Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 22:20
Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
20. into thy grave in peace ] i. e. None of these evils denounced against the nation shall come to pass in thy days. As far as they are concerned thou shalt die in peace. The promise has no reference to the war with Egypt (2Ki 23:29) in which Josiah was slain at Megiddo.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In peace – The death of Josiah in battle 2Ki 23:29 is in verbal contradiction to this prophecy, but not in real opposition to its spirit, which is simply that the pious prince who has sent to inquire of the Lord, shall be gathered to his fathers before the troubles come upon the land which are to result in her utter desolation. Now those troubles were to come, not from Egypt, but from Babylon; and their commencement was not the invasion of Necho in 608 B.C., but that of Nebuchadnezzar three years later. Thus was Josiah taken away from the evil to come, and died in peace before his city had suffered attack from the really formidable enemy.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 20. Thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace] During thy life none of these calamities shall fall upon the people, and no adversary shall be permitted to disturb the peace of Judea, and thou shalt die in peace with God. But was Josiah gathered to the grave in peace? Is it not said, 2Kg 23:29, that Pharaoh-nechoh slew him at Megiddo? On this we may remark, that the Assyrians and the Jews were at peace; that Josiah might feel it his duty to oppose the Egyptian king going against his friend and ally, and endeavour to prevent him from passing through his territories; and that in his endeavours to oppose him he was mortally wounded at Megiddo: but certainly was not killed there; for his servants put him in his second chariot and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died in peace. See 2Ch 35:24. So that, however we take the place here, we shall find that the words of Huldah were true: he did die in peace, and was gathered to his fathers in peace.
FROM the account in the above chapter, where we have this business detailed, we find that Josiah should not have meddled in the quarrel between the Egyptian and the Assyrian kings, for God had given a commission to the former against the latter; but he did it in error, and suffered for it. But this unfortunate end of this pious man does not at all impeach the credit of Huldah; he died in peace in his own kingdom. He died in peace with God, and there was neither war nor desolation in his land: nor did the king of Egypt proceed any farther against the Jews during his life; for he said, “What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee, but the house wherewith I have war; for God commanded me to make haste: forbear then from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not. Nevertheless, Josiah would not turn his face from him, and hearkened not to the words of Nechoh, from the mouth of God. And the archers shot at King Josiah: and the king said, Bear me away, for I am sore wounded. And his servants took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot, and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died and was buried in the sepulchre of his fathers;” 2Ch 35:21-24.
It seems as if the Egyptian king had brought his troops by sea to Caesarea, and wished to cross the Jordan about the southern point of the sea of Tiberias, that he might get as speedily as possible into the Assyrian dependencies; and that he took this road, for God, as he said, had commanded him to make haste.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In peace, i.e. in a time of public peace, and the tranquility of thy kingdom; or so as
thou shalt not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place, as the following words explain it; for otherwise he died in battle, 2Ki 23:29. Besides, he died in peace with God, and was by death translated to everlasting peace.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers,…. To his godly ancestors, to share with them in eternal life and happiness; otherwise it could be no peculiar favour to die in common, as his fathers did, and be buried in their sepulchres:
and thou shall be gathered into thy grave in peace; in a time of public peace and tranquillity; for though he was slain in battle with the king of Egypt, yet it was what he was personally concerned in, and it was not a public war between the two kingdoms, and his body was carried off by his servants, and was peaceably interred in the sepulchre of his ancestors, 2Ki 23:29, as well as he died in spiritual peace, and entered into eternal peace, which is the end of the perfect and upright man, as he was, Ps 37:37 but this chiefly regards his not living to be distressed with the calamities of his nation and people, as follows:
and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place: he being removed first, though it came upon it in the days of his sons:
and they brought the king word again; of what Huldah the prophetess had said unto them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
To gather to his fathers means merely to let him die, and is generally applied to a peaceful death upon a sick-bed, like the synonymous phrase, to lie with one’s fathers; but it is also applied to a violent death by being slain in battle (1Ki 22:40 and 1Ki 22:34), so that there is no difficulty in reconciling this comforting assurance with the slaying of Josiah in battle (2Ki 23:29). , in peace, i.e., without living to witness the devastation of Jerusalem, as is evident from the words, “thine eyes will not see,” etc.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(20) Thy grave.So some MSS. and the old versions. But the ordinary Hebrew text, thy graves, may be right, as referring to the burial-place formed by Manasseh, which would contain a number of chambers and niches (2Ki. 21:18).
In peace.These words are limited by those which follow: thine eyes shall not see all the evil, &c. Josiah was slain in battle, as the next chapter relates (2Ki. 23:29); but he was spared the greater calamity of witnessing the ruin of his people.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. Gathered into thy grave in peace For although slain by the king of Egypt, he was brought to Jerusalem, and peacefully buried in his own family tomb, ( 2 Kings 23:39, 40,) mourned by all the people. And he was spared the bitter woe of living to see all the evil which subsequently befel his people, and of which the law gave warning and the prophets spoke.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 22:20. Thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace The death of Josiah was indeed sudden and immature; he fell in battle against the Egyptians, (see the next chap. 2Ki 23:29.); and yet he may be said to have gone to his grave in peace, because he was recalled from life while his kingdom was in a prosperous condition, before the calamities wherewith it was threatened were come upon it, and whilst he himself was in peace and reconciliation with God. Thus, when the righteous are taken away from the evil to come, though in the sight of the universe they seem to die, and their departure is taken for misery; yet, in what manner soever their exit be, they may well be said to die in peace, who, after their dissolution here, are numbered among the children of God, and have their lot among the saints. See Isa 57:1. Wis 3:2, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
READER! are you young in years! behold the loveliness of early piety. What can afford a more interesting sight than to see our youths in the first days of their strength, asking the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward, to join themselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant which cannot be broken, and like Josiah, of whom it is said, that while he was yet young he began to seek after the God of his Father.
Reader! are you aged, or advancing towards the middle of life, and yet unacquainted with salvation, living without a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus! Oh! that God the Spirit, from your reading this delightful account of Josiah, may awaken your heart, and open your eyes to the love and glory of the Person and righteousness of Jesus, that now today, while it is called today, you may seek the Lord God of your fathers, before the night cometh when no man can work.
Precious Jesus! let the same impressions of grace which wrought upon the mind of Josiah, be in me. Lord, make my heart tender; give me to humble myself before thee: let my soul be bowed down in the dust in the contemplation of my own vileness, and the iniquity of the land, that when thou comest forth in judgment, thou mayest, blessed Jesus, be my strength, and the security of thy people in the day of visitation. And oh! Lord, grant that in thy blood and righteousness my soul may find an everlasting hiding place, both from the afflictions of this life and the terrors of the world to come. Yes! precious Jesus! on thee do I call, to thee will I come, by thee shall I be saved, for thou art my strength, and my song, and art become my salvation.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ki 22:20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
Ver. 20. And thou shalt be gathered unto thy grave in peace. ] And yet he died in battle; but (1.) He died before the general deluge of desolation on the land: and so the next words expound these: “And thine eyes shall not see all the evil that I will bring upon this place.” So he died “in peace,” comparatively with a worse state of life; Isa 57:1 or, (2.) He was gathered to the spirits of his fathers who enjoyed peace; or, (3.) He died in God’s favour, though by the hand of an enemy. His weeping and humiliation had altered the very nature of trouble, and made war to be peace to him. Hereupon one crieth out, Oh, the safe condition of God’s children, whom very pain easeth, whom death reviveth, whom dissolution uniteth, whom, lastly, their sin and temptation glorifieth!
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
gathered. See note on Gen 49:33.
thy grave. Hebrew. keber (not Sheol). in 2Ki 21:26 rendered sepulchre.
in peace. Josiah died in war (2Ki 23:29); but why not “in peace” of mind and heart as well? Compare Isa 57:2,
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I will gather: Gen 25:8, Deu 31:16, 1Ch 17:11, 2Ch 34:28
thou shalt: During thy life, none of these calamities shall fall upon thee nor thy people; no adversary shall be permitted to disturb the peace of Judea; and thou shalt at last “be gathered into thy grave in peace.” Now, though it is stated that Pharaoh-Necho slew him at Megiddo, yet the Assyrians and the Jews were at peace; and though Josiah might feel it his duty to oppose the Egyptian king’s going against his friend and ally, and that, in his endeavours to oppose him, he was mortally wounded at Megiddo, yet certainly he was not killed there, but was brought to Jerusalem, where he died in peace.
gathered: 2Ki 23:29, 2Ki 23:30, Psa 37:37, Isa 57:1, Isa 57:2, Jer 22:10, Jer 22:15, Jer 22:16
Reciprocal: 1Ki 2:6 – in 1Ki 11:12 – in thy days Job 23:17 – cut off Isa 66:2 – to this Jer 23:9 – heart Jer 34:5 – But thou Jer 39:6 – before Eze 9:4 – that sigh Amo 3:7 – but Rev 13:14 – deceiveth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 22:20. Behold, therefore, I will gather thee to thy fathers It is justly observed here by Henry, that the saints in those days had doubtless a comfortable prospect of happiness on the other side of death, otherwise the being gathered to their fathers would not have been so often made the matter of a promise as we find it was. Josiah could not prevail to prevent the judgment itself, but God promised him he should not live to see it; which, especially considering that he died in the midst of his days, before he was forty years of age, would have been but a small reward for his eminent piety, if there had not been another world, in which he should be abundantly recompensed, Heb 11:16. When the righteous is taken away from the evil to come, he enters into peace, Isa 58:1-2. This is promised to Josiah here, Thou shalt go to thy grave in peace Which refers not to the manner of his death, for he was killed in battle, but to the time of it; it was a little time before the captivity in Babylon, that great trouble, in comparison with which other troubles were as nothing: so that he might be truly said to die in peace, that did not live to share in that. He died in the love and favour of God, which secures such a peace as no circumstances of dying, no, not dying in the field of war, could alter the nature of, or break in upon. They may well be said to die in peace, who, after their dissolution here, are numbered among the children of God, and have their lot among the saints.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
22:20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in {k} peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
(k) Upon which we may gather that the anger of God is ready against the wicked when God takes his servants out of this world.