# 2 Kings 22 š: The Book of the Law Found
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#š Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#š Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#š§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#āļø Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#š Key Principles / š Life Application]]
> [[#š¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#āļø Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#š Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#š Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#š Internal Notes]]
## š Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Josiah Repents
[[#Verse 01.]]Ā Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His motherĀ was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah, from Bozkath.
[[#Verse 02.]]Ā He did what theĀ LordĀ approvedĀ and followed in his ancestor Davidās footsteps;Ā he did not deviate to the right or the left.
[[#Verse 03.]]Ā In the eighteenth year of King Josiahās reign, the king sent the scribe Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, to theĀ Lordās temple with these orders:Ā
[[#Verse 04.]]āGo up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him melt downĀ the silver that has been brought by the people to theĀ Lordās temple and has been collected by the guards at the door.
[[#Verse 05.]]Ā Have them hand it over to the construction foremenĀ assigned to theĀ Lordās temple. They in turn should pay the temple workers to repair it,Ā
[[#Verse 06.]]Ā including craftsmen, builders, and masons, and should buy wood and chiseled stone for the repair work.
[[#Verse 07.]]Ā Do not audit the foremen who disburse the silver, for they are honest.ā
[[#Verse 08.]]Ā Hilkiah the high priest informed Shaphan the scribe, āI found the scroll of the law in theĀ Lordās temple.ā Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan and he read it.Ā
[[#Verse 09.]]Ā Shaphan the scribe went to the king and reported,Ā āYour servants melted down the silver in the templeĀ and handed it over to the construction foremen assigned to theĀ Lordās temple.āĀ
[[#Verse 10.]]Ā Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, āHilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.ā Shaphan read it out loud before the king.Ā
[[#Verse 11.]]Ā When the king heard the words of the law scroll, he tore his clothes.Ā
[[#Verse 12.]]Ā The king ordered Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the kingās servant,Ā
[[#Verse 13.]]Ā āGo, seek an oracle fromĀ theĀ LordĀ for me and the peopleāfor all Judah. Find out about the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For theĀ Lordās great fury has been ignited against us, because our ancestors have not obeyed the words of this scroll by doing all that it instructs us to do.ā
[[#Verse 14.]]Ā So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shullam son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the supervisor of the wardrobe.Ā (She lived in Jerusalem in the MishnehĀ district.) They stated their business,Ā
[[#Verse 15.]]Ā and she said to them: āThis is what theĀ LordĀ God of Israel has said: āSay this to the man who sent you to me:Ā
[[#Verse 16.]]Ā āThis is what theĀ LordĀ has said: āI am about to bring disaster on this place and its residents, all the things in the scroll that the king of Judah has read.Ā
[[#Verse 17.]]Ā This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrificesĀ to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made.Ā My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!āāĀ
[[#Verse 18.]]Ā Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from theĀ Lord: āThis is what theĀ LordĀ God of Israel has said concerning the words you have heard:
[[#Verse 19.]]Ā āYou displayed a sensitive spiritĀ and humbled yourself before theĀ LordĀ when you heard how I intended to make this place and its residents into an appalling example of an accursed people.Ā You tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,ā says theĀ Lord.Ā
[[#Verse 20.]]Ā āTherefore I will allow you to die and be buried in peace.Ā You will not have to witnessĀ all the disaster I will bring on this place.ā Then they reported back to the king.
## š Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
## š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Josiah became king at only eight years old (22:1).
2. The book was found in Josiah's eighteenth year (22:3), usually dated to 622 BC.
3. Many scholars think the book found was Deuteronomy or a large part of it, because of its covenant curses and focus on one place of worship.
4. Shaphan's family stayed faithful for generations. His son Ahikam protected Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:24), and his grandson Gedaliah later became governor (25:22).
5. A clay seal impression reading "Gemaryahu son of Shaphan" was found in the City of David. A Gemariah son of Shaphan appears in Jeremiah 36:10.
6. The workers were again so honest that no accounting was required (22:7), just as in Joash's day (12:15).
7. Huldah is one of only a few women in the Old Testament called a prophetess, along with Miriam and Deborah.
8. Huldah lived in the Second District (22:14), likely a newer part of Jerusalem that had grown beyond the old walls.
9. Jeremiah began his ministry in Josiah's thirteenth year (Jeremiah 1:2), five years before the book was found.
10. God promised Josiah he would be gathered to his ancestors in peace (22:20), meaning he would not live to see Jerusalem's destruction.
## š§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## āļø Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the living Word to whom all Scripture points. Josiah humbled himself when he heard the Book of the Law (22:11, 19), and Jesus said the Scriptures testify about Him (John 5:39).
## š Key Principles / š Life Application
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š¬ Discussion Questions
1. Josiah began seeking the Lord as a young man (22:1-2; 2 Chronicles 34:3). What can young people teach us about following God wholeheartedly?
2. When Josiah heard God's Word, he tore his clothes in grief (22:11). How do you respond when Scripture confronts you?
3. God noticed that Josiah's heart was tender and that he humbled himself (22:19). What does a tender heart toward God look like in everyday life?
## āļø Key Verses to Remember
- š verse 2: Josiah does what is right and does not turn aside to the right or the left.
- š verse 8: Hilkiah finds the Book of the Law in the Lord's temple.
- š verse 19: The Lord sees Josiah's tender heart and humility.
## š Related Passages/Cross Reference
- š [[John 05#Verse 39.|John 5:39]] - The Scriptures testify about Jesus.
- š [[Deuteronomy 31#Verse 24.|Deuteronomy 31:24-26]] - The Book of the Law placed beside the ark.
- š [[2 Chronicles 34#Verse 14.|2 Chronicles 34:14-21]] - The parallel account of finding the Law.
- š [[Hebrews 04#Verse 12.|Hebrews 4:12]] - God's Word is living and active.
- š [[James 01#Verse 22.|James 1:22-25]] - Be doers of the Word and not hearers only.
## š Devotional Reflection
š SOAP: [[2 Kings 22 - SOAP|What Do You Do When You Are Confronted With Truth?]]
## š Internal Notes