2Chronicles 33:1 ¶ Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:
2Chronicles 33:2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
In this chapter we come to one of the worst kings, if not the worst, in Judah’s history. Manasseh became king at the age of 12 years old.
Every time I read about these children that become king, I can’t help but think of my grandchildren and shake my head in disbelief. Too much power in the hands of one so young without benefit of a godly advisor or mentor can only result in tyranny.
Manasseh reigned for 55 years in Jerusalem, the longest reign of any king of Judah. The NIV Commentary dates his reign from 697 to 642 BC.
The Chronicler doesn’t tell us his mother’s name, but the writer of Kings does—Hephzibah.
2 Kings 21:1 “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hephzibah.”
Manasseh was an evil king before the LORD who followed the evil practices of the heathen nations that had occupied the land of Canaan before God gave it to Israel.
2Chronicles 33:3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
2Chronicles 33:4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
2Chronicles 33:5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
Manasseh rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed. He built altars and made groves to worship Baal, and he worshipped all the host of heaven and served them. This means that he identified the objects in heaven (the sun, moon, stars, and planets) with false gods.
He even built altars to these false gods in the temple in Jerusalem, the very place that the LORD God of Israel had said was to be the place with which His name was to be honored and His favored possession on earth forever. He erected altars for all the host of heaven in the inner and outer courts of the house of the LORD.
2Chronicles 33:6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
Manasseh even sacrificed some of his own children to his false god in the valley of the son of Hinnom. We learn from other scripture that it was Molech to whom these sacrifices were made.
Jeremiah 32:35 “And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.”
It is interesting to note that the LORD made specific laws against this, mentioning Molech by name before the people of Israel ever conquered Canaan to make it their home.
Leviticus 18:21 “And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.”
He also acted directly against God’s laws by observing times, using enchantments and witchcraft and dealing with a familiar spirit and wizards.
observed times = practiced magic and sorcery
enchantment = magic spells and fortune telling
witchcraft = use of magic spells
familiar spirit = necromancer, medium (those who claim to communicate with the dead)
wizards = those who conjure up ghosts
Leviticus 19:26 “Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.”
Leviticus 19:31 “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.”
As I read of the familiar spirit, I can’t help but make a connection with those in the new age movement that claim connection to a spirit guide. We know, of course, that these are evil spirits from Satan.
He did great evil before the LORD and made Him very angry.
2Chronicles 33:7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
2Chronicles 33:8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.
Manasseh made an idol and placed it in the temple that God had told David and Solomon that He would set apart as a place connected to His name forever. The LORD had promised that Israel would possess this land forever if(from the Hebrew for “so”) they obeyed His commandments as written in the law of Moses.
Deuteronomy 28:15 & 25 “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee….The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.”
2Chronicles 33:9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
2Chronicles 33:10 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
The writer repeats again that Manasseh acted more wickedly than the heathen that had lived in Canaan whom the LORD destroyed before giving it to Israel and caused the people of Judah and Jerusalem to do the same.
The LORD spoke through His prophets to confront Manasseh and his people with their sin, but they paid them no mind. They were too entrenched in the “pleasures of sin.”
Hebrews 11:25 “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season….”
The scriptures are full of truth from the heart of God. It clearly admits that sin can give temporary pleasure to the flesh. However, it is also clear that there are permanent consequences for those that choose to continue in their sin and do not repent of their sin and turn to the LORD in faith for their salvation as provided in Jesus.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
2 Thessalonians 1:7–9 “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power….”
Revelation 20:12–15 “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
The writer of Kings gives us more detail about the message God delivered through His prophets. Because of the actions of Manasseh, the LORD would judge Jerusalem and Judah. The day was coming when the land would be comparable to a dish that had been wiped clean. God would deliver His people to their enemies because they continued to anger Him with their disobedience to His laws since coming out of Egypt.
2 Kings 21:11–15 “Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies; Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.”
Before his repentance (which we will read about in coming verses), Manasseh was responsible for the death of so many that the writer pictures their blood filling Jerusalem from one end to another.
2 Kings 21:16 “Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.”
Tradition states that Manasseh killed the prophet Isaiah by having him sawed in half.
The prophet Jeremiah tells us that Manasseh was primarily responsible for the eventual captivity of the Jewish people.
Jeremiah 15:1-4 “Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity….And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.”
2Chronicles 33:11 ¶ Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
2Chronicles 33:12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
2Chronicles 33:13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.
Eventually, the LORD caused the king of Assyria to take Manasseh captive to Babylon. The NIV Commentary provides this information regarding the possible timeframe: “The occasion on which ‘the king of Assyria . . . took Manasseh prisoner . . . to Babylon’ may have arisen in the year 648, when Ashurbanipal finally overcame a revolt that had been led in that city for four years by his own brother.”
Some commentators posit that “among the thorns” is a reference to Manasseh hiding among the thornbushes, hoping to escape capture.
During his time of distress and trouble in captivity, he humbled himself greatly before the LORD God of his fathers. He prayed with repentance for his sin, and it was obviously sincere since the LORD brought him back to Jerusalem in answer to that prayer. The NIV Commentary provides an interesting note about this prayer: “The king’s ‘prayer to his God’ is no longer preserved. This text did, however, provide a basis on which someone shortly before the time of Christ composed the fifteen verses that make up the apocryphal Prayer of Manasseh, a book that appears in some manuscripts of the LXX.”
JFB states that he was only held in captivity for two years: “…his conqueror not only released him, but, after two years’ exile, restored him, with honor and the full exercise of royal power, to a tributary and dependent kingdom.”
Then Manasseh KNEW that the LORD was God, the one and only. I liked this quote from Spurgeon: “Oh! I do not wonder at Manasseh’s sin one half so much as I wonder at God’s mercy.”
Manasseh is yet another example of the truth that God is not willing that any should perish. A man that had shed so much innocent blood and blasphemed God through the worship of false gods turned to God in sincere repentance for his sin and his prayer was answered.
2Chronicles 33:14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.
2Chronicles 33:15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
2Chronicles 33:16 And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.
2Chronicles 33:17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only.
Manasseh gave evidence to his repentance through his actions. I think that is a principle that holds true today. Sincere repentance will result in a transformed life.
First the king rebuilt a section of the wall that protected the city of David, making it very high. He also established military posts in all the walled cities of Judah. Then he took away all the strange gods and idols from the house of the LORD as well as those on the temple mount and put them out of the city. He repaired the altar of the LORD and offered peace and thank offerings to Him. He commanded the people of Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel—in other words, to start living in obedience to His commands.
Sad to note, the people still utilized the high places, but only to make sacrifices to the LORD God.
On a personal note, whenever I find it hard to pray for the wicked who are in leadership in government and serving in the courts, I often think of Manasseh. If such a wicked man eventually repented and turned to faith in the LORD, it is possible for them also.
2Chronicles 33:18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.
2Chronicles 33:19 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.
The Chronicler notes that we can read more about Manasseh—his prayer to God and the message delivered by the prophets of the LORD—in the book of the kings of Israel (as noted in the commentary above). It seems even more was written about his prayer of repentance as well as about his actions before he was humbled among the sayings of the seers.
2Chronicles 33:20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
2Chronicles 33:21 ¶ Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.
When Manasseh died, they buried him in his own house, and his son Amon became king. Ammon was 22 years old at the time and he reigned for two years in Jerusalem. Again, we have to go to Kings to learn who is mother was.
2 Kings 21:19 “Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.”
2Chronicles 33:22 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them;
2Chronicles 33:23 And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.
2Chronicles 33:24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.
2Chronicles 33:25 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
Amon was a wicked king before the LORD. He followed in the footsteps of his father by sacrificing to and serving the idols that his father had made. He never humbled himself before the LORD; instead, he chose to sin more and more. Manasseh’s example before his son in those important formative years had a much greater influence upon his son than the last few years of his reformed lifestyle before the LORD.
Amon’s servants plotted against him and murdered him inside the palace. The people of the land avenged his death by killing those that had plotted against him.
As I have studied these books of history chronicling the reigns of the kings of Judah, I am struck by how quickly the people can be influenced for good or evil due to the leadership of their king. Though not as distinct throughout our history, it has certainly become evident during the last decade in America that our leader was able to influence the culture of our nation away from the truth of scripture more rapidly than I ever thought possible.
Amon’s son Josiah became the next king.
2Chronicles 34:1 ¶ Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.
2Chronicles 34:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
Once again Judah has a child king, 8-year-old Josiah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for 31 years. The writer of Kings identifies his mother.
2 Kings 22:1 “Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.”
Josiah did that which was right before the LORD in accordance with the character of King David, his father of old. He committed to staying obedient to the LORD. I liked Clarke’s observation: “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 upward.”
JFB provided an interesting historical note: “…the kings of Judah were considered minors till they had completed their thirteenth year….”
2Chronicles 34:3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
2Chronicles 34:4 And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.
2Chronicles 34:5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
2Chronicles 34:6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.
2Chronicles 34:7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
In the eighth year of his reign, when he was 16, he made a personal commitment to seek to do God’s will. When he was 20, he began to get rid of the high places, groves and idols that were dedicated to the worship of false gods out of Judah and Jerusalem. He personally saw to it that the altars and idols to Baal were destroyed, as well as the groves and the idols in them. He ground them into dust and spread it over the graves of those that had sacrificed to them. He burned the bones of the priests on their altars as he determined to cleanse and purify Judah and Jerusalem of their evil. (One can find greater detail in the record of 2Kings 23.)
Josiah’s actions fulfilled a prophecy made about what he would do over 300 years previously, during the reign of Jeroboam in the Northern Kingdom.
1 Kings 13:1–2 “And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.”
The king then proceeded to do the same in the cities of the Northern Kingdom—of the tribes of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon and Napthtali and the ruins surrounding them. When he had completed his task, he returned to Jerusalem.
Once again JFB adds insight: “…after the destruction of Samaria by Shalmaneser, the remnant that continued on the mountains of Israel maintained a close intercourse with Judah, and looked to the sovereigns of that kingdom as their natural protectors.”
Historical note: Jeremiah began his ministry when Josiah was 21 years of age. It seems he was the son of Hilkiah, the high priest (v 9 below) under Josiah.
Jeremiah 1:1–2 “The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.”
2Chronicles 34:8 ¶ Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.
2Chronicles 34:9 And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.
At age 26, after clearing the land of all things related to the worship of false gods, Josiah turned his attention to repairing the temple, the house of the LORD “his” God. He sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of Jerusalem and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder (historian) to deliver the money that the Levites had collected from the people throughout the land to Hilkiah the high priest so that he could get the repairs started.
2Chronicles 34:10 And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house:
2Chronicles 34:11 Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.
2Chronicles 34:12 And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick.
2Chronicles 34:13 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.
The money was then given to those that were appointed to oversee the work of repairing the temple. They used it to hire the workmen and purchase the supplies they needed—e.g., cut stones and timber. All the workmen proved trustworthy and faithful in their work. Those overseeing the work were Levites: Jahath and Obadiah, sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, sons of Kohath. Levite musicians were appointed to oversee particular jobs required by the repairs, while other Levites kept a record of accounts and kept guard at the gates.
2Chronicles 34:14 ¶ And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses.
2Chronicles 34:15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.
2Chronicles 34:16 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it.
2Chronicles 34:17 And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.
In the process of making an accounting of the money, the high priest found a book of the law of the LORD as written by Moses. Hilkiah took the book to Shaphan, the king’s scribe; and he took the book to the king. He reported to Josiah that the work on the temple was being done in accordance with his command and that the money was being used appropriately.
2Chronicles 34:18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
2Chronicles 34:19 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.
2Chronicles 34:20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king’s, saying,
2Chronicles 34:21 Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book.
After updating the king on the work being done, Shaphan told Josiah that Hilkiah the high priest had found a book; and he proceeded to read it to the king. When the king heard God’s word, he tore his clothes in distress. He commanded his top officials and the high priest to seek out a prophet to enquire of the LORD for him in light of the words of the book of the law. Josiah realized that the LORD had to be angry with His people because they had been so disobedient to His law.
2Chronicles 34:22 And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect.
2Chronicles 34:23 And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me,
2Chronicles 34:24 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah:
2Chronicles 34:25 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.
The king’s delegation went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the keeper of the Temple wardrobe (the garments for the priests). They gave her the king’s message, and she was ready with an answer. What an encouragement Huldah is to this child of God. Her job was to maintain the wardrobe for the priests that served at the temple. Still, God blessed her with the gift of prophecy, a gift that was recognized by those around her. As a wife and mom, my “job” is to take care of my family, my home. Still, God has blessed me with a love of His word and the desire to share His truth with others. I trust that those that know me benefit from that gift.
Huldah told them to deliver this message from the LORD to the king (my paraphrase): I am going to judge this land and its people according to the curses written in the book they read to the king of Judah. They have made me angry because they have rejected Me and followed after other gods. Because they did this they will suffer My judgment.
The record in Kings makes a direct connection between the judgment to come and the actions of Josiah’s grandfather, Manasseh.
2 Kings 23:26 “Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal.”
The reference to the “curses that are written in the book” makes me think that it was the book of Deuteronomy. There is a special section in that book that details the blessings of obedience to God vs. the cursings of disobedience.
2Chronicles 34:26 And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard;
2Chronicles 34:27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.
2Chronicles 34:28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.
The prophetess continued: However, because the king of Judah responded to My word with a tender heart and humbled himself before Me in tears, I have heard his prayers. Josiah, you will eventually go to your grave in peace (not during my judgment), and you will not have to see the evil to come.
The delegation returned to King Josiah and delivered the message from the LORD declared by the prophetess.
I got to wondering why they would choose to go to Huldah when we know that Jeremiah was on the scene at that time. I think that maybe because his father was part of the delegation, they chose not to go to his son to seek God’s will or maybe he was in Anathoth at the time.
2Chronicles 34:29 ¶ Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
2Chronicles 34:30 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, 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 the LORD.
2Chronicles 34:31 And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book.
2Chronicles 34:32 And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
The king then sent for and gathered together all the leaders in Judah and Jerusalem. He then went to the temple with all these leaders and the people of Jerusalem and proceeded to read aloud from the book of the covenant that had been found in the temple. Afterwards, King Josiah made a covenant before the LORD to follow Him and obey His commandments and laws as recorded in the book with his whole being. He also urged all those present to commit themselves to do the same, and they did.
2Chronicles 34:33 And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.
King Josiah removed all the disgusting things related to idol worship and urged all the people of Israel to serve the LORD “their” God. It is noted that the people stayed obedient to the LORD, the God of their fathers, during Josiah’s lifetime.
Guzik adds an interesting example from history that reinforces the power of the word of God in effecting change in the lives of the people that hear it. “Another example of this in history is the story of Peter Waldo and his followers, sometimes known as Waldenses. Waldo was a rich merchant who gave up his business to radically follow Jesus. He hired two priests to translate the New Testament into the common language and using this, he began to teach others. He taught in the streets or wherever he could find someone to listen. Many common people came to hear him and started to radically follow Jesus Christ. He taught them the text of the New Testament in the common language and was rebuked by church officials for doing so. He ignored the rebuke and continued to teach, eventually sending his followers out two by two into villages and market places, to teach and explain the scriptures. The scriptures were memorized by the Waldenses, and it was not unusual for their ministers to memorize the entire New Testament and large sections of the Old Testament. The word of God - when found, read, believed, and spread - has this kind of transforming power.”