2 Reyes 23:24

STILL FURTHER REFORMS ACHIEVED BY JOSIAH

"Moreover them that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of Jehovah. And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to Jehovah with all his heart, and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses, neither after him arose there any like him."

"The wizards ... did Josiah put away" (2 Kings 23:24). Snaith and other critics have ERRONEOUSLY supposed that the reforms in these verses, "fulfilled the Deuteronomic ideal,"[24] overlooking the fact that the command to put wizards to death is not in Deuteronomy but in Leviticus 20:27, additional proof that it was not the Book of Deuteronomy alone, nor a portion of it, that was found in the temple by Hilkiah, it was the entire law of Moses. Note the last phrase of 2 Kings 23:25, "according to all the law of Moses."

"That he might confirm the words of the law" (2 Kings 23:24). The marginal note gives "perform" instead of "confirm" here. (See comments on 2 Kings 23:3, above.) The RSV translates the word "establish." What is stated is that Josiah was doing all of those reforms according to the commandments of God in the Books of Moses. Josiah was the last chance Israel had, because all of his four successors - "Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiakin and Zedekiah were, one and all, wicked princes."[25]

Jehoahaz is the same king as Shallum (Jeremiah 22:10ff.)