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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 King 22:10 - 22:20
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The Book of the Law Read before the King, and the Results
v. 10. And Shaphan, the scribe, showed the king, he made a report to him, saying, Hilkiah, the priest, hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king, not the entire roll at this time, but certain passages.
v. 11. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the Book of the Law, the original, as usual, making a much deeper impression upon the hearer than the copies which were often neglected, that he rent his clothes, his entire soul being stirred by the impressive ordinances and filled with sorrow as he realized his shortcomings.
v. 12. And the king commanded Hilkiah, the priest, and Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Achbor, the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan, the scribe, and Asahiah, a servant of the king's, one of his officers, saying,
v. 13. Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah, the entire nation, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, as he could see from such passages as Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us. The inquiry thus chiefly had the purpose of finding out whether there were still hope for grace, whether the threatened punishments might still be averted.
v. 14. So Hilkiah, the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah went unto Huldah, the prophetess, who at that time was the only one in the city possessing the gift of prophecy, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvali, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe, either of the priestly vestments in the Temple or of the royal garments for state occasions; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college, in the second district of the lower city, which was afterward included within the walls;) and they communed with her.
v. 15. And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, the first part of the message being of a general nature,
v. 16. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, Jerusalem as the capital of the nation, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read, the curses upon disobedience would surely be fulfilled,
v. 17. because they have forsaken Me, and have burned incense unto other gods, indulged in gross and shameless idolatry, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands, with the idol statues which they had made. Therefore My wrath shall be kindled against this place and shall not be quenched, the punishment was sure to come.
v. 18. But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, in a special message concerning his rule alone, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard,
v. 19. because thine heart was tender, not hardened in obstinacy and sin as that of some of his predecessors, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, appealing to Him in repentance and humility, when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the Inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me, in terror, dismay, and repentance, I also have heard thee, saith the Lord, namely, his appeal for mercy.
v. 20. Behold, therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace, without seeing the desolation of Jerusalem, although he himself was killed in battle, 2Ki_23:29; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place, he would not witness its destruction with all its attendant horrors. And they brought the king word again, they reported to him what they had heard from the prophetess. Those who truly humble themselves under the Word of God will escape the judgment which will strike the disobedient and willful malefactors.