2Ki 22 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Kgs 22:1-2: 22:1-2 Josiah ascended the throne of Judah in 640 BC . Like Joash (11:21 ), he was still a boy when he became king. He was faithful to the Lord, comparing favorably with David, like Asa (1 Kgs 15:11 ) and Hezekiah (2 Kgs 18:3 ). • doing what was right: Josiah’s conduct met the high standards of the law (Deut 17:11 ; 28:14 ).

Summary for 2Kgs 22:1-2: 22:1-2 ^a Josiah ascended the throne of Judah in 640 BC. Like Joash (11:21 ^b), he was still a boy when he became king. He was faithful to the Lord, comparing favorably with David, like Asa (1 Kgs 15:11 ^c) and Hezekiah (2 Kgs 18:3 ^d).

• doing what was right: Josiah’s conduct met the high standards of the law (Deut 17:11 ^e; 28:14 ^f).
Summary for 2Kgs 22:3-4: 22:3-4 ^g By the eighteenth year of his reign (621 BC), Josiah had been devoted to the Lord for ten years (see 2 Chr 34:3-7 ^h).

• Hilkiah the high priest was from the line of Zadok (1 Chr 9:10-11 ⁱ). Some scholars suggest that this Hilkiah was Jeremiah’s father (Jer 1:1 ^j).

• Apparently the money was collected in a large chest convenient to the people as they came to the Temple (cp. 12:9 ^k).
Summary for 2Kgs 22:5-7: 22:5-7 ^l Josiah’s instructions to Shaphan were similar to those given by Joash for restoring the Temple during his reign (12:10-15 ^m).
Summary for 2Kgs 22:8-10: 22:8-10 ⁿ The scroll known as the Book of the Law might have contained all or part of Deuteronomy or even the entire Pentateuch (cp. Deut 31:26 ^o). How it had become lost or where it was found in the Temple is unknown. Shaphan reported the momentous discovery immediately and read it to the king.
Summary for 2Kgs 22:11-13: 22:11-13 ^p Like Hezekiah before him (19:1 ^q), Josiah tore his clothes in genuine grief for his own spiritual condition and that of the people of Judah.

• have not obeyed the words in this scroll: The portion that Shaphan read to Josiah apparently reminded him of God’s claim upon his people, the need for faithfulness to the covenant, and the penalties for infidelity (see Deut 28 ^r). Recognizing that Judah had failed to obey the law, Josiah rightly feared the Lord’s great anger.
22:14 ^s The prophet Huldah ... was the wife of Shallum: Some have suggested that this Shallum was related to Jeremiah (Jer 32:7-12 ^t). Huldah’s family relationships might have allowed her to serve as a sort of court prophet (see also 2 Chr 34:22-28 ^u).
Summary for 2Kgs 22:15-17: 22:15-17 ^v The Lord ... has spoken! Like Miriam (Exod 15:20 ^w) and Deborah (Judg 4:4 ^x), Huldah had the privilege of proclaiming God’s will to the people. Huldah confirmed Josiah’s fears that God would bring disaster on Jerusalem because of the people’s unfaithfulness and many sins.
Summary for 2Kgs 22:18-20: 22:18-20 ^y God commended Josiah’s sorrow and humility in response to the reading of God’s word. Although God’s judgment was certain, he would withhold it until after Josiah’s death.