Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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2 Kings
Book: 2 Kings
Chapter: 22
Overview:
Josiah's good reign, His care for repairing the
Temple, The
Book of the
Law found.
(1-10) Josiah consults
Huldah the
prophetess.
(11-20)
1-10 The different event of
Josiah's early succession from that
of
Manasseh, must be ascribed to the distinguishing
Grace of
God; yet probably the persons that trained him up were
instruments in producing this difference. His character was most
excellent. Had the people joined in the reformation as heartily
as he persevered in it, blessed effects would have followed. But
they were wicked, and had become fools in
Idolatry. We do not
obtain full knowledge of the state of
Judah from the historical
records, unless we refer to the writings of the prophets who
lived at the time. In repairing the
Temple, the
Book of the
Law
was found, and brought to the
King. It seems, this
Book of the
Law was lost and missing; carelessly mislaid and neglected, as
some throw their Bibles into corners, or maliciously concealed
By some of the idolaters.
God's care of the
Bible plainly shows
his interest in it. Whether this was the only copy in being or
not, the things contained in it were new, both to the
King and
to the high
Priest.
No summaries, extracts, or collections out
of the
Bible, can convey and preserve the knowledge of
God and
his will, like the
Bible itself. It was
No marvel that the
people were
So corrupt, when the
Book of the
Law was
So scarce;
they that corrupted them,
No doubt, used arts to get that
Book
out of their hands. The abundance of Bibles we possess
aggravates our national sins; for what greater contempt of
God
can we show, than to refuse to read his
Word when
Put into our
hands, or, reading it, not to believe and obey it?
By the holy
Law is the knowledge of
Sin, and
By the blessed
Gospel is the
knowledge of
Salvation. When the former is understood in its
strictness and excellence, the sinner begins to inquire, What
must I do to be saved? And the ministers of the
Gospel point out
to him
Jesus Christ, as the
End of the
Law for
Righteousness to
every one that believeth.
11-20 The
Book of the
Law is read before the
King. Those best
honour their Bibles, who study them; daily feed
On that
Bread,
and walk
By that
Light. Convictions of
Sin and wrath should
Put
us upon this inquiry, What shall we do to be saved? Also, what
we may expect, and must provide for. Those who are truly
apprehensive of the weight of
God's wrath, cannot but be very
anxious how they may be saved.
Huldah let
Josiah know what
judgments
God had in store for
Judah and
Jerusalem. The
generality of the people were hardened, and their hearts
unhumbled, but
Josiah's
Heart was tender. This is tenderness of
Heart, and thus he humbled himself before the
Lord. Those who
most fear
God's wrath, are least likely to feel it. Though
Josiah was mortally wounded in battle, yet he died in peace with
God, and went to
Glory. Whatever such persons suffer or
Witness,
they are gathered to the
Grave in peace, and shall enter into
the
Rest which remaineth for the people of
God.