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Judah so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

24 In "those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.

25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him, for his heart was lifted up therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

26 Notwithstanding, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, (both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,) so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. 27 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of 'pleasant jewels;

28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.

29 Moreover, he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him substance very much.

30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight

to 2 Kings 20. 1, &c. Is. 38. 1, &c. or, wrought a miracle for him. z Ps. 116. 12. y c. 26. 16. Dan. 5. 20, 23. Hab. 2. 4. z c. 24. 18. tlifting up. 2 Kings 14.10. a Jer. 26. 18, 19. b 1 Kings 21. 29. c Prov. 10. 22. instru ments of desire.

for such a deliverance as this was an earnest of much mercy in store; and he guided them, that is, he guarded them, on every side. God defends his people by directing them, shows them what they should do, and so saves them from what is designed or done against them. For this, many brought gifts unto the Lord, when they saw the great power of God in the defence of his people. Strangers were thereby induced to supplicate his favour, and enemies to deprecate his wrath, and both brought gifts to his temple, in token of their care and desire. (2.) Hezekiah was magnified as the favourite and particular care of Heaven; many brought presents to him, (v. 22, 23,) in token of the honour they had for him, and to make an interest in him. By the favour of God, enemies are lost, and friends gained. V.24-33. Here we conclude the story of Hezekiah, with an account of three things concerning him:

I. His sickness, and his recovery from it, v. 24. It is but briefly mentioned here; we had a large narrative of it, 2 Kings 20. His disease seemed likely to be mortal. In the extremity of it, he prayed, God answered him, and gave him a sign that he should recover; the going back of the sun ten degrees.

II. His sin, and his repentance for that; this was also more largely related, 2 Kings 20. 12, &c. yet several things are here observed concerned it, which we had not there.

1. The occasion of it was the king of Babylon's sending an honourable embassy to him, to congratulate him on his recovery. But here it is added that they came to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, (v. 31,) either the destruction of the Assyrian army, or the going back of the sun. The Assyrians were their enemies, they came to inquire concerning their fall, that they might triumph in it. The sun was their god, they came to inquire concerning the favour he had shown to Hezekiah, that they might honour him whom their god honoured, v. 31. These miracles were wrought to alarm and awaken a stupid careless world, and turn them from dumb and lame idols to the living God; and men were startled by them, but not converted till a greater wonder was done in that land, in the appearing of Jesus Christ, Matt. 2. 1, 2.

2. God left him to himself in it, to try him, v. 31. God, by the power of his almighty grace, could have prevented the sin; but he permitted it for wise and holy ends, that, by this trial and his weakness in it, he might know, that is, it might be known, (an usual Hebraism,) what was in his heart; that he was not so perfect in grace as he thought he was, but had his follies and infirmities as other men. God left him to himself, to be proud of his wealth, to keep him from being proud of his holiness. It is good for us to know ourselves, and our own weakness and sinfulness, that we may not be conceited, or self-confident, but may always think meanly of ourselves, and live in a dependence upon divine grace. We know not the corruption of our own hearts, nor what we shall do if God leave us to ourselves. Lord,

lead us not into temptation.

3. His sin was, that his heart was lifted up, v. 25. He was proud of the honour God had put upon him in so many instances; the honour his neighbours did him in bringing him presents; and now that the king of Babylon should send an embassy to him to caress and court him, this exalted him above measure. When Hezekiah had destroyed other idolatries, he began to idolize himself. O what need have great men, and good men, and useful men, to study their own infirmities and follies, and their obligations to free grace, that they may never think highly of themselves, and to beg earnestly of God, that he will hide pride from them, and always keep them humble!

4. The aggravation of his sin, was, that he made so bad a

down to the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

And

31 Howbeit, in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent funto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his #goodness, behold, they are written in the visions of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the "chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

In this chapter, we have the history of the reign, I. Of Manasseh, who reigned long. I. His wretched apostacy from God, and revolt to adolatry, and all wickedness, v. 1-10. 2. His happy return to God in his affliction; his repentance, v. 11-13, his reformation, v. 15-17, and prosperity, v. 14, with the conclusion of his reign, v. 18-20. 11. Of Amon, who reigned very wickedly, v. 21-23 and soon ended his days unhappily, v. 24, 25.

MANASSEH was twelve years old when he

began to reign: and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:

d Job 1. 3, 9. 42. 11. e la. 22. 9, 11. Sinterpreters. 2 Kings 20, 12, &c. Is. 39. 1, &c. g Deut. 8. 2, 16. Jam. 1. 13. kindnesses. A Is. 96.-39. i2 Kings 18.-20. Tor, highest. k Prov. 10. 7. a 2 Kings 21. 1, &c.

return to God for his favours to him, making even those favours the food and fuel of his pride, v. 25, He rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him. Note, It is justly expected that they who have received mercy from God, should study to make some suitable returns for the mercies they have received; and if they do not, their ingratitude will certainly be charged upon them. Though we cannot render an equivalent, or the payment of a debt, we must render the acknowledgment of a favour; What shall I render, that may be so accepted? Ps. 116. 12.

5. The divine displeasure he was under for this sin; though it was but a heart sin, and the overt act seemed not only innocent, but civil, (the showing of his treasures to a friend,) yet wrath came upon him and his kingdom for it, v. 25. Note, Pride is a sin that God hates as much as any other, and particularly in his own people. They that exalt themselves, must expect to be abased, and put under humbling providences. Wrath came on David for his pride in numbering the people.

6. His repentance for this sin. He humbled himself for the pride of his heart. Note, (1.) Though God may, for wise and holy ends, suffer his people to fall into sin, yet he will not suffer them to lie still in it; they shall not be utterly cast down. (2.) Heart sins are to be repented of, though they go no further. (3.) Self-humiliation is a necessary branch of repentance. (4.) Pride of heart, by which we have lifted up ourselves, is a sin, for which we ought, in a special manner, to humble ourselves. (5.) People ought to mourn for the sins of their rulers. The inhabitants of Jerusalem humbled themselves with Hezekiah; either because they knew they also had been guilty of the same sin, or at least, feared they might share in the punishment. When David, in his pride, numbered the people, they all smarted for it.

7. The reprieve granted thereupon. The wrath came not in his days; while he lived, there were peace and truth; so much does repentance avail to put by, or, at least, to put off, the tokens of God's anger.

III. Here is the honour done to Hezekiah: 1. By the providence of God while he lived. He bad exceeding much riches and honour, (v. 27,) replenished his stores, victualled his camps, fortified his city, and did all he wished to do; for God had given him substance very much, v. 29. Among his great performances, his turning the water course of Gihon is mentioned, (v. 30,) which was done upon occasion of Sennacherib's invasion, v. 3, 4. The water had come into that which is called the old pool, (Is. 22. 11,) and the upper pool, (Is. 7. 3,) but he gathered the waters into a new place, for the greater convenience of the city, called the lower pool, Is. 22. 9. And, in general, he prospered in all his works, for they were good works. 2. By the respect paid to his memory when he was dead. (1.) The prophet Isaiah wrote his life and reign, (v. 32,) his acts, and his goodness, or piety, part of the honour of which is to be recorded and remembered, for example to others. (2.) The people did him honour at his death, (v. 33,) buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres, made as great burning for him as for Asa; or, which is a much greater honour, made great lamentation for him, as for Josiah. See how the honour of serious godliness is manifested in the consciences of men. Though it is to be feared that the generality of the people did not heartily comply with the reforming kings, yet they could not but praise their endeavours for reformation, and the memory of those kings was blessed among them. It is a debt we owe to those who have been eminently useful in their day, to do them honour at their death, when they are out of the reach of flattery, and we have seen

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.

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. 4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

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.

all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.

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.

10 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.

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.

12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,

13 And prayed unto him: and 'he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.

7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God 14 Now after this he built a wall without the had said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen be-valley, even to the entering in at the fish-gate, and fore all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.

ever:

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

Deut. 18. 9, 12. 2 Chr. 28. 3. ⚫ returned and built. 12. d Deut. 16. 21. e Deut. 17. 3. f Ez. 23. 37, 39. which were the kings.

15 And he took away the strange "gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the

c c. 30. 14. 31. 1. 32. g Deut. 18. 10, 11.

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the end of their conversation. The due payment of this debt called king of Assyria, because he had made himself master of will be an encouragement to others to do likewise.

NOTES TO CHAPTER XXXIII.

V. 1-10. We have here an account of the great wickedness of Manasseh; it is the same almost word for word with that which we had, 2 Kings 21. 1-9, and took a melancholy view of; it is no such pleasing subject, that we should delight to dwell upon it again. This foolish young prince, in contradiction to the good example and good education his father gave him, abandoned himself to all impiety; transcribed the abominations of the heathen, (v. 2,) ruined the established religion, and unravelled his father's glorious reformation, (v. 3,) profaned the house of God with his idolatry, (v. 4, 5,) dedicated his children to Moloch, and made the devil's lying oracles his guides and his counsellors, v. 6. In contempt of the choice God had made of Zion to be his rest for ever, and Israel to be his covenant people, (v. 8,) and the fair terms he stood upon with him, he embraced other gods, profaned God's chosen temple, and debauched his chosen people; he made them to err, and do worse than the heathen, (v. 9,) for if the unclean spirit return, he brings with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself. That which aggravated the sin of Manasseh, was, that God spake to him and his people, by the prophets, but they would not hearken, v. 10. We may here admire the grace of God in speaking to them, and their obstinacy in turning a deaf ear to him; that either their badness did not quite turn away his goodness, but still he waited to be gracious, or that his goodness did not turn them from their badness, but still they hated to be reformed.

Now from this let us learn, 1. That it is no new thing, but a very sad thing, for the children of godly parents to turn aside from that good way of God in which they have been trained up. Parents may give many good things to their children, but they cannot give them grace. 2. Corruptions in worship are such diseases of the church, as even then, when they seem to be cured, it is very apt to relapse into again. 3. The god of this world has strangely blinded men's minds, and has a wonderful power over those that are led captive by him; else he could not draw them from God their best Friend, to depend upon their

sworn enemy.

V. 11-20. We have seen Manasseh by his wickedness undoing the good that his father had done; here we have him by repentance undoing the evil that he himself had done. It is strange that this was not so much as mentioned in the book of Kings, nor does any thing appear there to the contrary, but that he persisted and perished in his sin. But, perhaps, the reason was, because the design of that history was to show the wickedness of the nation which brought destruction upon them; and this repentance of Manasseh, and the benefit of it, being personal only, and not national, it is overlooked there; yet here it is fully related, and a memorable instance it is of the riches of God's pardoning mercy, and the power of his renewing grace. Here is,

I. The occasion of Manasseh's repentance; and that was his afflictions. In his distress, he did not (like that king Ahaz) trespass yet more against God, but humbled himself, and returned to God. Sanctified afflictions often prove happy means of conversion. What his distress was, we are here told, v. 11. God brought a foreign enemy upon him; the king of Babylon, that courted his father who faithfully served God, invaded him now that he was treacherously departed from God. He is here

Assyria, which he would the more easily do, for the defeat of Sennacherib's army, and its destruction before Jerusalem. He aimed at the treasures which the ambassadors had seen, and all those precious things; but God sent him to chastise a sinful people, and reduce a straying prince. The captains took Manasseh among the thorns, in some bush or other, perhaps in his garden, where he had hid himself. Or, it is spoken figuratively; he was perplexed in his counsels, and embarrassed in his affairs. He was, as we say, in the briers, and knew not which way to extricate himself, and so became an easy prey to the Assyrian captains; who, no doubt, plundered his house, and took away what they pleased, as Isaiah had foretold, 2 Kings 20. 17, 18. What was Hezekiah's pride, was their prey. They bound Manasseh, who had been held before with the cords of his own iniquity, and carried him prisoner to Babylon. About what time of his reign this was, we are not told; the Jews say it was in his twenty-second year.

II. The expressions of his repentance; (v. 12, 13,) when he was in affliction, he had time to bethink himself, and reason enough too. He saw what he had brought himself to by his sin; he found the gods he had served, unable to help him. He knew that repentance was the only way of restoring his affairs, and therefore to him he returned, from whom he had revolted. 1. He was convinced that Jehovah is the one only living and true God. Then he knew, that is, he believed and considered, that the Lord he was God; he might have known it at a less expense, if he would have given due attendance and credit to the word written and preached: but it was better to pay thus dear for the knowledge of God, than to perish in ignorance and unbelief. Had he been a prince in the palace of Babylon, it is probable he had been confirmed in his idolatry; but, being a captive in the prisons of Babylon, he was convinced of it, and reclaimed from it. 2. He applied himself to him as his God now, renouncing all others, and resolving to cleave to him only; the God of his fathers, and a God in covenant with him. 3. He humbled himself greatly before him; was truly sorry for his sins, ashamed of them, and afraid of the wrath of God. It becomes sinners to humble themselves before the face of that God whom they have offended. It becomes sufferers to humble themselves under the hand of that God who corrects them, and to accept the punishment of their iniquity. Our hearts should be humbled under humbling providences; then we accommodate ourselves to them, and answer God's end in them. 4. He prayed to him for the pardon of sin, and the return of his favour. Prayer is the relief of penitents, the relief of the afflicted. That is a good prayer, and very pertinent in this case, which we find among the apocryphal books, entitled, The prayer of Manasses, king of Judah, when he was holden captive in Babylon; whether it was his or no, is uncertain; if it was, in it he gives glory to God, as the God of their fathers and their righteous seed: as the Creator of the world, a God whose anger is insupportable, and yet his merciful promise unmeasurable. He pleads that God has promised repentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned, and has appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved; not unto the just, as to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but to me, (says he,) that am a sinner; for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea: so he confesses his sin largely, and aggravates it. Forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not; he pleads, Thou art the God of them that repent, &c. and concludes, Therefore I will praise thee for ever, &c.

altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city:

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.

17 Nevertheless," the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only. 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:

19 His prayer also, and how God was entreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before she was humbled, behold, they are written among the sayings of the

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III. God's gracious acceptance of his repentance. God was entreated of him, and heard his supplication. Though affliction drives us to God, he will not therefore reject us, if in sincerity we seek him, for afflictions are sent on purpose to bring us to him. As a token of God's favour to him, he made a way for his escape; afflictions are continued no longer than till they have done their work; when Manasseh is brought back to his God and to his duty, he shall soon be brought back to his kingdom. See how ready God is to accept and welcome returning sinners, and how swift to show mercy. Let not great sinners despair, when Manasseh himself, upon his repentance, found favour with God; in him God showed forth a pattern of long-suffering, as 1 Tim.

1. 16. Is. 1. 18.

IV. The fruits meet for repentance which he brought forth after his return to his own land, v. 15, 16. 1. He turned from his sins. He took away the strange gods, the images of them, and that idol (whatever it was) which he had set up with so much solemnity in the house of the Lord, as if it had been master of that house; he cast out all the idolatrous altars that were in the mount of the house and in Jerusalem, as detestable things; now (we hope) he loathed them as much as ever he had loved them, and said to them, Get ye hence, Is. 30. 22. "What have I to do any more with idols? I have had enough of them." 2. He returned to his duty; for he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had either been abused and broken down by some of the idolatrous priests, or, at least, neglected and gone out of repair. He sacrificed thereon peace-offerings to implore God's favour, and thank-offerings to praise him for his deliverance. Nay, he now used his power to reform his people, as before he had abused it to corrupt them, He commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. Note, Those that truly repent of their sins, will not only return to God themselves, but will do all they can to reduce those that have by their example been seduced and drawn away from God; else they do not thoroughly (as they ought) undo what they have done amiss, nor make the plaster as wide as the wound. We find that he prevailed to bring them off from their false gods, but not from their high places, v. 17. They still sacrificed in them, yet to the Lord their God only; Manasseh could not carry the reformation so far as he had carried the corruption. It is an easy thing to debauch men's manners, but not so easy to reform them again.

V. His prosperity, in some measure, after his repentance. He might plainly see it was sin that ruined him; for when he returned to God in a way of duty, God returned to him in a way of mercy: and then he built a wall about the city of David, (v. 14,) for by sin he had unwalled it, and exposed it to the enemy. He also put captains of war in the fenced cities, for the security of his country. Josephus says, that all the rest of his time, he was so changed for the better, that he was looked upon as a very happy man.

Lastly, Here is the conclusion of his history. The heads of those things for a full narrative of which we are referred to the other writings that were then extant, are more than of any of the kings, v. 18, 19. A particular account, it seems, was kept, 1. Of all his sin, and his trespass, the high places he built, the groves and images he set up, before he was humbled. Proba bly, this was taken from his own confession which he made of his sin, when God gave him repentance, and which he left upon record, and was inserted in a book, entitled, The words of the seers. To those seers that spake to him, (v. 18,) to reprove him for his sin, he sent his confession when he repented, to be inserted in their memoirs, as a token of his gratitude to them for their kindness in reproving him. Thus it becomes penitents to take shame to themselves, to give thanks to their reprovers,

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; 23 And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself: but Amon trespassed more and more.

24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.

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. CHAPTER XXXIV.

Before we see Judah and Jerusalem ruined, we shall yet see some glorious years,

while good Josiah sits at the helm. By his pious endeavours for reformation, God tried them yet once more; if they had known in this their day, the day of their visitation, the thinge that belonged to their peace, and improved them, their ruin, might have been prevented. But, after this reign, they were bid from their eyes, and the next reigns brought an utter desolation upon them. In this chapter, we have, 1. A general account of Josiah's character, v. 1, 2. 11. His zeal to root out idolatry, v. 3-7. 111. His care to repair the temple, v.813. IV. The finding of the book of the law, and the good use made of it, v. 1428. V. The public reading of the law to the people, and their renewing their covenant with God thereupon, v. 29-33. Much of this we had, 2 Kings 22. OSIAH was eight years old when he began to reign and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.

JOS!

2 And he did that which was right in the sight u Is. 44. 13, c. multiplied trespass. Jer. 7. 26. to Gon. 9. 6. Num. 35, 31, 33, a 2 Kings 22. 1, &c.

and warning to others. 2. Of the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the Lord, (v. 10,) the reproofs they gave him for his sin, and their exhortations to repentance. Note, Sinners ought to consider that how little notice soever they take of them, an account is kept of the words of the seers that speak to them from God, to admonish them of their sins, warn them of their danger, and call them to their duty, which will be produced against them in the great day. 3. Of his prayer to God, (that is twice mentioned, as a remarkable thing,) and how God was entreated of him. This was written for the generations to come, that the people that should be created, might praise the Lord, for his readiness to receive returning prodigals.

Notice is taken of the place of his burial, not in the sepulchres of the kings, but in his own house; he was buried privately, and nothing of that honour was done him at his death, that was done to his father. Penitents may recover their comfort sooner than their credit.

V. 21-25. We have little recorded concerning Amon, but enough, unless it were better. Here is,

1. His great wickedness. He did as Manasseh had done in the days of his apostacy, v. 22. They who think this an evidence that Manasseh did not truly repent, forget how many good kings had wicked sons. Only, it should seem that Manasseh was in this defective, that when he cast out the images, he did not utterly deface and destroy them, according to the law which required them to burn the images with fire, Deut. 7. 5. How necessary that law was, this instance shows; for the carved images being only thrown by, and not burned, Amon knew where to find them, soon set them up, and sacrificed to them. It is added, to represent him exceeding sinful, and to justify God in cutting him off so soon, (1.) That he outdid his father in sinning; he trespassed more and more, v. 23. His father did ill, but he did worse. They that were joined to idols, grew more and more mad upon them. (2.) That he came short of his father in repenting; he humbled not himself before the Lord, as his father had humbled himself. He fell like him, but did not get up again like him. It is not so much sin, as impenitence in sin, that ruins men; not so much that they offend, as that they do not humble themselves for their offences; not the disease, but the neglect of the remedy.

2. His speedy destruction. He reigned but two years, and then his servants conspired against him and slew him, v. 24. Perhaps when Amon sinned, as his father did, in the beginning of his days, he promised himself that he should repent, as his father did, in the latter end of his days. But his case shows what a madness it is to presume upon that; if he hoped to repent when he was old, he was wretchedly disappointed; for he was cut off when he was young. He rebelled against God, and his own servants rebelled against him. Herein God was righteous, but they were wicked, and justly did the people of the land put them to death as traitors. The lives of kings are particularly under the protection of Providence, and the laws both of God and man.

NOTES TO CHAPTER XXXIV.

V. 1-7. Concerning Josiah we are told,

1. That he came to the crown when he was very young, but eight years old; yet his infancy did not debar him from his right, and he reigned thirty-one years, (v. 1,) a considerable time. I fear, however, that in the beginning of his reign, things went much as they had done in his father's fime, because, being a child, he must have left the management of them to others; so that it was not till his 12th year, which goes far in the number of his years, that the reformation began, v. 3. He could not, as Hezekiah did, fall about it immediately.

of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David | it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and his father, and declined neither to the right hand to "floor the houses which the kings of Judah had nor to the left. destroyed.

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.

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.

5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.

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.

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.

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.

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;

11 Even to the artificers and builders gave they

b Deut. 5 32. 17. 11, 20. 28. 14. Joah. 1.7. e Prov. 8. 17. Ec. 12. 1. d Lev. 26. 30. e c. 33. 17, 22. • or, sun images, c. 14. 5. 2 Kings 23. 4. ↑ face of the graves. g1 Kings 13. 2. tor, mauls. to make powder. h Deut. 9. 21. 2 Kings 12. 4. or, rafter. k c. 31. 12. Neh. 7. 2. 1 Cor. 4. 2. I c. 2. 18. Neb. 4. 10.

2. That he reigned well, (v. 2,) approved himself to God, trod in the steps of David, and did not decline either to the right hand or to the left; for there are errors on both hands.

3. That while he was young, about sixteen years old, he began to seek after God, v. 3. We have reason to think that he had not so good an education as Manasseh had; it is well if those about him did not endeavour to corrupt and debauch him; yet he thus sought God when he was young. It is the duty and interest of young people, and will particularly be the honour of young gentlemen as soon as they come to years of understanding, to begin to seek God; for they that seek him early, shall find him.

4. That in his twelfth year, when, it is probable, he took the administration of the government entirely into his own hands, he began to purge his kingdom from the remains of idolatry; he destroyed the high places, groves, images, altars, all the utensils of idolatry, v. 3, 4. He not only cast them out as Manasseh did, but brake them to pieces, and made dust of them, This destruction of idolatry is here said to be in his twelfth year, but it was said, 2 Kings 23. 23, to be in his eighteenth year; something was done toward it now in his twelfth year; then he began to purge out idolatry, but, probably, that good work met with opposition, so that it was not thoroughly done till they had found the book of the law six years after; but here the whole work is laid together briefly, which was much more largely and particularly related in the Kings. His zeal carried him out to do this, not only in Judah and Jerusalem, but in the cities of Israel too, as far as he had any influence upon them.

V. 8-13. Here, 1. Orders are given by the king for the repair of the temple, v. 8. When he had purged the house of the corruptions of it, he began to fit it up for the services that were to be performed in it. Thus we must do by the spiritual temple of the heart: get it cleansed from the pollutions of sin, and then renewed, so as to be transformed into the image of God. Josiah, in this order, calls God the Lord his God; they that truly love God, will love the habitation of his house.

2. Care is taken about it, effectual care; the Levites went about the country, and gathered money towards it, which was returned to the three trustees mentioned, v. 8. They brought it to Hilkiah the high priest, (v. 9,) and he and they put it into the hands of workmen, both overseers and labourers, who undertook to do it by the great, as we say, or in the gross, v. 10, 11.

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 music.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king:

19 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.

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,

21 Go, inquire 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.

22 And Hilkiah, and they that the king had

m 1 Chr. 23. 4. 5. " Deut. 17, 18, 19. Josh. 1. 8. by the hand of o Jer. 36. 20, 21. to the hand of. † poured out, or, melted. 11 in it. p ́Rom. 7. 7, 9. $5 or, Achbor, 2 Kings 22. 12. 9 Jer. 21. 2. Ez. 14. 1, &c. 20. 1, § c T Is. 37. 4. Lev. 26, 14, &c. Deut. 28. 15, &c. 29. 18-28. 30. 17-19. 31. 16-22. 32. 15-25. Rom. 1. 18. 2 8-12.

It is observed that the workmen were industrious and honest, they did the work faithfully, (v. 12;) and workmen are not completely faithful if they are not both careful and diligent, for a confidence is reposed in them that they will be so. It is also intimated that the overseers were ingenious; for it is said that all those who were employed to inspect this work, who could skill of instruments of music; not that their skill in music could be of any use in architecture, but it was an evidence that they were men of sense and ingenuity, and particularly that their genius lay toward the mathematics, which qualified them very much for this trust. Witty men are then wise men, when they employ their wit in doing good, in helping their friends, and, as they have opportunity, in serving the public. Observe, in this work, how God dispenses his gifts variously; here were some that were bearers of burdens, cut out for bodily labour, and fit to work. Here were others (made meliori luto-of finer materials) that had skill in music, and they were overseers of them that laboured, and scribes and officers; the former were the hands, these were the heads; they had need of one another, and the work needed both. Let not the overseers of the work despise the bearers of burdens, nor let them that work in the service, grudge at those whose office is to direct; but let each esteem and serve the other in love, and God have the glory, and the church the benefit, of the different gifts and dispositions of both.

V. 14-28. This whole paragraph we had just as it is here related, 2 Kings 22. 8-20, and have nothing to add here to what was there observed.

But, 1. We may hence take occasion to bless God that we have plenty of bibles, and that they are, or may be, in all hands ; that the book of the law and Gospel is not lost, is not scarce; that, in this sense, the word of the Lord is not precious. Bibles are jewels, but, thanks be to God, they are not rarities. The fountain of the waters of life is not a spring shut up, or a fountain sealed, but the streams of it, in all places, make glad the city of our God: Usus communis aquarum-These waters flow for general use. What a great deal shall we have to answer for, if the great things of God's law, being thus made common, should be accounted by us as strange things!

2. We may hence learn, whenever we read or hear the word of God, to affect our hearts with it, and to get them possessed

appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of *Hazrah, keeper of the wardrobe ; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college ;) and they spake to her to that effect.

23 And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me,

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:

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.

26 And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, concerning the words which thou hast heard;

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.

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.

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Vor, Harhas, 2 Kings 22. 14. † garments. tor, school, or, second part, t Jer. 6. 19. 19. 3, 15. 35, 17. Is. 42. 25. Jer. 7. 20. Lam. 2. 4. 4. 11. c. 33. 12, 13. Ps. 34. 18.51. 17. Is. 57. 15. 66. 2. Ez. 9. 4. to Jam. 4. 6, 10. Ps. 10. 17. 1s. 65. 24.

with a holy fear of that wrath of God, which is there revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, as Josiah's tender heart was. When he heard the words of the law, he rent his clothes, (v. 19;) and God was well pleased with his doing so, v. 27. Were the things contained in the scripture new to us, as they were here to Josiah, surely they would make deeper impressions upon us than commonly they do; but they are never the less weighty, and therefore should not be the less considered by us, for their being well known. Rend the heart therefore, not the garments.

3. We are here directed, when we are under convictions of sin, and apprehensions of divine wrath, to inquire of the Lord; so Josiah did, v. 21. It concerns us to ask, as they did, Acts 2. 37, Men and brethren, what shall we do? And more particularly, as the jailer, saying, What must I do to be saved? Acts 16.30. If ye will thus inquire, inquire ye, (Is. 21. 12;) and, blessed be God, we have the lively oracles to which to apply ourselves with these inquiries.

4. We are here warned of the ruin that sin brings upon nations and kingdoms. They that forsake God, bring evil upon themselves, (v. 24, 25,) and kindle a fire which shall not be quenched; such will the fire of God's wrath be, when the decree is gone forth against those that obstinately and impenitently persist in their wicked ways.

5. We are here encouraged to humble ourselves before God, and seek unto him, as Josiah did: if we cannot prevail thereby to turn away God's wrath from our land, yet we shall deliver our own souls, v. 27, 28. And good people are here taught to be so far from fearing death, as to welcome it rather when it takes them away from the evil to come. See how the property of it is altered by making it the matter of a promise: Thou shall be gathered to thy grave in peace; housed in that ark, as Noah, when a deluge is coming.

V. 29-33. We have here an account of the further advances which Josiah made toward the reformation of his kingdom, upon the hearing of the law read, and the receipt of the message God sent him by the prophetess. Happy the people that had such a king for here we find,

1. That they were well taught. He did not go about to force them to their duty, till he had first instructed them in it. He called all the people together, great and small, young and old, rich and poor, high and low; He that hath ears to hear, let him hear the words of the book of the covenant; for they are all concerned in those words. To put an honour upon the service, and to engage attention the more, though there were priests and Levites present, the king himself read the book to the people, (v. 30,) and he read it, no doubt, in such a manner as to show that he was himself affected with it, which would be a means of affecting the hearers.

2. That they were well fixed. The articles of agreement between God and Israel being read, that they might intelligently covenant with God, both king and people here, with great solemnity, do as it were subscribe the articles. The king in

29 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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We are here to attend Josiah, I. To the temple, where we see his religious care for the due observance of the ordinance of the passover, according to the law, v. 1-19. 11. To the field of battle, where we see his rashness, in engaging with the king of Egypt, and how dear it cost him, v. 20-28. 111. To the grave, where we see him bitterly lamented, v. 44-27. And so we must take our leave of Josiah.

MOREOVER, em: and they killed the passOREOVER, Josiah kept a passover unto the over on the fourteenth day of the first month. y 1 Kings 21. 29. 2 Kings 20. 19. z 2 Kings 23. 1, &c. from great even to small, a 2 Kings 11. 14. c. 6. 13. b Jer 50, 5. e Ps. 119, 111, 112. d Pr. 119. 106. found. e 1 Kings 11. 5. Jer. 3. 10. Hos. 6. 4. ¶ after. a 2 Kings 23. 21, &c. b Ex. 12. 6. Ezra 6. 19.

his place covenanted to keep God's commandments with all his heart and soul, according to what was written in the book, (v. 31,) and urged the people to declare their consent likewise to this covenant, and solemnly to promise that they would faithfully perform, fulfil, and keep, all and every thing that was on their part to be done, according to this covenant: this they did; they could not for shame do otherwise. He caused all that were present to stand to it, (v. 32,) and made them all to serve, even to serve the Lord their God, (v. 33,) to do it, and to make a business of it; he did all he could to bring them to it; to serve, even to serve; the repetition denotes that that was the only thing his heart was set on; he aimed at nothing else in what he did, but to engage them to God and their duty.

3. That they were well tended; were honest with good looking to. All his days, they departed not from following the Lord; he kept them, with much ado, from running into idolatry again. All his days were days of restraint upon them; but this intimated that there was in them a bent to backslide, a strong inclination to idolatry; many of them wanted nothing but to have him out of the way, and then they would have their high places and their images up again. And therefore we find that in the days of Josiah, (Jer. 3. 6,) God charged it upon treacherous Judah, that she had not returned to him with all her heart, but feignedly, (v. 10,) nay, had played the harlot, (v. 8,) and thereby had even justified backsliding Israel, v. 11. In the 23d year of this reign, four or five years after this, they had gone on to provoke God to anger with the works of their hands, Jer. 25. 3-7. And, which is very observable, it is from the beginning of Josiah's reformation, his 12th or 13th year, that the iniquity of the house of Judah, which brought ruin upon them, and which the prophet was to bear lying on his right side, was dated, Ez. 4.6. For from thence to the destruction of Jerusalem was just forty years. Josiah was sincere in what he did, but the generality of the people were averse to it, and hankered after their idols still; so that the reformation, though well designed, and well prosecuted, by the prince, had little or no effect upon the people. It was with reluctancy that they parted with their idols; still they were in heart joined to them, and wished for them again. This God saw, and therefore, from that time, when one would have thought the foundations had been laid for a perpetual security and peace, from that very time, did the decree go forth for their destruction. Nothing hastens the ruin of a people, nor ripens them for it more, than the baffling of hopeful attempts for reformation, and a hypocritical return to God, Be not deceived, God is not mocked.

NOTES TO CHAPTER XXXV.

V. 1-19. The destruction which Josiah made of idols and idolatry, was more largely related in the Kings, and but just mentioned here in the foregoing chapter, v. 33. But his solemnizing of the passover, which was but touched upon there, 2 Kings 23. 21, is very particularly related here. Many were the feasts of the Lord, appointed by the ceremonial law but the

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