Then the king sent and gathered ,.... From hence, to the end of 2 Chronicles 34:32 , the same account is given of the reading of the law to the people, and of the covenant the king and they made to serve the Lord, as in 2 Kings 23:1 . read more
The reign of Josiah-its unexpected boon, in a republication of revealed religion, with the legitimate and happy results following thereupon. In the reign and person of Josiah, once more and for the last time in the now numbered years of the kingdom of Judah, the light of piety and "goodness" flickered up in the socket. His reign began when his yearn numbered but eight; it lasted thirty-one years. Four reigns succeeded his to the date of the destruction of Jerusalem, but the four together... read more
The wise, religious, and unselfish conduct of the king is clearly betokened in the course he took, as narrated here and in the succeeding three verses. read more
Communication and continuance. Josiah's wise and devout concern, when he discovered the Word and knew more fully the will of God, was to communicate his own earnestness to others, and to secure for future years this new and good departure. He took the most natural and wise measures to attain his object. 1 . He summoned all the elders in particular and all the people who could meet together, and made known to them in its fulness the truth that had been revealed to himself ( 2... read more
Judah's last national covenant. I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES . 1 . The time. 2 . The place. II. THE PARTIES . 1 . The king. As was most appropriate, Josiah led the way. Though sovereigns have no right under the gospel to enforce religion on their subjects, they may nevertheless, by means of personal example, persuade their subjects to embrace religion. 2 . The elders. These were the heads of the houses, and therefore the representatives of the inhabitants... read more
The final reform (34:1-35:27)Another reform swept Judah during the reign of Josiah (34:1-33; see notes on 2 Kings 22:1-23:20). As with the reform of Hezekiah, the climax in the eyes of the Chronicler was a great Passover Feast in Jerusalem.After returning the ark to its rightful place in the temple, the priests and Levites prepared themselves for their duties. Josiah arranged them in divisions as Hezekiah had done earlier, so that the music, singing, sacrifices and other rituals could be... read more
JOSIAH TURNS ISRAEL TO THE WORSHIP OF JEHOVAH"Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up to the house of Jehovah, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, both great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of Jehovah. And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Jehovah, to walk after... read more
1. Josiah’s reforms ch. 34The godly in Judah may have regarded Josiah as the most likely candidate to fulfill the promises God had given to David. His early life and reign were spiritually exemplary (2 Chronicles 34:2-3). He sought to purge idolatry from the whole territory of Israel as well as Judah (2 Chronicles 34:4-7). Many of the Simeonites (2 Chronicles 34:6) had allied themselves with Israel religiously (cf. 2 Chronicles 15:9). [Note: Keil, p. 431.] In Jerusalem, Josiah embarked on a... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 34:29-33
We have here an account of the further advances which Josiah made towards the reformation of his kingdom upon the hearing of the law read and the receipt of the message God sent him by the prophetess. Happy the people that had such a king; for here we find that, 1. They were well taught. He did not go about to force them to do their duty, till he had first instructed them in it. He called all the people together, great and small, young and old, rich and poor, high and low. He that hath ears to... read more