2 Chronicles 34:1-6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 34:1-7

Concerning Josiah we are here told, 1. That he came to the crown when he was very young, only eight years old (yet his infancy did not debar him from his right), and he reigned thirty-one years (2 Chron. 34:1), a considerable time. I fear, however, that in the beginning of his reign things went much as they had done in his father's time, because, being a child, he must have left the management of them to others; so that it was not till his twelfth year, which goes far in the number of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 34:1-2

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign ,.... Of these two verses; see Gill on 2 Kings 22:1 ; see Gill on 2 Kings 22:2 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 34:3

For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young ,.... Being in the sixteenth year of his age; though Kimchi thinks it was the very year he began to reign, which was the eighth of his age; and Jarchi observes, it may be interpreted, "though he was young, he began to seek after the God of David his father"; to pray unto him, to seek after the knowledge of him, and the true manner of worshipping him, what were his will, commands, and ordinances; the Targum is,"to seek instruction or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 34:4

And they broke down the altars of Baalim in his presence ,.... He not only ordered them to be broke down, but he went in person, and saw it done; these were the altars Manasseh had reared up to the idols; and though upon his humiliation he cast them out, they were rebuilt by Amon his son, see 2 Chronicles 33:3 , and the images that were above them he cut down ; sun images, as the word signifies; these Chamanim might be representatives of Cham or Ham, the son of Noah, the same with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 34:5

And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars ,.... On which they sacrificed, in detestation of their idolatry, and to deter from it; and this he did according to the prophecy of him, above three hundred and fifty years before: and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem ; from idolatry, and all the monuments of it. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 34:6

And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali ,.... Which though they belonged to the ten tribes, yet these being carried captive by the king of Assyria, they that were left became subject to the kings of Judah; see Gill on 2 Kings 23:19 , with their mattocks round about ; or hammers or mauls, as Kimchi, or pick axes, such sort of instruments as were used in demolishing altars and images: the Targum is,"in the house of their desolation;' and so... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 34:2

He declined neither to the right hand , nor to the left - He never swerved from God and truth; he never omitted what he knew to be his duty to God and his kingdom; he carried on his reformation with a steady hand; timidity did not prevent him from going far enough; and zeal did not lead him beyond due bounds. He walked in the golden mean, and his moderation was known unto all men. He went neither to the right nor to the left, he looked inward, looked forward, and looked... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 34:4

The altars of Baalim - How often have these been broken down, and how soon set up again! We see that the religion of a land is as the religion of its king. If the king were idolatrous, up went the altars, on them were placed the statues, and the smoke of incense ascended in ceaseless clouds to the honor of that which is vanity, and nothing to the world; on the other hand, when the king was truly religious, down went the idolatrous altars, broken in pieces were the images, and the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 34:5

He burnt the bones of the priests - כומריא kumeraiya , the kemarim , says the Targum. See this word explained, 2 Kings 23:5 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 34:6

The cities of Manasseh - Even those who were under the government of the Israelitish king permitted their idols and places of idolatry to be hewn down and destroyed: after the truth was declared and acknowledged, the spade and the axe were employed to complete the reformation. read more

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