king from the reproach of having quietly put up with the abomination for full eighteen years.

The high places.—2Kings 23:5; 2Kings 23:8-9; 2Kings 23:13.

The groves.—The Asherim (2Kings 23:4; 2Kings 6:7; 2Kings 6:14). There was an Asherah in the Temple, as well as in the high places which Solomon built for Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Milcom. The carved and molten images are not mentioned in the parallel passage, which, however, gives a much clearer and more original description of the different kinds of idolatry abolished by Josiah. (The Syriac has, “he began to root out the altars, and idols, and leopards, and chapels, and collars, and bells, and all the trees which they made for the idols.”)

In his presence.—Comp. 2Kings 23:16, from which it appears that Josiah personally superintended the work of demolition.

The images.—Sun statues (2Chronicles 14:4).

That were on high above them, he cut down.—Or, that were above, from off them he hewed.

The molten images.—Rather, the maççebuth, or sacred pillars. (See 2Kings 23:14.)

Made dust of them.—2Kings 23:6 (of an Asherah).

And showed . . . unto them.—Literally, and sprinkled upon the face of the graves that used to sacrifice unto them, as if the graves were guilty. 2Kings 23:6 relates this of the temple Asherah only.

And cleansed (i.e., “purged,” 2Chronicles 34:3) Judah and Jerusalem.—This phrase does not occur at all in the parallel account.

Simeon is again mentioned somewhat strangely, as in 2Chronicles 15:9, no doubt because Beersheba, a famous sanctuary within its territory, was a place of pilgrimage for the northern tribes.

Manasseh and Ephraim, i.e., the northern kingdom, as in 2Chronicles 31:1; Isaiah 9:21.

With their mattocks.—Rather, in their ruins; reading behorbuthêhem, instead of behorbôthêhem, which means “with their swords.” (Comp. Ezekiel 26:9.) The phrase qualifies the word “cities.” The cities of Israel had been ruined by the Assyrians, Sargon. and Shalmaneser, the latter of whom took Samaria, after a three years’ siege, and carried the people captive to Assyria, in 721 B.C., replacing them by foreign colonists. This explains how it was that Josiah was able to desecrate the northern sanctuaries, and slay their priests (2Kings 23:20). The ordinary Hebrew text divides the word thus: behar bûtthêhem, so as to suggest the reading behar bûtthêhem, “in the hill of their houses.” The LXX. has “in their places round about”; the Vulg. omits the phrase; and the Syriac reads “in their streets around.” The whole verse should be connected with 2Chronicles 34:7, thus: “And in the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, to wit, in their ruins round about, he pulled down the altars and the Asherim; and the carven images he dashed into pieces unto pulverising.” Hedaq is an unusual form of the infinitive, not a perfect, as Bertheau supposes.

When he had purged.—Omit had. (Lĕtahēr is apparently co-ordinate with lĕmolkû, “in the eighteenth year to his reigning, to purging the land “; as if the work of purification had been co-extensive with the reign. The LXX., however, has, “in order to purge the land,” which may be right.)

He sent Shaphan.—Who was secretary of state (2Kings 22:3, “the scribe”).

Maaseiah . . . Joah.—Kings mentions Shaphan only.

The governor of the city.—Sar ha’îr; praefectus urois. (Conp. 1Chronicles 11:6.)

From the hand of Manasseh . . . Benjamin.—Kings, “from the people.” Reuss oddly imagines that these words denote “a kind of organised collection throughout all Palestine,” and then proceeds to draw an inference unfavourable to the chronicler.

And they returned to Jerusalem.—This is the meaning of the Qri or Hebrew margin. The Hebrew text has, “and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,” which is correct.

The workmen.—The doers of the work, i.e., the overseers or contractors. See Note on 2Chronicles 24:12.

And they gave it to the workmen . . . the house.—So LXX. and Syriac. The Hebrew text says, and the doers of the work who were working in thehouse of Jehovah gave it for restoring and repairing the house. To whom the masters gave it is stated in next verse.

To repair.—Libdōq, here only. The term is so used in Syriac. The original form of the verse is 2Kings 22:5, where “the doers of the work” are first the masters, and then the men.

For couplings.—For the couplings or girders; an explanation added by the chronicler.

And to floor . . . destroyed.—Kings, “to repair the house.” The reference to the defacement of the Temple buildings by idolatrous kings may be compared with the similar notice concerning Athaliah’s sons, 2Chronicles 24:7, and Ahaz, 2Chronicles 28:24. Perhaps, however, the expression “destroyed” does not mean more than “allowed to go to ruin.”

To floor.—To rafter, or joist. (See margin.)

The houses.—The chambers.

And the overseers of them were.—And over them were set. The names of the overseers, and the details added in next verse, are peculiar to and characteristic of the chronicler.

To set it forward.—To lead, conduct, preside; usually a musical term. (Comp. 1Chronicles 23:4.)

And other . . . music.—Literally, and the Levites, to wit, every one skilled in the instruments of song. (Comp. 1Chronicles 15:16; 1Chronicles 25:7.)

They.—The Levitical musicians-

Were over the bearers of burdens.—They probably cheered their labours with song and music; as was the practice in ancient Egypt.

And were overseers.—Leaders, conductors; see Note on 2Chronicles 34:12. Notice the honourable position here assigned to the musical guilds of Levites.

And of the Levites . . . porters.—In connection, that is, with the work of restoration. But comp. 1Chronicles 23:4-5. The writer may only intend to say that there were Levitical guilds of “scribes, officers, and porters,” as well as of musicians.

Scribes.—1Chronicles 2:55.

(14) And when they brought out.—This verse is not in Kings. It supplements the older account, by assigning the occasion of the discovery.

Josephus makes Hilkiah find the book in the treasure-chamber of the Temple which he had entered to get gold and silver for making some sacred vessels. According to Rabbinical tradition it was found hidden under a heap of stones, where it had been placed to save it from being burnt by king Ahaz.

A book.—The book.

Given by Moses.—The Hebrew phrase, “by the hand of Moses,” belongs not to “the book,” but to “the Law (or teaching) of Jehovah”; and the meaning of the whole expression is, “the Law of Jehovah communicated through the medium or instrumentality of Moses.” (Comp. 2Chronicles 33:8.)

To Shaphan.—Kings adds, “and he read it.” Those words need not mean that Shaphan read the book through, as Thenius suggests. (See Note on 2Kings 22:3.)

Again.—Further, besides.

Committed to thy servants.—Given into the hand of thy servants; viz. the overseers of the repairs.

They do it.—They are doing.

“ And Shaphan brought the book in unto the king” is only a different pointing of, “and Shaphan the scribe came in unto the king,” 2Kings 22:9. The rest of the verse is an addition of the chronicler’s. Perhaps the Notes on 2Kings 12:11 and 2chron xxiv, 11 apply hero.

And to . . . the workmen.—And to . . . the doers of the work.

Perhaps the and is explanatory (even, or that is).

Abdon the son of Micah.—Kings, “Achbor the son of Micaiah,” which appears right. The Syriac has Abachûr. (See Jeremiah 26:22; Jeremiah 36:12.)

For them that are left . . . Judah.—An alteration of, “and for the people and for all Judah” (Kings). The chronicler thinks of the remnant in the northern kingdom.

Poured out.—Kings, “kindled against.” (So LXX.) This was probably the original reading, as the wrath which Josiah dreaded had not yet been poured out upon Judah. But the chronicler remembered the ruin of the ten tribes.

Kept.—Kings, “hearkened to” shamĕ’û, as here, instead of shāmĕrû; and so LXX. and Syriac.

Son of Tikvath.—Heb., Tûkahath. Kings, “Tikvah.” The LXX., Θεκωε, the Syriac, Tekwa, and the Vulg., Thecuath, show that Tikvah or Tikvath is right. (The final h and th of Chronicles arise from blending these two equivalent spellings.)

Son of Hasrah.—Kings, son of Harhas. So the LXX., Apày; but the Syriac (Hasdâ) and Vulg. support Hasrah.

In the college.—In the second quarter y i.e., the lower city.

To that effect.—2Chronicles 32:15 (“on this manner”). Added by the chronicler. The differences in the text of the oracle which follows are mostly due to alteration of the original, which is more exactly given in Kings.

All the curses . . . the book.—An explanatory paraphrase of “all the words of the book” (Kings). (See Deuteronomy 27:15 seq., 28:16 seq., 29:20, 21, 27, 30:19; and comp. Joshua 8:34.)

Poured out.—“Shall be kindled” (Kings), which agrees better with “shall not be quenched.” (See 2Chronicles 34:21 for the same alteration. The LXX. here has (ἐξεκαύθη) “was kindled.”

Burned incense.—Hiphil, which is much commoner in the chronicle than piel, the form in Kings (the forms piel and hiphil of this word qatar are about equally used in Kings.)

Against this place.—Kings adds, “that it should become an astonishment and a curse.”

And humbledst thyself before me.—Not in Kings. A characteristic repetition.

And weep.—Shorter form of the verb; a correction of Kings (wattēbk for wattebkeh).

I.—Emphatic. (Kings has the longer form ‘anokî for our ‘anî.)

Saith the Lord.—Is the utterance of Jehovah (ne’ûm Iahweh).

Grave.—Heb., graves. (Comp. 2Chronicles 16:14.)

And upon the inhabitants of the same.—Added by the chronicler.

A covenant.—The covenant.

And the inhabitants . . . fathers—i.e., after they had thus solemnly taken it upon them to do so. The statement is not read in Kings.

Out of all the countries . . . Israel.—Out of the territories of the Ten Tribes. The statement glances back to 2Chronicles 34:6, and summarises the account of the abolition of heathenish worships, which follows here in 2Kings 23:4-20.

And made . . . to serve, even to serve.—And made to serve . . . so as to serve; a unique phrase. The style of the verse is the chronicler’s.

All his days they departed not.—The king’s will secured an outward conformity to the legitimate cultus, and open idolatry was for the time being a peril too serious to be thought of. But the unreality of these reformations by royal mandate is proved by the relapse which immediately followed upon the death of Josiah. The moral corruption which at this epoch was preying upon the vitals of the nation, and hurrying it swiftly to destruction, is revealed in the pathetic pages of the prophet Jeremiah. (See Jeremiah 11:1-23; Jeremiah 13:27; Jeremiah 16:20; Jeremiah 17:1-2, &c.)