Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 2 Kings 22:3-27
2. Josiah’s reforms 22:3-23:27Josiah began to seek Yahweh when he was 16 years old and began initiating religious reforms when he was 20 (2 Chronicles 34:3-7). His reforms were more extensive than those of any of his predecessors. One of them involved the repair of Solomon’s temple (2 Kings 22:5; cf. 2 Kings 12:4-16). He began this project when he was 26.". . . Josiah rules during years in which Assyria fades but also those in which Babylon is not yet ready to rule as far west as Judah and in a... read more
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 2 Kings 22:1-30
D. Josiah’s Good Reign 22:1-23:30Since Josiah was eight years old when his father died at age 22, he must have been born when Amon was only 14. It was very common, both in the ancient Near East generally and in Israel, for kings to marry very young and to father children when they were early teenagers. [Note: Nadav Na’aman, "Historical and Chronological Notes on the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah in the Eighth Century B.C.," Vetus Testamentum 36 (1986):83-91.] The years Josiah ruled were 640-609... read more