2 Kings 23

AND the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders The chief Governors both of Church and State. of Judah, and of Jerusalem.

And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets Either Ieremiah, Zephaniah, Urijah: or, the Sons or Disciples of the Prophets., and all the people both small and great: and he read He caused to be read. in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant, which was found in the house of the LORD.

¶ And the king stood by the pillar Of which see on chap. 11. 14. and 2 Chron. 34. 31., 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 their heart, and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant, that were written in this book: and all the people stood to the covenant To wit, as to the taking of it: they declared their consent to it, and their concurrence with the King in that act, which possibly they did by standing upright, as the King himself stood when he took it..

And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order Either those two who were next in degree to the High-Priest, and in case of his sickness were to manage his work: Of whom see 2 S... m. S. 17. or the heads of the... 4 courses which David had appointed, 1 C... r. 25., and the keepers of the door See above on chap. 22. 4., to bring forth i. e. To take care that they should be brought forth. out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove i. e. The image of the grove: of which see on chap. 21. 7. it being most frequent to call Images by the names of the persons or things which they represent., and for all the host of heaven: and he burnt them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron i. e. Adioyning to the brook of Kidron., and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el Partly, to show his abhorrency of them, and that he would not give the Ashes of them a place in his Kingdom: and partly, to pollute and disgrace that place which had been the Chief Seat and Throne of Idolatry..

And he put down the idolatrous priests Heb. the Chemarim; which were Ministers of Idols, Hos. 10. 5. distinct from the Priests, Zeph. 1. 4. Possibly they were the highest rank of Priests, because they are here employed in the highest work, which was to burn Incense., whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn in cense in the high places, in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem, them also that burnt incense unto Paal A particular god, of greatest esteem with them, so called: though elsewhere the name of Baal is common to all false gods., to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

And he brought out the grove See on ver. 4. from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burnt it at the brook Kidron, and stampt it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people i. e. Of the common people, whose Graves were made together in some common place, which was generally accounted very impure and contemptible, and therefore a sit place for this... ilth to be thrown into. Or, of Bastards, who are oft called the children of the people: who as they had this brand of infamy laid upon them, that they might not enter into the congrigation of the Lord, Deut. 23. 2. so possibly they were exposed to this further Ignominy, to be buried in a peculiar, and in the most infamous place. Or rather, as it is in the Hebrew, of that people, i. e. those Idolatrous people, as it is explained, 2 Chr. 34. 4. and here sufficiently implied in this and the foregoing Verse..

And he brake down the houses of the sodomites Wherein some Males prostituted their Bodies to the Lusts of others: which abominable practise was both a punishment of Idolatry, Rom. 1. 23, 24, 27. and a part of Idolworship, this being done to the honour of some of their Idols, and by the appointment and instigation of those impure and diabolical spirits, which were worshipped in their Idols. See 1 King. 14. 24. and 15. 12. and 22. 46. that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings Or, curtains, either to draw before the Idol or Idols which were worshiped in the Grove, to preserve them from defilement, or to gain more reverence for them; or which were set up in the Grove, that the abominable filthiness last mentioned might be committed within them. Or, garments for the service of the Grove, for the Idols or the Priests belonging to them. Heb. houses, i. e. either little Chappels made of woven work, like those which were made of Silver, Act. 19. 24. within which there were some representations of their Grove-Idols: or rather, Tents made of those Curtains for the use abovementioned. for the grove Or, for Asherah, an Idol so called, as was noted before..

And he brought all the priests To wit, belonging to the high-places here following, whether such as worshipped Idols; or rather, such as worshipped God in those forbidden places, Deut. 12. 11. as may be gathered from the following Verse. out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places By burning dead mens Bones upon them, as ver. 14, 16, 20. or by putting them to some other unclean or filthy use. where the priests had burnt incense, from Geba The Northern border of the Kingdom of Iudah: Of which see Jos. 18. 24. 1 Kin. 15. 22. to Beersheba Which was the Southern border. See Gen. 21. 31.. 20. 1. i. e. from one end to the other., and brake down the high places of the gates Which were erected by the Gates of the City here mentioned, into the honour of their Tutelary gods, which after the manner of the Heathen they owned for the Protectors of their City and Habitations. that were in the entring in of the gate of Joshua the governour of the city This circumstance is noted to show Iosiah's great zeal and impartiality, in rooting out all monuments of Idolatry, without any respect unto those great persons who were concerned in them, or affected to them., which were on a mans left hand at the gate of the city.

Nevertheless, the priests of the high places Which Worshipped the True God there. came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem i. e. Were not suffered to come thither to the exercise of their Priestly function; as a just punishment for the corruption of Gods Worship, and the transgression of so plain and positive a Law of God, Deut. 12. 11. which was much worse in them who had more knowledge to discern Gods mind therein, and more obligations to observe it, and to ingage others to the observation of it. Compare Ezek. 44. 10., but they did eat of the unleavened bread i. e. Of the Meat-Offerings, allotted to the Priests, wherein there was to be no Leaven, Lev. 2. 4, 5, 10, 11. and consequently of other Provisions belonging to the Priests, which by a Synecdoche are contained under this one kind. Thus their Spiritual blemish puts them into the very same state which corporal blemishes brought them, Lev. 21. 17, &c. And thus he mitigates their punishment: he shuts them out from Spiritual Services, but allows them natural and necessary Provisions. among their brethren.

And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom Of which see Ios. 15. 8. Nehem. 11. 30. Ier. 7. 31. and 19. 6, 11., that no man might make his son, of his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech See on Lev. 18. 21. Deut. 18. 10..

And he took away the horses Either,.... The Carved or Graven Horses, to which were... yned a Graven Chariot, in which there might be the Picture of the Sun, which the Heathens used to represent in this manner. Or rather, 2. Living Horses: For, 1. Such the... stern Nations used to Consecrate to the Sun, to signify the swifness of his motion. 2. These Horses are mentioned apart from the Chariots, and are said to be given to the sun, which is not said of the Chariots; and to be taken away, when the more burnt, &c. and a certain place is here allotted to the Horses, not to the Chariots. that the kings of Judah had given to the sun Either, to be Sacrificed to the Sun: or, to draw those Chariots in which the Kings, or some other in their stead, and by their appointment, went forth every Morning to worship the rising Sun: for both these were the customs of the Armenians and Per..., as Xenophon testifies., at the entring in of the house of the LORD i. e. By the Gate of the outward Court of the Temple: for the Courts are oft contained under the name of the House or Temple., by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain Or, officer, to whom the care of these Horses was committed., which was in the suburbs Either, 1. Of the City of David: or rather, of the Temple: in certain outward Buildings belonging to the Temple, and the uses thereof. See Ezek. 45. 2. Heb. in Parvarim; a place near the Temple, called also Parbar, 1 Chr. 26. 18. though it be not now known either where it was, or why it was so called., and burnt the chariots of the sun Which were made for the honour and worship of the Sun, as was before expressed. with fire.

And the altars that on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz i. e. Upon the Roof of the Kings House. They were so mad upon their Idols, that they were not content with all their publick high places and Altars, but made others upon their House-tops, for the worship of the Heavenly bodies. See Ier. 19. 13. Zeph. 1. 5., which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made Quest. How could this be, when Manasseh had taken them away before, 2 Chr. 33. 15 Ans. Either, these Altars were not so fully destroyed as they should have been, the foundations of them being left through the neglect of the Officers appointed to do that work, upon which Amon built his new Altars. Or, if they were wholly rooted out, Amon's new Altars are called by his Fathers name, because they were built by his example, and in the very same place where his Fathers Altars were; as the Wells which Isaac digged in the same place, where Abraham had digged them before, were therefore called by their ancient names, Gen. 26. 15. See more on the next Verse. in the two courts The Priests and the Peoples. See ch. 21. 5. of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron Partly, to show his derestation of them: and partly, to abolish the very remembrance of them as far as he could..

And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption i. e. The Mount of Olives, 1 King. 11. 7. here called the mount of corruption, for the gross Idolatry there practised, which is oft expressed by the name of corruption. See Exod. 32. 7. Deut. 32. 5. In the Hebrew is an elegant allusion between M... seah, anointing, and Mosh... ith, corruption, as there is between Bethel and Bethaven, Hos. 4. 15. which Solomon the king of Israel had builed Not the same individual Altars; which doubtless either Solomen upon his repentance, or some other of Iosiah's Godly predecessors had taken away long before this time; but other Altars built by Man... sseh or Amon, which because erected by Solomon's example, and for the same use, and in the same place, are called by his name; this brand being left by the Holy Ghost upon his name and memory, as a just punishment of that abominable practise, and a mean to deter others fro... the like. for Ashtoreth Of which and the rest see on 1 King. 11. 5 6, 7. the abomination i. e. The Idol, so called, because it was abominable, and made them abominable to God. of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men i. e. Of the Idolatrous Priests, which he caused to be taken out of their Graves, v. 18..

¶ Moreover, the altar that was at Beth... el Quest. How could he rightly do this, seeing Bethel was a part of the Kingdom of Israel, not of Iudah? Ans. Either, First, This City was now under the Kingdom of Iudah, to which it was added by Abijah long since, 2 Chron. 13. 19. Or, Secondly, He did this by virtue of that ancient right which David and his posterity had to the Kingdom of Israel, which though suspended for a time by God's grant of the Ten Tribes to Ieroboam, and the succeeding Kings of Israel; yet these being all extinct, it might seem to return to him, at least so far as to pluck up Idolatry out of the Land of Israel, as he had opportunity, and especially out of those parts of it which bordered upon Iudah. Or, Thirdly, The King of Babylon having ingaged in a War with the Assyrian, Hezekiah's great enemy, and having thereupon occasion for Hezekiah's friendship, did (as some suppose) enlarge his Dominion, and give him some power over the Kingdom of Israel, at least as to matters of Religion: Which may seem not improbable from 2 Chron. 30. 1, 4, 5, 6. And the same power seems to have been continued, and some kind of League made between the King of Babylon and Manasseh (who thereupon was restored to his Kingdom, 2 Chron 33. 13.) and after him Iosiah, who therefore was so zealous in his quarrel against the King o... Egypt, 2 Chron. 35. 20, &c. Or, Fourthly, He did it in purseance of God's prediction concerning this action, 1 King. 13. 2. which (in a matter so good, and so agreeable to God's wi... and word, as the extirpation of Idolatry unquestionably was) had the force of a warrant or command upon him to do it, as God's prediction of the Conversion of the Gentiles by the Messias, was a command to his Apostles to Preach to them, Act. 13. 47. and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar, and the high place Which seems to have been some little Temple or House erected for that Worship, or for the Priests attending upon it. he brake down, and burnt the high place, and stampt it small to powder, and burnt the grove.

And as Josiah turned himself Iosiah's care and zeal was so great, that he would not trust his Officers with these things, but would see them done with his own Eyes., he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burnt them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD, which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words 300 years before it was done..

Then he said, What title is that that I see It was the manner then, as now it is, to set up little Pillars or Stones, by, or upon the Graves of the higher sort of Men, upon which the name of the Person, and some Remarkable passages relating to him, were Engraven.? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth-el.

And he said, Let him alone: let no man move his bones: so they let his bones alone with the bones of the prophet that came Which were now mixed together. out of Sa... aria The place of his Birth or former abode, though now he were in Bethel, 1 Sam. 13. 11..

And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria By what Authority he did this, see on, ver. 15., which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Beth-el.

And he slew all the priests of the high places Either, 1. The Priests which Ieroboam had made of the meanest of the People, whom he... ew, both for their Pre... Usurpation of that Sacred Office, which of it self... as Punishable with Death by God's Law,. 3. 10. and for their Idolatry. Or rather, 2. The Priests of Baalim; by comparing this Verse with the former, where speaking of these same High Places, he... oth not say, which Ieroboam made; as is usual when he speaks of the High Places of the Calves; but which the other kings of Israel made, who were divers of them Worshippers of Baal; and by considering the Parallel place, 2 Chron. 34. 4. where it is said, they brake down the altars of Baalim, &c. By this Relation it appears, and from the nature of the thing, and common practise in like cases, it is more than probable, that after the departure of the King of Assyria, divers of the Israelites who had retired to other parts, and kept themselves out of the Conquerors hands, returned together with their Priests to their own Land, and to their old trade of Worshipping Idols; to whom, peradventure, they ascribed this their Deliverance from that Judgment which Iehovah had brought upon them., that were there upon the altars According to that Famous Prophecy, 1 King. 13. 1, 2., and burnt mens bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.

¶ And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover Having abolished False Worship, he now endeavours to set up the True Worship of the True God. unto the LORD your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant In this Book which I have found; wherein is contained the Covenant made between God and Israel, and the terms of it..

Surely there was not holden such a passover i. e. Celebrated with such Solemn care, and great Preparation, and numerous Sacrifices, 2 Chron. 35. 7, 8, 9. and universal Joy of all good men; which was much the greater, because of their remembrance of the former wicked and miserable times under Manasseh, and Amon; and the good hopes they now had of the happy Establishment of their Nation, and the True Religion; and of the prevention of God's Judgments denounced against them., from the days of the judges Or, from the days of Samuel, the last of the Judges; as it is expressed 2 Chron. 35. 18. None of the Kings had taken such care to prepare themselves, the Priests, and People, and accurately to observe all the Rites, and diligently to purge out all uncleanness, and to renew their Covenant with God, so solemnly as Iosiah now did. that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah:

But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem.

¶ Moreover, the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards Of which see on, Levit. 19. 31. and 20. 27. Numb. 22. 5. Deut. 18. 11., and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations Three words noting the same thing, to show, That all the Instruments and Monuments of Idolatry were Destroyed, as God had Commanded. that were spied i. e. All that were discovered; not only such as were in the place and state of Worship, but such as their Priests or Zealot... had removed, and indeavoured to hide and secure. in the land of Judah, and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law, which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.

And like unto him was there no king before him To wit, for his diligent Study in God's Law, and exact Care, and unwearied Industry, and fervent Zeal, in rooting out of Idolaters, and all kinds and appearances of Idolatry, not only in Iudah, but in Israel also; and in the Establishment of the True Religion in all his Dominions, and in the conforming of his own Life, and his Peoples too, (as far as he could) to the holy Law of God though Hezekiah might excel him in some other particulars; of whom therefore the like is said above, Chap. 18. 55., that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses, neither after him arose there any like him.

¶ Notwithstanding, the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah Because though the King was most hearty in his Repentance and acceptable to God, as was said before, and therefore the Judgment was delayed for his time; yet the people were generally corrupt, and secretly averse from Iosiah's pious and excellent Reformation, and inclined to their old Lusts and Idols; as appears from the complaints of the Prophets, especially Ieremiah, and Zephaniah, against them: and by the following History, wherein we see, that as soon as ever Iosiah was gone, his Children, and the Princes, and the People, suddenly and greedily returned to their former Abominations., because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal The Sine of Manasseh, and of the men of his Generation; who complied and concurred with him in his Idolatrous and cruel practises, Chap. 24. 3, 4. are justly punished in this Generation; partly, because of God's Soveraign Right of Punishing Sinners (such as these unquestionably were) when, and upon what occasion he sees sit: partly, because of that publick Warning and Declaration of God, That he would visit the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children: and principally, because these men had never sincerely Repented of their own, nor of their Fathers Sins; but their hearts still hankered after them; which, though not yet seen by men, was manifest to God, who therefore pronounced this Terrible Sentence against them..

And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel; and will cast off this city Jerusalem, which I have chosen, and the house of which I said To wit, upon the conditions in sundry places expressed, which they broke, and therefore God justly made them to know his breach of promise, as he threatens Numb. 14. 34., My Name shall be there.

Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

¶ In his days Pharaoh nechoh Called Necos by Herodotus, who makes mention of this Fight; wherein, as he says, Ne... os conquered the Syrians in Magdalo. king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria i. e. The King of Babylon, who having formerly Rebelled against the Assyrian his Lord, had now conquered him; as appears by the course of the Sacred, and the concurrence of the Prophane History; and therefore is here and elsewhere called the Assyrian, and the king of Assyria, because now he was the Head of that Empire. to the river Euphrates i. e. Against Carchemish by Euphrates, as it is expressed, 2 Chron. 3.... 20. which the Assyrian had taken from the Syrians, Isa. 10. 9. Pharach's Confederates, who therefore sendeth Forces against the Assyrian, that he might both help them, and secure himself.: and king Josiah went against him Either to defend his own Country from Pharaoh's Incursions; or to Assist the King of Babylon with whom he seems to have been in League, as was noted before.; and he slew him i. e. Gave him his Deaths Wound there; though he died not till he came to Ierusalem, 2 Chron. 35 23, 24. at Megiddo, when he had seen him i. e. When he Fought with him, or in the first Onset. Thus Fighting is called a looking in the face, 2 King. 14. 8..

And his servants carried him in a chariot dead i. e. Mortally Wounded, as in the former Verse; and as we commonly say of a sick man, past hopes of Recovery, that he is a dead man; Compare Gen. 20. 3. from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre: and the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah Who was younger than Iehoiakim, by comparing ver. 31. with 36. yet preferred by the People before the elder Brother; either because Iehojakim refused the Kingdom for fear of Pharaoh, whom he knew he should hereby provoke or because, Iehoahaz was the more Stout and Warlike Prince; whence he is called a Lion, Ezek. 19. 3. though indeed he showed his Courage more against his People, than his Enemies: but they judged, that he was most able and willing to defend them against the Conquering Army., and anointed him As they used to do in such Extraordinary Cases, because this was a troublesome time, and he was not the right Heir to the Crown, and therefore needed this Solemn Rite of Confirmation, which Solomon had in the same Circumstances., and made him king in his fathers stead.

¶ Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem: and his mothers name was Hamutel, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers i. e. His grand Parents, Manasseh, and Amon. He restored that Idolatry which his Father had destroyed; partly, to gratifie the generality of the people, who had made him King, and who were inclined to their old Superstitions, even in Iosiah's time, as was observed before, though restrained from the outward acts, by fear: and partly, to sweeten the King of Egypt, who possibly was a Zealous Idolater, by his compliance with him in the Worship of Idols. had done.

And Pharaoh-nechoh put him in bands Either, because he presumed to take the Kingdom without his leave and consent: or because he renewed the War against Pharaoh, as some affirm, and by him was Conquerred, and taken Prisoner. at Kiblah An eminent City in Syria; of which see Numb. 34. 11. 2 King. 25. 6. where Pharaoh now was to finish, or make good his Conquests, whither Iehoahaz was carried to receive his Sentence., in the land of Hamath that he might not reign Or, because he had reigned; i. e. Taken the Kingdom without right, and without his leave. Or, according to the other reading, in the beginning of his Reign; the word reigning being commonly used for beginning to reign; when he was scarce warm in his Throne. in Jerusalem, and put the land to a tribute To wit, a Yearly Tribute, whereby they should acknowledge him to be their Superior; and for which, he would be their Protector, when they needed his help. of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.

And Pharaoh-nechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah Whom he perceived to be of a more mild and peaceable disposition. king, in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim Because the giving of Names was accounted an act and sign of Dominion; which therefore Parents did to their Children, and Conquerors to their Vassals or Tributaries. Compare Chap. 24. 17. Dan. 1. 7., and took Jehoahaz away Partly as a Punishment for him: and partly, that he might give no disturbance to his Brother.: and he came to Egypt, and died there.

And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh; he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaoh-nechoh.

¶ Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign Either, 1. When he began to Reign alone, and with full Power, or after Iehoahaz his Death: till which the people would not disown him whom they had Anointed King, which was esteemed a great tie; 2 Sam. 19. 10. nor own, or accept Iehojakim as their King, but only as his Brothers Vice-roy, though Pharaoh had by violence forced him upon them. And so Iehoahaz might be his Elder Brother, and the same who is called Iohanan, and is first mentioned, as the eldest son, 1 Chron. 3. 15. though he may be placed first, not in regard of his Birth, but of his Dignity; the Crown being first put upon his Head. Or, 2. When he was first set up by Pharaoh, and so this was the Elder Brother, though by popular Violence put by his Right. See on ver. 31., and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mothers name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD By Idolatry, the Oppression of his People, and the Persecution of the Prophets, and other good men, Ier. 26. 20. Ezek. 19. 5, 6, 7., according to all that his fathers had done.