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Commentary on 2 Kings 22 verses 11–20
We hear no more of the repairing of the temple: no doubt that good work went on well; but the book of the law that was found in it occupies us now, and well it may. It is not laid up in the king's cabinet as a piece of antiquity, a rarity to be admired, but it is read before the king. Those put the truest honour upon their Bibles that study them and converse with them daily, feed on that bread and walk by that light. Men of honour and business must look upon an acquaintance with God's word to be their best business and honour. Now here we have,
I. The impressions which the reading of the law made upon Josiah. He rent his clothes, as one ashamed of the sin of his people and afraid of the wrath of God; he had long thought the case of his kingdom bad, by reason of the idolatries and impieties that had been found among them, but he never thought it so bad as he perceived it to be by the book of the law now read to him. The rending of his clothes signified the rending of his heart for the dishonour done to God, and the ruin he saw coming upon his people.
II. The application he made to God hereupon: Go, enquire of the Lord for me, Kg2 22:13.
1.Two things we may suppose he desired to know: - "Enquire, (1.) What we shall do; what course we shall take to turn away God's wrath and prevent the judgments which our sins have deserved." Convictions of sin and wrath should put us upon this enquiry, What shall we do to be saved? Wherewithal shall we come before the Lord? If you will thus enquire, enquire quickly, before it be too late. (2.) "What we may expect and must provide for." He acknowledges, "Our fathers have not hearkened to the words of this book; if this be the rule of right, certainly our fathers have been much in the wrong." Now that the commandment came sin revived, and appeared sin; in the glass of the law, he saw the sins of his people more numerous and more heinous than he had before seen them, and more exceedingly sinful. He infers hence, "Certainly great is the wrath that is kindled against us; if this be the word of God, as no doubt it is, and he will be true to his word, as no doubt he will be, we are all undone. I never thought the threatenings of the law so severe, and the curses of the covenant so terrible, as now I find them to be; it is time to look about us if these be in force against us." Note, Those who are truly apprehensive of the weight of God's wrath cannot but be very solicitous to obtain his favour, and inquisitive how they may make their peace with him. Magistrates should enquire for their people, and study how to prevent the judgments of God that they see hanging over them.
2.This enquiry Josiah sent, (1.) By some of his great men, who are named Kg2 22:12, and again Kg2 22:14. Thus he put an honour upon the oracle, by employing those of the first rank to attend it. (2.) To Huldah the prophetess, Kg2 22:14. The spirit of prophecy, that inestimable treasure, was sometimes put not only into earthen vessels, but into the weaker vessels, that the excellency of the power might be of God. Miriam helped to lead Israel out of Egypt (Mic 6:4), Deborah judged them, and now Huldah instructed them in the mind of God, and her being a wife was no prejudice at all to her being a prophetess; marriage is honourable in all. It was a mercy to Jerusalem that when Bibles were scarce they had prophets, as afterwards, when prophecy ceased, that they had more Bibles; for God never leaves himself without witness, because he will leave sinners without excuse. Jeremiah and Zephaniah prophesied at this time, yet the king's messengers made Huldah their oracle, probably because her husband having a place at court (for he was keeper of the wardrobe) they had had more and longer acquaintance with her and greater assurances of her commission than of any other; they had, it is likely, consulted her upon other occasions, and had found that the word of God in her mouth was truth. She was near, for she dwelt at Jerusalem, in a place called Mishneh, the second rank of buildings from the royal palace. The Jews say that she prophesied among the women, the court ladies, being herself one of them, who it is probable had their apartments in that place. Happy the court that had a prophetess within the verge of it, and knew how to value her.
III. The answer he received from God to his enquiry. Huldah returned it not in the language of a courtier - "Pray give my humble service to his Majesty, and let him know that this is the message I have for him from the God of Israel;" but in the dialect of a prophetess, speaking from him before whom all stand upon the same level - Tell the man that sent you to me, Kg2 22:15. Even kings, though gods to us, are men to God, and shall so be dealt with; for with him there is no respect of persons.
1.She let him know what judgments God had in store for Judah and Jerusalem (Kg2 22:16, Kg2 22:17): My wrath shall be kindled against this place; and what is hell itself but the fire of God's wrath kindled against sinners? Observe, (1.) The degree and duration of it. It is so kindled that it shall not be quenched; the decree has gone forth; it is too late now to think of preventing it; the iniquity of Jerusalem shall not be purged with sacrifice or offering. Hell is unquenchable fire. (2.) The reference it has, [1.] To their sins: "They have committed them, as it were, with design, and on purpose to provoke me to anger. It is a fire of their own kindling; they would provoke me, and at length I am provoked." [2.] To God's threatenings: "The evil I bring is according to the words of the book which the king of Judah has read; the scripture is fulfilled in it. Those that would not be bound by the precept shall be bound by the penalty." God will be found no less terrible to impenitent sinners than his word makes him to be.
2.She let him know what mercy God had in store for him. (1.) Notice is taken of his great tenderness and concern for the glory of God and the welfare of his kingdom (Kg2 22:19): Thy heart was tender. Note, God will distinguish those that distinguish themselves. The generality of the people were hardened and their hearts unhumbled, so were the wicked kings his predecessors, but Josiah's heart was tender. He received the impressions of God's word, trembled at it and yielded to it; he was exceedingly grieved for the dishonour done to God by the sins of his fathers and of his people; he was afraid of the judgments of God, which he saw coming upon Jerusalem, and earnestly deprecated them. This is tenderness of heart, and thus he humbled himself before the Lord, and expressed these pious affections by rending his clothes and weeping before God, probably in his closet; but he that sees in secret says it was before him, and he heard it, and put every tear of tenderness into his bottle. Note, Those that most fear God's wrath are least likely to feel it. It should seem that those words (Lev 26:32) much affected Josiah, I will bring the land into desolation; for when he heard of the desolation and of the curse, that is, that God would forsake them and separate them to evil (for till it came to that they were neither desolate nor accursed), then he rent his clothes: the threatening went to his heart. (2.) A reprieve is granted till after his death (Kg2 22:20): I will gather thee to thy fathers. The saints then, no doubt, had a comfortable prospect of happiness on the other side death, else being gathered to their fathers would not have been so often made the matter of a promise as we find it was. Josiah could not prevail to prevent the judgment itself, but God promised him he should not live to see it, which (especially considering that he died in the midst of his days, before he was forty years old) would have been but a small reward for his eminent piety if there had not been another world in which he should be abundantly recompensed, Heb 11:16. When the righteous is taken away from the evil to come he enters into peace, Isa 57:1, Isa 57:2. This is promised to Josiah here: Thou shalt go to thy grave in peace, which refers not to the manner of his death (for he was killed in a battle), but to the time of it; it was a little before the captivity in Babylon, that great trouble, in comparison with which the rest were as nothing, so that he might be truly said to die in peace that did not live to share in that. He died in the love and favour of God, which secure such a peace as no circumstances of dying, no, not dying in the field of war, could alter the nature of, or break in upon.
We need not wonder that Huldah, the prophet and wife of Shallum, was consulted by Josiah, king of Judah, when the captivity was approaching and the wrath of the Lord was falling on Jerusalem: since it is the rule of Scripture, when holy men fail, to praise women to the reproach of men.
“They went to the prophet Huldah,” and not to Jeremiah, even though he was already well known as a prophet, probably because Jeremiah was not there at the moment, or maybe because this woman surpassed him with the power of her gift of prophecy.
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SUMMARY
King Josiah's visceral reaction in 2 Kings 22:11, rending his clothes upon hearing the rediscovered "book of the law," marks a profound turning point in Judah's spiritual history. This dramatic display of conviction and deep sorrow over the nation's long-standing disobedience to God's covenant served as the immediate catalyst for sweeping religious reforms and a national spiritual revival under his righteous leadership, demonstrating the transformative power of divine revelation on a responsive heart.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The narrative in 2 Kings 22:11 employs several powerful literary devices. Dramatic Irony is present, as the reader is acutely aware of the Law's existence and its contents, while Josiah and his people have been largely ignorant of it for generations, making his shock and profound reaction upon hearing it all the more impactful. The act of "rending his clothes" is a potent Symbolism, representing not just personal grief but a profound national repentance and a recognition of the broken covenant. The verse also functions as a crucial Turning Point or Catalyst in the narrative, marking the precise moment that initiates Josiah's sweeping religious reforms and the subsequent spiritual renewal in Judah. Furthermore, there is a clear Contrast between the long period of national apostasy and Josiah's immediate, righteous, and humble response, highlighting the transformative power of God's word on a receptive heart.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
King Josiah's dramatic response to the rediscovered "book of the law" serves as a timeless theological lesson on the inherent power and authority of God's Word. It demonstrates that when divine truth is genuinely encountered, it has the capacity to expose sin, convict the conscience, and prompt a profound, heart-level response of humility and repentance. This is not merely an intellectual exercise but a spiritual awakening that leads to tangible action, compelling individuals and communities to align their lives with God's righteous standards. Josiah's reaction underscores the necessity of both hearing God's Word and responding to it with a broken and contrite spirit, recognizing the gravity of disobedience and the holiness of God.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Josiah's response to the "book of the law" challenges believers today to examine the depth of their own engagement with God's Word. Do we merely read it, or do we allow its truths to penetrate our hearts, convict our consciences, and move us to genuine repentance and transformative action? This verse calls us to cultivate a posture of humility and readiness to obey, recognizing that God's Word is not just ancient text but a living, active force capable of revealing our shortcomings and guiding us toward righteousness. True spiritual awakening, both individually and corporately, often begins with an honest and humble recognition of our deviation from God's standards, followed by a decisive turning back to Him. Like Josiah, we are called to allow the Word to expose our idolatries, prompt our confession, and spur us to active obedience and reform in our lives and communities, trusting in God's grace for the strength to follow His commands.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was the "book of the law" that Josiah heard?
Answer: While not explicitly identified in the text, the "book of the law" discovered by Hilkiah and read to King Josiah was most likely the book of Deuteronomy, or at least a significant portion of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament). This book contained the foundational covenant stipulations, God's commands, and the blessings for obedience alongside the severe curses for disobedience. Its rediscovery was monumental because it brought back into national consciousness the foundational principles of Israel's covenant relationship with God, which had been largely forgotten or neglected for generations, as vividly described in the book of Deuteronomy.
Why did Josiah tear his clothes?
Answer: Josiah's act of tearing his clothes was a deeply symbolic and culturally recognized expression of profound grief, horror, and conviction. It signified his overwhelming sorrow and distress upon realizing the extent of Judah's long-standing disobedience to God's covenant and the severe divine judgment that was due to them as a result. This was not a superficial display but an outward manifestation of a broken and contrite spirit, demonstrating genuine repentance and humility before God's holy standards, echoing the sentiment found in Joel 2:13. It was a public declaration of his personal and national identification with the sin and the impending consequences.
What happened after Josiah's reaction?
Answer: Josiah's immediate reaction to the "book of the law" served as the direct impetus for one of the most significant spiritual revivals and reforms in Judah's history. After rending his clothes, he immediately sent a delegation to inquire of the Lord through the prophetess Huldah [2_kings/22-14 "2 Kings 22:14 - Josiah Consults Prophetess Huldah"]. Upon hearing Huldah's confirmation of God's impending judgment but also His grace toward Josiah for his humility, the king initiated sweeping religious reforms. These included purging idolatry from the land, restoring the Temple worship, celebrating a Passover unlike any other, and renewing the covenant between God and His people, as comprehensively detailed in 2 Kings 23.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
King Josiah's profound encounter with the rediscovered "book of the law" and his subsequent radical response serves as a powerful foreshadowing of the ultimate revelation and redemptive work found in Jesus Christ. While Josiah's tears and rending of clothes were a response to the written Law, revealing sin and the need for judgment, they point forward to the ultimate conviction of sin brought by the living Word, Jesus Himself. The Law, as heard by Josiah, could expose sin and pronounce judgment, but it could not ultimately remove sin or perfectly reconcile humanity to God. Jesus, however, is the full and final revelation of God's law and grace, the one who came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it [matthew/5-17 "Matthew 5:17 - Jesus Fulfills the Law"]. His perfect obedience, sacrificial death on the cross, and glorious resurrection provide the ultimate answer to the sin that caused Josiah such distress. Through Christ, the Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment [john/16-8 "John 16:8 - The Holy Spirit Convicts"], leading to a deeper, more profound repentance than the Law alone could evoke. Just as Josiah's encounter with the Law led to national reform, so our encounter with Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world [john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"], leads to a new covenant transformation of the heart and a life empowered by grace to walk in His ways [jeremiah/31-33 "Jeremiah 31:33 - The New Covenant"]. He is the true and greater Josiah, whose perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice establish a new and eternal covenant, bringing about not just external reform but internal regeneration.