And in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he 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 chronicler, to repair the house of Jehovah his God.
Josiah has spent years tearing down idols. Only now, in the eighteenth year of his reign, does he turn to the building itself. Why did the repair wait so long, and what came to light once the work began?
Here the king turns to the damage that idolatry left behind.
Up to now the work had been destroying idols and cleansing away everything connected with idolatry. Now he had time to repair the damage done to the house of God. It was not enough to destroy what was false. The worship of the Lord had to begin again, and for that His house had to be restored. What pleasure it must have given the Lord to see this son of David's zeal for His house. That zeal is a faint foreshadowing of Him who could say, "Zeal for your house will consume me."
Josiah cleansed the land and the house before he began the repairs. One writer finds a lesson in that order.
The king rightly felt that the Lord must be worshipped in pure surroundings… In Josiah's day the land was full of detestable things. There were the idols themselves, and also the filthy practices that always go with idolatry. Clearing all this away seems to have taken eight years of energetic action. Josiah would not smooth over any evil if he could prevent it. But he could not look into the hearts of the people, where in many cases the evils were still loved. Josiah's order of work is instructive. First he purged the land and the temple. Next he "repaired the house of the Lord his God." Then he felt ready to call the people together to keep the feast.
Another writer draws out what this shift of attention set in motion.
A new phase in Josiah's life: the eighteenth year. After six years of cleaning up, his interest turned to the house of the Lord (separation comes before worship)… Had Josiah's interest not turned to the house of the Lord, the events that followed would never have happened.
The verse says repair, not rebuild. One writer shows what that difference means for believers now.
The first thing we are told about him here is this: he began by taking care of the Lord's house. He repaired its breaches, counting on the faithfulness of the men charged with the work. This is one of the distinctive signs of a revival in the last times. God's house takes on an entirely new importance to believers, and its ruined state draws out their concern… The task is not to build the ruined temple all over again. It is to repair its breaches, to bring the necessary material faithfully, and to add to this building cedar wood and hewn stone that please God, who had built the house.
Josiah does not do this alone. He sends three men, and the money for the work comes from far beyond his own borders.
In this great work of recovery the king had the governor of the city and the recorder with him. They in turn brought the people in. "Manasseh and Ephraim, and all the remnant of Israel" joined with "all Judah and Benjamin" in providing the means for repairing God's house. How good it is today, as it was then, when all God's people care about the house of God and have the privilege of contributing to it.
The work needed more than builders.
The work was varied, yet they did it in unity. They needed scribes to keep things in order, and gatekeepers to see that only what ought to be in was let in.
One writer ties everything that came next to this change of direction.
…Had Josiah's interest not turned to the house of the Lord, the events that followed would never have happened.
The repairs themselves led to a discovery in the temple.
There is amazing vigour in this young king… And God shows him a remarkable mercy. It was there that Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the Lord given to Moses… The king hears of it. His conscience is the remarkable thing about this good king: when he hears the words of the Lord, he tears his clothes. Had he not been godly? Had he not been faithful? Yes — but he forgot what lay behind and pressed on toward what lay ahead. He did not think of the good he had done, but of the evil that, sadly, was still around him, and of the good he had not yet done.
- Seek — Josiah sought God first, then purged the land, and only in his eighteenth year turned to repairs.
- Purge — clearing out what is false comes first, because the Lord must be worshipped in pure surroundings.
- Repair — the call is not to build a new house but to mend the breaches of the existing one with material that suits it.
- Share — the king sends others, and the people north and south supply the means. Different jobs, one work.
- Press on — the repairs are where the lost book of the law came to light, and Josiah still pressed on toward the good he had not yet done.
And they came to Hilkijah the high priest, and they delivered [to them] the money that had been 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 of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Levites at the temple doors collect money and hand it to the high priest to repair a neglected building. Two questions follow: why does Josiah turn to repairs at this moment, and why do the givers include northern tribes as well as Judah?
Josiah had already pulled down what was false. One writer notes that tearing down was never the whole task.
Until now the work had been destroying idols and cleansing away everything connected with idolatry. But now he had time to repair the damage done to the house of God. It was not enough to destroy what was false. The worship of Jehovah had to be set up again, and for that His house had to be restored.
The money bought stone, timber and flooring. One writer describes the state of the building when Josiah began.
Levites were sent throughout the land to collect the money needed for this work... They gave it to the craftsmen and builders, to buy hewn stone, and timber for joists, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed. And the men did the work faithfully. Manasseh had been restored himself, but he did not have the energy — or perhaps the influence — to do this work. Everything must have been in a ruined state when the young Josiah began his work of restoration.
Another writer points out whose property those kings had been destroying.
This was clearly a large project. The godless kings before Josiah were guilty of destroying a great deal of what was not their own property, but God's.
The verse names northern tribes alongside Judah. One writer asks what that mix shows about the twelve tribes.
Nothing could be more striking than this passage about what happened one hundred years after Israel was deported... There is no mistaking this verse. It refers to Manasseh, Ephraim, all the remnant of Israel, and all Judah and Benjamin. It shows that the twelve tribes had largely blended together, though the ten tribes were no doubt still distinct from the two.
Another writer notes who joined the king in paying for the work.
In this great work of recovery the king had the governor of the city and the recorder with him. They in turn brought the people in. "Manasseh and Ephraim, and all the remnant of Israel" joined with "all Judah and Benjamin" in providing the means to repair God's house. How good it is today, as it was then, when all the people of God care about the house of God and have the privilege of giving to it.
The parallel record in 2 Kings says no account was demanded of the men who spent this money. Commentators differ on how far that should be copied. One sees it as a natural fruit of genuine revival:
They were not required to give any account of how the money was spent, because they were trusted to deal faithfully. This is a lovely mark of a true revival among the people of God. It was not a revival planned by men, though it did begin with the godly exercise of the young king, whose faith proved an effective example to others.
Another writer asks whether this should be our normal practice:
The question will arise: "Is this how God wants things done all the time? Should the example of these people of long ago be the pattern for us to follow today?" The answer is "No." The times of Joash and of Josiah were exceptional. In each reign a great spiritual revival was going on... Hearts and consciences were exercised about His holy will. So precautions against fraud were hardly necessary.
The money went in to mend a building. The work turned up something else — a book. One writer links the two.
Hilkiah the priest "found" the book. How long had it been lost (since the early days of Manasseh?)? The interest in the house of God led to the discovery of the book. Mere cleansing would never have achieved this.
- Cleansing — the idols went first. But tearing down what is false is only half the work.
- House — earlier kings had wrecked the building. What they destroyed was never theirs, but God's.
- Giving — north and south both gave. Every one of God's people had a share in the repairs.
- Trust — no one audited the workmen. One writer calls this the fruit of real revival; another warns that such times were exceptional, not a rule for us.
- Book — Josiah cared about the house of God, and the lost book turned up. Cleansing alone would never have found it.
And they gave [it] into the hand of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of Jehovah; and they gave it to the workmen who wrought in the house of Jehovah to reinstate and repair the house
Money collected across the land finally reached the men repairing the temple. This verse follows it from the overseers into the hands of the workers, and it raises two questions: why was so much repair needed, and why did the king hand the cash over without any checks?
Josiah did not begin with repairs. He spent years tearing down idols first.
Cleansing the land and the house had taken some years. Now, in "the eighteenth year of his reign," at the age of twenty-six, good king Josiah's zeal for Jehovah was as strong as ever. Up to now the work had been destroying idols and clearing away everything connected with idolatry. Now he had time to repair the damage done to the house of God. It was not enough to destroy what was false. The worship of Jehovah had to be re-established, and for that His house had to be restored.
The money paid for materials as well as labour. One writer also names who caused the damage.
Those who oversaw the materials needed for the house of God used this money to hire workmen to repair the house. They also used it for craftsmen and builders, to buy cut stone and timber for beams and for the floor of the house (v. 10). This was clearly a large project, because the ungodly kings before Josiah had destroyed a great deal of what was not their own property, but God's.
The record names who supplied the money, and the list runs wider than Judah.
In this great work of recovery the king had with him the governor of the city and the recorder. They in turn brought the people in. "Manasseh and Ephraim, and all the remnant of Israel" joined with "all Judah and Benjamin" in providing the means for repairing God's house. How good it is today, as it was then, when all God's people care about the house of God and have the privilege of contributing to it. Few have the great devotion of the poor widow of Mark 12:41-44, who gave her all to support God's house. But we can all help to maintain God's testimony in His house in some small way.
One writer draws attention to how the money was then handled.
The workers were not required to give any account of how the money was spent, because they were relied on to deal faithfully. This is a lovely mark of a true revival among the people of God.
One writer warns against turning this into a general rule.
The question will arise: "Should the example of these people long ago be the pattern for us to follow today?" The answer is "No." The times of Joash and of Josiah were exceptional. In each reign a great spiritual revival was going on. After many years of serious wrongdoing the people — or at least a remnant of them — were turning back to their God. Their hearts and consciences were stirred by His holy will. So there was little need for safeguards against fraud.
The verse names workers and overseers. The verses around it name more.
Many did the actual work, and some had the oversight. They were marked by working "faithfully" at what they were given to do. Levites, scribes, officers and gatekeepers all had their part to play. The overseers are named, and there is mention too of those skilled with musical instruments (verses 10-13). If there was faithfulness, there was also happiness in the work of the Lord.
One writer sees Josiah's starting point as a lesson for believers.
The first thing we are told of him here is that he began by taking care of the Lord's house. He repaired its damaged places, counting on the faithfulness of those charged with the work. This is one of the distinctive signs of a revival in the last times. God's house takes on an entirely new importance to believers, and its ruined state draws out their concern... This is in no way a matter of rebuilding the ruined temple from scratch. It is a matter of repairing its damaged places and faithfully bringing the material needed.
- Clear first. Idols came down before timber went up. Destroying what is false is only half the work; restoring true worship is the other half.
- Count the damage. The size of the repair showed the size of the neglect. Earlier kings had wrecked property that belonged to God, not to them.
- Give together. The money came from tribes right across the land, so that every one of God's people had a share in His house.
- Trust the hands. Nobody audited the workers, because they dealt faithfully. Writers note that such times were exceptional, not a rule for us today.
- Work faithfully. Overseers, builders, gatekeepers and musicians each had a part. The same care for God's house marks a real revival today.
they gave [it] to the carpenters and the builders, to buy hewn stone, and timber for the joists, and to floor the houses that the kings of Judah had destroyed.
This verse reads like a builder's bill: money for the temple buys stone and timber to mend God's house. It raises two questions — how did the house fall into ruin, and what does it take to put it right?
The list of materials shows how bad things had become. One commentator ties the size of the job to the kings who ruled before Josiah:
Clearly this was a large project, for the ungodly kings before Josiah were guilty of destroying a great deal of what was not their own property, but God's.
Another writer notes that an earlier king, Manasseh, had left the ruin untouched:
Manasseh himself had been restored, but he did not have the energy — or perhaps the influence — to do this work. Everything must have been in a ruined state when the young Josiah began his work of restoration.
Josiah had already spent years destroying idols. Now the work changes from tearing down to building up:
Up to now the work had been destroying idols and cleansing away everything connected with idolatry. Now he had time to repair the damage done to the house of God. It was not enough to destroy what was false. The worship of Jehovah had to be set up again, and for that His house had to be restored. What pleasure there must have been for the Lord to see this son of David's zeal for His house! It was a faint foreshadowing of Him who could say, "Zeal for your house will consume me."
The stone and timber mend a house that already stands. One commentator draws a lesson from that for believers today:
This is in no way a matter of rebuilding the ruined temple from scratch. It is a matter of repairing its broken places, of faithfully bringing the material needed, of adding cedar wood and hewn stone that please God, who had built the house. In the same way, in this time of the end, the Christian who knows his calling will not add wood, hay, and stubble to the house. He will bring what suits the house of God — living stones, cut out by the Holy Spirit in the quarry of the world, shaped by the Master.
The money passed to the builders with no audit behind it. One writer sees in that a mark of something real:
But no one required them to give any accounting of the way the money was spent, because they were trusted to deal faithfully. This is a lovely characteristic of a true revival among the people of God.
Another writer adds a caution. Those years were not the normal pattern:
Is this how God would have things done all the time? Should the example of these people of long ago be the pattern for us to follow today? The answer is "No." The times of Joash and of Josiah were exceptional. In each reign a great spiritual revival was going on. After many years of serious wrongdoing the people, or at least a remnant of them, were turning back to their God. Hearts and consciences were exercised about His holy will. Because of this, safeguards against fraud were hardly necessary.
The verse names two trades working side by side. One writer notes the atmosphere among them:
The Temple was in a terrible state when Josiah moved to refit it for divine worship. Willing hands and devoted hearts quickly put things right. From 2 Chronicles 34:8-13 we gather that the carpenters and masons and their overseers got on well together.
The building work was not the climax of the story; it was the doorway to it:
If Josiah had not cared about restoring the temple, the book of the law, which was kept there (2 Chr. 34:15), would not have come to light again. This is the special character of Josiah's revival… The Holy Scriptures had been neglected and as good as forgotten during the reigns before his. In this revival they suddenly take their place of importance again.
- Ruin. The stone and timber show the damage. Earlier kings had destroyed what belonged to God, not to them.
- Repair. Josiah does not build something new. He mends the broken places with material that pleases the God who built the house.
- Restore. Pulling down what was false was only half the work. Worship had to start again, and for that the house had to be fit for use.
- Reliance. The money went to the builders with no audit. They were trusted to deal faithfully — the mark of a real revival, not a rule for normal times.
- Reward. Because Josiah cared about the house, the long-forgotten book of the law came back to light.
And the men did the work faithfully. And over them were appointed Jahath and Obadiah, Levites, of the children of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the children of the Kohathites, for the oversight; and all these Levites were skilled in instruments of music.
Josiah's men are repairing a temple that earlier kings had wrecked. In the middle of a plain list of names and trades, God pauses to call their work faithful — so why does He note ordinary labour, and what makes it count?
The same word turns up in another record of these repairs. There, no one checked what happened to the money.
We are impressed with the Holy Spirit's record that in Josiah's day the men were so conscientious that no account was kept of the money spent, and the amount must have been considerable. The word "faithfully" is used in two ways: (1) "the men did the work faithfully" (2 Chron. 34:12); and (2) "no accounting was asked from them for the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully" (2 Kings 22:7). Such men are worth imitating. Theirs was no mere "eye-service as people-pleasers"; they worked "with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord" (Col. 3:22).
One commentator ties that trust to the moment. It was an unusual time of return to God, when hearts and consciences were already stirred, so guards against fraud were hardly needed. He adds that this is not the normal pattern to copy: God is a God of order, and He wants care taken with money.
The verse does not just say the work was done. It names the four Levites who supervised it: Jahath, Obadiah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
Josiah's influence was good, for the men did the work faithfully (v. 12). The names of those who supervised the work are recorded in verse 12. So God highly commends those who are true builders, and surely no less today if we care about building up the saints of God, and so build the assembly.
The verse ends with music. Levites skilled with instruments are counted among these workers.
There were many who did the actual work, and some had the oversight. They were marked by working "faithfully" in what was given them to do. If there was faithfulness, there was also happiness in the work of the Lord. The musicians brought out the praises of those engaged in this blessed service for the God of Israel.
Leslie Grant reads the same detail as a picture of something else:
Levites are mentioned here as skilled with musical instruments. This is a symbol of skill in ministering the Word of God, for the refreshment and encouragement of the saints. They may have played their instruments while the men were working. That pictures servants willing to help those serving in practical matters, by ministering the Word of God to them.
Around the named overseers stand burden bearers, scribes, officers and gatekeepers.
There were overseers set over the burden bearers too. How good for us if we are burden bearers. But we need instruction on how to do such good work. Also some of the Levites were scribes, officers and gatekeepers (v. 13). Though there was diversity in the work, it was done in unity. Scribes were needed to keep things orderly; gatekeepers made sure that only what belonged inside was let in.
The speed of the repairs is treated as evidence of the workers' hearts.
The repairing of the Temple was carried through very quickly… The Passover was a spring feast, fixed to the first month. In Hezekiah's day it had to be put off by a month, because neither the temple nor the people were ready (2 Chron. 30:13-15). But Josiah and his people "kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month" (2 Chron. 35:1), according to the original divine order (Ex. 12:18). This proves that the workmen put their hearts into the work of getting the house ready for the Lord their God. It is written in Eccles. 9:10, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might." In Col. 3:23, even slaves are told, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men."
- Faithful. God gives these workers one word: faithful. It showed in work done well, and in money no one had to check.
- Named. Faithful work is not anonymous. God recorded the supervisors' names. He still commends those who build up His people today.
- Hearty. They worked fast and hard. The house was ready in time for the feast, which proves they put their hearts into it.
- Varied. Faithfulness takes many shapes: burden bearers, scribes, officers, gatekeepers. The jobs differed, but the work was one.
- Glad. Faithfulness ends in song. The musicians played while the work went on, so gladness marked the service, not just duty.
They were also over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that worked in any manner of service. And of the Levites were the scribes, and officers, and doorkeepers.
King Josiah set out to repair a temple in a sad state, and the money and the workmen were now in place. This verse stops to name the jobs held by the Levites, the men who served at the temple. Why does Scripture keep a list of ordinary job titles?
This one verse names several jobs on a single building site. One commentator finds both variety and unity in the list, and he applies each job to the Church today.
There were overseers set over the burden bearers also. How good for us if we are burden bearers. But we need instruction as to how to do such good work. Also some of the Levites were scribes, officers and gatekeepers (v. 13). The work was varied, yet they did it in unity. Scribes were needed to keep things in order. Gatekeepers were needed to see that only what ought to be inside was let in. The Church of God needs all of this today, though there are no such official posts now, and no one is to take any special place for this.
Some Levites here were put in charge of others. What was it like to work under them?
The condition of the Temple was deplorable when Josiah moved to refit it for worship. The kings before him despised everything that was of God, and they had done great damage to the sacred building. But willing hands and devoted hearts soon put things right, as we have seen. We gather from 2 Chron. 34:8-13 that the carpenters and masons and their overseers got on well together. These verses make pleasant reading. They remind us how happily Boaz and his harvest-men worked together (Ruth 2:4). What lessons these records contain for all who would please God in these turbulent days!
One word in the record covers both the work these men did and the way they handled the money. The quotations below follow an older English translation.
The Holy Spirit's record impresses us. In Josiah's day the men were so conscientious that no one kept account of the money spent, and the amount must have been large. The record uses the word "faithfully" in two ways: (1) "the men did the work faithfully" (2 Chron. 34:12); and (2) "there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully" (2 Kings 22:7). Such men are worthy of imitation. Theirs was no mere "eye-service as men pleasers"; they worked "in singleness of heart fearing God" (Col. 3:22).
Gatekeepers appear at the end of the list, and the job has two sides. It is not only about refusing entry.
The doorkeepers had charge of all the gates of the temple. They had to be able to drive back any move against the house of God. They had to watch with constant energy, so that no defiled person entered the courts of the Lord. But they also had to keep the doors open, so that no priest who had the right to enter the temple was kept out.
The same commentator applies this guarding to the Church today, and notes that few people thank you for it.
Such work may not be appreciated by many, but we must not ignore it on this account. We always need discernment as to what should be allowed in and what must be refused entry. If the enemy once gets in, even in a small way, he will use that to gain more ground and corrupt the Christian testimony.
Another writer takes in the whole list of workers, and finds more in it than duty.
Many did the actual work, and some had the oversight. All of them were marked by working "faithfully" at what was given them to do. Levites, scribes, officers and gatekeepers all had their part to play. The overseers are named, and there is mention too of those who were skilled with musical instruments (verses 10-13). If there was faithfulness, there was also happiness in the work of the Lord. The musicians brought out the praises of those who were engaged in this blessed service for the God of Israel.
- Many hands. One verse names four kinds of work: carrying, supervising, recording, guarding.
- One work. The jobs differ, yet the work was done in unity, not rivalry. Even burden bearers need instruction to do their part well.
- Trusted hands. The men did the work faithfully and handled the money faithfully, so no one asked them to account for what they spent.
- Friendly ranks. Overseers and craftsmen got on well together — pleasant reading for anyone who wants to please God at work.
- Guarded doors. The gatekeeper's task cuts both ways: keep out what defiles, and never shut out those who have the right to come in.
And when they brought out the money that had been brought into the house of Jehovah, Hilkijah the priest found the book of the law of Jehovah by Moses.
Josiah was repairing the temple when Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law inside it. A king of Judah had grown up without knowing that book existed — so how does God's Word get lost, and what happens when it comes back to light?
The book was not found in a foreign land or a ruined city. It sat in the temple — the one place that should have honoured it — and no one missed it.
However, in the course of doing the repair work, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord, given by Moses. How sad that no one gave the book a place of honour! Instead it lay hidden away in the house of God! (v. 14). That book said that whoever ruled as king over Israel should write out a copy of this law and read it all the days of his life (Deut. 17:18-19). But by the time Josiah took the throne, he did not even know that this book existed! Who was to blame for this? No doubt both earlier kings and priests.
The loss says something about the years before Josiah. It was not that the Word had been destroyed — it had been ignored until it was effectively gone.
How sorry a reflection on the earlier condition in Judah — the Word of God had been lost! Now it was recovered!
The verse ties this book to Moses. Was the scroll in Hilkiah's hands a later copy, or the one Moses wrote himself?
When Moses had finished the first five books of the Bible, he directed that they be put at the side of the ark (Deut. 31:24, 26). Was this the very copy that Hilkiah the high priest found seven hundred and fifty years later, among the rubbish in the temple (2 Kings 22:8)? Or was it a copy made from the original by one of the early kings (Deut. 17:18)? We believe it was the very copy of the law written by the hand of Moses (2 Chron. 34:14).
Josiah was not searching for a lost book. He was caring for God's house, and the Word surfaced in the course of that work.
Josiah's zeal for the house of God brought a result at once, and a most important one. If he had not had the restoration of the temple at heart, the book of the law, which was kept there (2 Chr. 34:15), would not have come to light again. This is the special character of Josiah's revival... Under Josiah we find what amounts to a completely new revelation of the written Word.
Josiah's earlier years had already been spent clearing out idols. That alone did not produce the discovery.
The interest in the house of God led to the discovery of the book. Mere cleansing would never have achieved this.
Shaphan read the book aloud to the king. Josiah did not weigh it; it weighed him.
Josiah had no doubt at all that the words Shaphan read aloud to him were genuine and authentic. We do not read of his asking, "How am I to know that this is the Word of God?" No; he trembled at it. He bowed before it. It struck him down. He tore his garments. He did not presume to sit in judgement on the Word of God, but, as was right and fitting, he allowed the Word to judge him.
And the light fell first on himself, before he turned it on anyone else.
It is one thing to judge our surroundings by the Word, and it is quite another thing to judge ourselves. Now Josiah began with himself. Before he called on others to listen to the weighty words of the law, he tore his own clothes. That was true self-judgment under their searching power.
Josiah is one name on a longer list.
If a revival is genuine, it will show itself in the discovery of the Scriptures (Josiah, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and others). It is not that people could not have known the Scriptures before; neglect had made them forget.
- Lost — The book sat in the temple, hidden away and stripped of honour. A king of Judah grew up not knowing it existed.
- Neglected — Earlier kings and priests carried the blame. The law told the king to write out his own copy and read it all his life. That had stopped.
- Found — Josiah was repairing God's house, not hunting for Scripture. Cleansing alone had not brought the book to light; care for the house did.
- Received — Josiah never asked whether the scroll was authentic. He let it judge him, and he tore his clothes before calling anyone else to listen.
- Repeated — Commentators see the same pattern in every real revival: Scripture forgotten through neglect, then found again.
Then Hilkijah spoke and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah. And Hilkijah gave the book to Shaphan.
Workmen were repairing the neglected temple when the high priest found a scroll no one knew was there. Commentators press two questions here. How did God's own book get lost inside God's own house? And what brought it back to light?
The find was a shock to everyone involved, including the men whose job it was to know the law. One writer traces the loss to the two kings before Josiah, and notes the reversal: the king had to wake the priest.
God had commanded in Deuteronomy 17:18-19 that the king of Israel was to write out a copy of the law for himself and learn it well. Yet Josiah did not even know that such a book existed. No doubt Manasseh and Amon had ignored God's Word completely. So when Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the law in the house of God, it was a total surprise to him and to Josiah. The high priest should have known the law, but it took Josiah's faith to wake him up.
Josiah set out to repair the temple, not to find a book. Because he cared about the house of God, the book stored there came to light.
This zeal for the house of God has an immediate and most important result… If Josiah had not had the restoration of the temple at heart, the book of the law, kept there (2 Chr. 34:15), would not have come to light again. This is the special character of Josiah's revival… In this revival the Holy Scriptures take their place of importance again. The earlier reigns had neglected and forgotten them.
Two things were happening at once, and only one of them uncovered the book.
The interest in the house of God led to the discovery of the book. Mere cleansing would never have achieved this.
Some have argued that the book was only Deuteronomy, written not long before Josiah's day. One commentator answers from Huldah, the prophetess whose reply to the king pointed back to words found in Leviticus.
We are told that the book read before the king predicted the destruction of Jerusalem, above all because of idolatry… Deuteronomy 28 predicted the sorrows the people would suffer for their sins. But Leviticus 26:31-32 states plainly what Deuteronomy 28:52 only hints at — the destruction of their cities and of their sanctuaries, and that above all because of their idol worship. Huldah's answer makes it plain that the book found was not only Deuteronomy, a work which some ask us to believe was written about that time. It contained more than we have in that last of the five books of Moses.
Hilkiah did not keep his discovery. He gave the book to Shaphan, and Shaphan read it.
Shaphan did wisely, for a Bible unread is useless to anybody. Shaphan's son became a leader in idolatry (Ezek. 8:11). Clearly the Word of God had no power over him.
One writer calls this the great fact of Josiah's whole life.
Here, then, we have the great fact in the life of this most interesting man — the discovery or recovery of the book of the law. It let the full light of God's revelation in, first upon Josiah's conscience, and second, upon the whole condition of things around him. It is a very serious thing for anyone — man, woman or child — to stand in the searching light of God's Word. That Word judges everything… Now Josiah began with himself. He did not first call others to listen to the weighty words of the law. He tore his own clothes, in true self-judgment beneath their searching power.
The revival grew after the book came to light, and one writer draws a rule from the order of it.
Notice that the remarkable growth of the revival came after the word of the Lord was found, read, received and acted on… So it is safe to say that no revival of lasting benefit can happen unless the Word of God controls it. In evangelical circles there is often much stir. Yet the Scriptures do not receive their rightful place as the Word of God, which is living and dynamic.
- Lost. The book sat inside the temple the whole time. Two godless reigns left the king ignorant of a book he was told to copy out, and the high priest surprised by a law he should have known.
- Found. Care for God's house uncovered it. Cleansing alone would never have achieved that.
- Given. Hilkiah handed the book on, and Shaphan read it. A Bible left unread is useless — Shaphan's own son grew up to lead people into idolatry.
- Judged. The full light of God's revelation reached Josiah's conscience before it reached the nation. He tore his own clothes before he called anyone else to listen.
- Renewed. Found, read, received, acted on — that is the order. No revival lasts unless the Word governs it.
And Shaphan carried the book to the king. And moreover he brought the king word again saying, All that was committed to the hand of thy servants, they do;
Shaphan comes back from the temple with two things: a progress report on the repairs, and a book. What the report says about the workmen, and which item he mentions first, both matter.
Shaphan reports that the servants are doing everything given to them. Behind that report stand workers no one needed to check on:
The Holy Spirit's record impresses us. In Josiah's day the men were so conscientious that no one kept an account of the money spent. The amount must have been large. The word "faithfully" is used in two ways: "the men did the work faithfully" (2 Chron. 34:12); and "no accounting shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into their hand, for they deal honestly" (2 Kings 22:7). Such men are worth imitating. Theirs was no mere "eye-service as people-pleasers"; they worked "in singleness of heart, fearing God" (Col. 3:22).
In older translations 2 Kings 22:7 ends "because they dealt faithfully" — the repeated word the writer points to. Still, the unchecked money is not a pattern to copy in every situation:
The times of Joash and of Josiah were exceptional. In each reign a great spiritual revival was in progress. After many years of serious wrongdoing the people — or at least a remnant of them — were turning back to their God. Their hearts and consciences were awake to His holy will. In that setting, there was little need for precautions against fraud.
The book reaches the king only because repairs were under way. Commentators tie that discovery to Josiah's care for the temple:
This zeal for the house of God has an immediate and most important result. Hilkiah the high priest tells Shaphan the secretary that he has found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD. If Josiah had not had the restoration of the temple at heart, the book of the law, which was kept there (2 Chr. 34:15), would not have come to light again. This is the special character of Josiah's revival. Under Josiah we find what amounts to a whole new revelation of the written Word — here, the books of Moses. The earlier reigns had neglected the Holy Scriptures and as good as forgotten them. In this revival they suddenly take their place of importance again.
The word "found" raises its own question:
Hilkiah the priest "found" the book. How long had it been lost? The interest in the house of God led to the discovery of the book. Mere cleansing would never have achieved this.
Shaphan is carrying the law of God, yet he opens his report with workmen and money. The book waits until verse 18:
He says nothing of the newly found treasure as yet. It may not have been a treasure in his eyes, perhaps. Like many today, he was more taken up with "workmen" and "money" than with God's book. God has "magnified" that book — not just above all Christian work or missionary enterprise, though these have their place, but "above all His name." Shaphan did not despise the book, but he had not yet realised the importance of that blessed volume. Then — after "money," and "overseers," and "workmen" have all been mentioned — "then Shaphan the secretary told the king, 'Hilkiah the priest has given me a book'" — only a book!
Once the book was in the room, the repair programme was no longer the main story:
Here is the great fact in the life of this most interesting man: the discovery, or recovery, of the book of the law. It let the full light of divine revelation in — first on Josiah's conscience, and then on the whole condition of things around him. It is a very serious thing for anyone — man, woman or child — to stand in the searching light of God's Word. That Word judges everything. It makes no terms with the flesh or the world.
- Faithfulness first. The men are doing all they were given to do — working "faithfully" and handling money so honestly that no one audited them.
- Not a formula. Writers warn that the unchecked money belonged to an exceptional time of revival. It is not a rule for running every work.
- Care uncovers. The book surfaced because Josiah had the house of God at heart. Clearing out idols alone would never have found it.
- Order reveals value. Shaphan leads with money, overseers and workmen. Only at the end does he mention "a book." The work can crowd out the Word.
- Light let in. Once the book reached Josiah, its searching light fell first on his own conscience, and then on everything around him.
and they have emptied out the money that was found in the house of Jehovah, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the workmen.
Josiah's officials came back from the temple with a report about money. That one line of accounting raises real questions: why the temple needed repairs at all, and why it mattered that the money reached the workmen's hands.
The repairs came at a set stage of the king's reign. One writer marks the order:
Cleansing the land and the house had taken some years. In "the eighteenth year of his reign," at the age of twenty-six, good king Josiah was as zealous for the Lord as ever. Until now the work had been destroying idols and cleansing away everything connected with idolatry. Now he had time to repair the damage done to the house of God. It was not enough to destroy what was false. The worship of the Lord had to be set up again, and for that His house must be restored.
Another writer shows what the money paid for, and who caused the damage:
The men in charge of the materials for the house of God used this money to hire workmen to repair the house. They also paid craftsmen and builders, and bought cut stone and timber for the beams and the floor. This was clearly a large project. The godless kings before Josiah had destroyed a great deal of what was not their own property, but God's.
Money given for God's house does not always reach the work. One writer points to priests who kept the gifts for themselves:
The priests were using for themselves the gifts they received from their acquaintances. They did have the right to live from the things offered at the altar. But their own interests came first in their hearts, ahead of the interests of the Lord and of His house. Their conduct showed it. They lived off their gifts, and the house of God kept its broken walls.
The money came from the people, and from more than one part of the nation:
In this great work of recovery the king had with him the governor of the city and the recorder. They in turn brought the people in. "Manasseh and Ephraim, and all the remnant of Israel" joined with "all Judah and Benjamin" in providing the means for repairing God's house. How good it is in this day, as in that day, when all the people of God care about the house of God and have the privilege of contributing to it.
The money went straight into the workmen's hands, and no one checked what they spent:
The Holy Spirit's record impresses us. In Josiah's day the men were so conscientious that no one kept an account of the money they spent, and the amount must have been large. The word "faithfully" is used in two ways: "the men did the work faithfully" (2 Chron. 34:12), and "there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully" (2 Kings 22:7). Such men are worth copying. They gave no mere "eye-service as men-pleasers"; they worked "in singleness of heart fearing God" (Colossians 3:22).
The writer quotes these verses from an older English translation, which repeats the one word "faithfully."
The relations among those handling the work matched the trust placed in them:
We gather from 2 Chronicles 34:8-13 that the relations between the carpenters and masons and their overseers were warm and harmonious. These verses make pleasant reading.
Should God's people today skip keeping accounts? One writer asks that question, then looks at what made the reigns of Joash and Josiah unusual:
We come back to the statement that there was no reckoning with the men who handled the money "because they dealt faithfully." A question naturally arises. Is this how God would have things done all the time? Should the example of these people of long ago be the pattern for us to follow today? The answer is "No." The times of Joash and of Josiah were exceptional. In each reign a great spiritual revival was going on. People's hearts and consciences were engaged with His holy will. Because of that, precautions against fraud were hardly necessary.
His conclusion is practical:
We conclude, then, that God wants His people to keep clear accounts, on their own and together. … Let us remind ourselves once more that Josiah's workers "dealt faithfully" — both in their work and in their handling of the people's money. The Holy Spirit says in 1 Corinthians 4:2, "it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful."
- Cleared, then rebuilt. Tearing down what is false was only half the job; the house had to be restored so that worship could begin again.
- Given, not kept. The gifts came from the whole people, Israel as well as Judah, and every giver had a share in the repair.
- Emptied out. Money held back leaves the walls broken. Money released reaches the work.
- Faithfully handled. The workmen needed no audit. One word covered both their work and their handling of money: faithful.
- Faithful still. Those days of revival were exceptional. What God still asks for is not a missing account book but a faithful steward.
And Shaphan the scribe informed the king saying, Hilkijah the priest has given me a book. And Shaphan read out of it before the king.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
And it came to pass when the king heard the words of the law, that he rent his garments.
During repairs to the temple, workers found a copy of the law of the Lord — in God's own house all along, but long forgotten. Shaphan read it aloud, Josiah tore his clothes, and this verse shows us the heart behind that response.
The law itself had required every king of Israel to own a copy and read it — yet this king was hearing it for the first time.
How sad that no one gave the book a place of honor! Instead it lay hidden in the house of God. That book said that whoever ruled as king over Israel should write out a copy of this law for himself and read it all the days of his life (Deut. 17:18-19). But by the time Josiah took the throne, he did not even know that this book existed! Who was to blame for this? No doubt both earlier kings and priests.
Why did the book come to light in Josiah's day and not before?
If Josiah had not cared about restoring the temple, the book of the law, which was kept there (2 Chr. 34:15), would never have come to light again... In this revival the Holy Scriptures — neglected and all but forgotten during the reigns before him — suddenly take their place of importance again.
Tearing his clothes was not theatre. Josiah bowed to what he had heard, without first asking it to prove itself.
Here we have a tender conscience bowing under the action of the Word of God... Josiah had no doubt at all that the words Shaphan read in his hearing were genuine and authentic. We do not read of him asking, "How am I to know that this is the Word of God?" No; he trembled at it; he bowed before it; he was struck down under it; he tore his clothes. He did not dare to sit in judgment on the Word of God. Instead, as was right and proper, he let the Word judge him.
Why does the Bible meet so much resistance?
Scripture is the Word of God, and it judges man thoroughly. It lays bare the very roots of his nature — it opens up the foundations of his moral being. It holds up before him the only faithful mirror in which he can see himself perfectly reflected. This is the reason why man does not like Scripture — cannot bear it — seeks to set it aside.
There are two ways to use the Word. Josiah chose the harder one first.
It is one thing to judge our surroundings by the Word, and it is quite another thing to judge ourselves. Now Josiah began with himself. Before he ever called others to listen to the weighty words of the law, he tore his own clothes, in true self-judgment under their searching power.
The torn robe led straight to an order. Josiah wanted to know where his nation now stood with God.
In a spirit of deep self-judgment he tore his clothes. Then he ordered five men, including Hilkiah and Shaphan, to go and ask the Lord for him and for the small number left in Israel and Judah. He saw that Israel lay under the great wrath of God, because their fathers had not kept the Word of the Lord. He did not try to explain it away. He faced the truth declared in Scripture, and wanted to know just how God was now going to deal with his nation.
God's own answer named the torn clothes.
"Because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words... and humbled yourself before Me and tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you, says the Lord" (2 Chron. 34:26-27). The heart of man is naturally hard in relation to God... In contrast, Josiah's heart was open and responsive — surely a gracious work of the Holy Spirit of God.
Josiah's own son later faced a scroll of God's words and chose the opposite.
No wonder Josiah tore his clothes when he read what lay in store for Israel if they abandoned their God and turned to idols. Yet what a contrast between Josiah's response and that of his son Jehoiakim. When Jehoiakim heard the words written in Jeremiah's scroll, he cut it up with his penknife and threw it into the fire (Jer. 36:23).
- Lost — Earlier kings and priests left the book of the law hidden in God's house, so a king who should have read it daily had never heard it.
- Found — It came to light because Josiah cared about God's house; zeal for the house led to recovery of the Word.
- Torn — His clothes tore because he let the Word judge him rather than sitting in judgement on it.
- Tender — God said He heard Josiah because his heart was tender and humbled. Commentators trace that tenderness to God's Spirit, not to human nature.
- Or burned — The same Word met his son Jehoiakim, who cut it up and burned it; every hearer lands on one side or the other.