Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 34:19
And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.
19. rent his clothes ] A sign of grief. “Clothes” is in the plur. because both inner and outer garments are meant. See Ezr 9:3 (with Ryle’s note).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
19. when the king had heard thewords of the law, c.(See on 2Ki22:11-20 23:1-3).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[See comments on 2Ch 34:14]
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The dismay of the king at the contents of the book which was read to him, and his inquiry of the prophetess Huldah as to the judgments threatened in the law. – Compare with this the parallel account in 2Ki 22:11-20, with the commentary there given, as both accounts agree with the exception of some unimportant variations in expression. Instead of Abdon ben Micah (2Ch 34:20) we find in 2 Kings Achbor ben Micayahu, perhaps the correct reading. In 2Ch 34:21, the expression, “and for those that are left in Israel and Judah,” i.e., for the remainder of the people who were left in Israel after the destruction of the kingdom, and in Judah after the divine chastisements inflicted, mainly by the Assyrians under Hezekiah and Manasseh, is clearer and more significant than that in 2Ki 22:13, “and for the people, and for all Judah.” , to pour itself forth (of anger), is quite as suitable as , inflame, kindle itself, in 2Ki 22:13. In 2Ch 34:22, those sent with the high priest Hilkiah are briefly designated by the words , and whom the king, scil. had sent; in 2Ki 22:14, on the contrary, the individual names are recorded (Ewald, Gramm. 292, b, would supply , after the lxx). The names of the ancestors of the prophetess Huldah also are somewhat different. , as the king had said to him, is omitted in 2 Kings. – In 2Ch 34:24, , all the curses, is more significant than , 2Ki 22:16. (2Ch 34:25) is a statement of the result of the : Because they have forsaken me, my anger pours itself forth. In 2Ch 34:27, the rhetorical expansion of the words which God had spoken of Jerusalem in the law, , inserted in 2Ki 22:19 as an elucidation, are omitted. After the preceding designation of these words as “the curses written in the law,” any further elucidation was superfluous. On the contents of the saying of the prophetess Huldah, see the commentary on 2Ki 22:16.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
2Ch 34:19. The kingrent his clothes If there were several copies of the law in Judah taken from the venerable original of Moses, under the inspection of the high-priest or some prophet, how are we to account for the surprise expressed by Josiah and the people, at his reading the copy found by Hilkiah? To this I answer, that their ignorance of the law may fairly and fully be accounted for from the history of the preceding reigns; only from recollecting what a very idolatrous king Manasseh was for fifty-five years; and that he wanted neither power nor inclination to destroy the copies of the law, had they not been secreted by the servants of the true God. The law, after being so long concealed, would be unknown to almost all the Jews; and thus the solemn reading of it by good king Josiah (to whom it might be discovered safely) would awaken his own and the people’s earnest attention. The copy produced was probably the original, written by Moses, which would excite still greater veneration: but if it were not, we cannot doubt that it had the proper marks of authenticity. And it must be added, that copies of the Pentateuch had providentially been long before this time in the hands of their enemies, the Israelites and Samaritans: which single circumstance shews the impracticability of what some had been pleased to intimate, that Hilkiah might introduce a spurious Pentateuch; so that, upon the whole, there might be many copies of the law extant in Judah, and the copy produced by Hilkiah may have been the autograph or hand-writing of Moses, notwithstanding this objection. Kennicott’s Diss. vol. 2 p. 301.
REFLECTIONS.1st, Josiah began very young to reign, and, probably, during his minority things continued as his ungodly father had left them: but in his sixteenth year God was pleased graciously to work upon his heart; and, notwithstanding the bad education he may be supposed to have had, he then began to seek the Lord; and when, in the twelfth year of his reign, he took the government into his own hands, he resolutely set himself to purge out the abominations of his kingdom. Nor did he merely remove them, as Manasseh did, but utterly destroyed them; reduced the idols and groves to dust, and cast it on the graves of the dead; defiled the altars by burning the dead bones of their priests upon them, and then beat them in pieces; and this reformation he carried on, not only through Judah, but through the cities of Israel, going round himself to see the work accomplished. Note; (1.) Those whom God chooses for a great work, he generally calls in the days of their youth. (2.) The business which the master himself attends, will be well done.
2nd, When the house of God was thoroughly purged, and he had returned from his progress, (which he seems to have repeated, 2 Kings 24 after the temple-service was re-established,) he gave orders for the repair of the house of the Lord, whom he had chosen for his God. By his command, money was collected, workmen of approved fidelity hired, and officers of the Levites appointed to see the work well done. Note; (1.) A ruinous church is a sad symptom of an irreligious people. (2.) An honest labourer is a worthy character.
3rdly, Concerning the book of the law, we may further observe, (1.) That tenderness of heart in hearing God’s word is a gracious symptom of a penitent or converted soul. (2.) God’s providence in thus preserving his written word is, even to this hour, matter of thankfulness. (3.) When God gives us his book, let us not neglect to examine it. Wilful ignorance is wilful sin. (4.) To tremble at God’s word, and, under conviction of our sins, to humble our souls before him, is the way to obtain mercy; while wrath certain and terrible awaits the hardened sinner.
4thly, Concerned not less for his people, than for himself, Josiah assembles them to hear the words of God’s book, and, by his example and command, engages them to renew their covenant with God. And what he so faithfully began, he persevered in all his days; so that publicly, and in profession, the service of God was diligently maintained. But with many, indeed with far the greater part, the reformation, as appears by the prophets Jeremiah, Zephaniah, and Ezekiel, was hypocritical; and their sins were exceedingly aggravated, that with so good an example before them, and such means of grace, they chose their own delusions, and were unfaithful to their covenant. Note; The great concern of a good king will be, to make his subjects acquainted with God’s word. (2.) We are bound by every tie of duty to cleave to God; but, unless our hearts be bound with cords of grace, all other bonds, or vows, or covenants, will be ineffectual. (3.) They who resist the means of grace, and continue unchanged under a preached gospel, fill up most grievously the measure of their iniquities.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
the words: Rom 3:20, Rom 7:7-11, Gal 2:19, Gal 3:10-13
that he rent: 2Ki 19:1, 2Ki 22:11, 2Ki 22:19, Jer 36:22-24, Joe 2:13
Reciprocal: 2Ki 22:12 – the king 2Ch 34:27 – didst rend 2Ch 34:30 – the book Neh 8:9 – all the people Jer 36:24 – nor rent Mar 14:8 – hath done
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 34:19. When the king had heard the words he rent his clothes Were the things contained in Scripture new to us, as they were here to Josiah, surely they would make deeper impressions upon us than they commonly do. But they are not the less weighty, and therefore should not be the less regarded, because they are well known.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
34:19 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he {k} rent his clothes.
(k) For sorrow that the word of God had been so long suppressed and the people kept in ignorance, considering also the curses contained in it against the transgressors.