2 Kings 23 Josiah causeth the law to be read in a solemn assembly; reneweth the covenant of the Lord; destroyeth idolatry, 2 Kings 23:1–14; breaketh down the altar at Beth-el, and burneth thereon dead men’s bones, 2 Kings 23:15–20; keepeth the passover: other evidences of his piety, 2 Kings…

The chief governors both of church and state.

The prophets; either Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Urijah; or the sons or disciples of the prophets. He read; He caused to be read.

By the pillar; of which See Poole “2 Kings 11:14”; See Poole “2 Chron. 34:31”. To the covenant, to wit, as to the taking of it; they declared their consent to it, and their concurrence with the king in that act, which possibly they did by standing upright, as the king himself stood when he took it.

The priests of the second order; either those two who were next in degree to the high priest, and in case of his sickness were to manage his work; of whom see 2 Sam. 8:17; or the heads of the twentyfour courses which David had appointed, 1 Chron. 24:0.

The idolatrous priests, Heb. the chemarim; which were ministers of idols, Hos. 10:5, distinct from the priests, Zeph. 1:4. Possibly they were the highest rank of priests, because they are here employed in the highest work, which was to burn incense.

The grove: See Poole “2 Kings 23:4”. Of the children of the people, i.e. of the common people, whose graves were made together in some common place, which was generally accounted very impure and contemptible, and therefore a fit place for this filth to be thrown into.

The houses of the sodomites; wherein some males prostituted their bodies to the lusts of others; which abominable practice was both a punishment of idolatry, Rom. 1:23–24, Rom.

All the priests, to wit, belonging to the high places there following, whether such as worshipped idols, or rather, such as worshipped God in those forbidden places, Deut. 12:11, as may be gathered from the following verse.

The priests of the high places, which worshipped the true God there. Came not up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, i.e. were not suffered to come thither to the exercise of their priestly function; as a just punishment for the corruption of God’s worship, and the transgression of so plain and…

In the valley of the children of Hinnom; of which see Josh. 15:8, Neh. 11:30, Jer. 7:31, Jer. 19:6, Jer. 19:11. To pass through the fire to Molech. See Poole “Lev. 18:21”; See Poole “Deut. 18:10”.

The horses; either, 1. The carved or graven horses, to which were adjoined a graven chariot, in which there might be the picture of the sun, which the heathens used to represent in this manner. Or rather, 2. Living horses; for, 1.

On the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, i.e. upon the roof of the king’s house. They were so mad upon their idols, that they were not content with all their public high places and altars, but made others upon their house-tops, for the worship of the heavenly bodies. See Jer. 19:13, Zeph. 1:5.

The mount of corruption, i.e. the Mount of Olives, 1 Kings 11:7, here called the mount of corruption, for the gross idolatry there practised, which is oft expressed by the name of corruption. See Ex. 32:7, Deut. 32:5.

i.e. of the idolatrous priests, which he caused to be taken out of their graves, 2 Kings 21:18.

The altar that was at Beth-el. Question. How could he rightly do this, seeing Beth-el was a part of the kingdom of Israel, not of Judah? Answer. Either, first, This city was now under the kingdom of Judah, to which it was added by Abijah long since, 2 Chron. 13:19.

As Josiah turned himself: Josiah’s care and zeal was so great, that he would not trust his officers with these things, but would see them done with his own eyes. Which the man of God proclaimed three hundred years before it was done.

What title is that that I see? It was the manner then, as now it is, to set up little pillars or stones by or upon the graves of the higher sort of men, upon which the name of the person, and some remarkable passages relating to him, were engraven.

Which were now mixed together. Samaria; the place of his birth or former abode, though now he were in Beth-el, 1 Kings 13:11.

By what authority he did this, See Poole “2 Kings 23:15”.

The priests of the high places; either, 1. The priests which Jeroboam had made of the meanest of the people, whom he slew, both for their presumptuous usurpation of that sacred office, which of itself was punishable with death by God’s law, Num. 3:10, and for their idolatry. Or rather, 2.

Keep the passover: having abolished false worship, he now endeavours to set up the true worship of the true God. In this book of the covenant; in this book which I have found; wherein is contained the covenant made between God and Israel, and the terms of it.

Such a passover, i.e. celebrated with such solemn care, and great preparation, and numerous sacrifices. 2 Chron. 35:7–9, and universal joy of all good men; which was much the greater, because of their remembrance of the former wicked and miserable times under Manasseh and Amon; and the good hopes…

The wizards; of which see on Lev. 19:31, Lev. 20:27, Num. 22:5, Deut. 18:11. The images, and the idols, and all the abominations; three words noting the same thing, to show that till the instruments and monuments of idolatry were destroyed, as God had commanded. That were spied, i.e.

Like unto him there was no king before him, to wit, for his diligent study in God’s law, and his exact care, and unwearied industry, and fervent zeal, in rooting out of idolaters, and all kinds and appearances of idolatry, not only in Judah, but in Israel also; and in the establishment of the true…

The Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great, wrath; because though the king was most hearty in his repentance, and acceptable to God, as we said before, and therefore the judgment was delayed for his time; yet the people were generally corrupt, and secretly averse from Josiah’s pious and…

To wit, upon the conditions in sundry places expressed, which they broke, and therefore God justly made them to know his breach of promise, as he threatens, Num. 14:34.

Pharaoh-nechoh, called Necos by Herodotus, who makes mention of this fight; wherein, as he saith, Necos conquered the Syrians in Magdalo. The king of Assyria, i.e.

Dead, i.e. mortally wounded, as in the former verse; and as we commonly say of a sick man past hopes of recovery, that he is a dead man: compare Gen. 20:3.

i.e. His grandparents, Manasseh and Amon. He restored that idolatry which his father had destroyed, partly to gratify the generality of the people, who had made him king, and who were inclined to their old superstitions even in Josiah’s time, as was observed before, though restrained from the…

Pharaoh-nechoh put him in bands; either because he presumed to take the kingdom without his leave and consent; or because he renewed the war against Pharaoh, as some affirm, and by him was conquered and taken prisoner. Riblah; an eminent city in Syria; of which see Num.

Eliakim the son of Josiah; whom he perceived to be of a more mild and peaceable disposition. Turned his name to Jehoiakim; because the giving of names was accounted an act and sign of dominion; which therefore parents did to their children, and conquerors to their vassals or tributaries.

When he began to reign; either, 1. When he began to reign alone, and with full power, or after Jehoahaz’s death; till which the people would not disown him whom they had anointed king, which was esteemed a great tie, 2 Sam.

By idolatry, the oppression of his people, and the persecution of the prophets, and other good men, Jer. 26:21, Ezek. 19:5–7.