2 Kings Chapter 22

“Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, etc.] And must be born when his father was but sixteen, for Amon lived but twenty four years, (<122119>2 Kings 21:19), and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem; and so must die at thirty nine years of age: and his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath; a city of the tribe of Judah, (see Gill on “<061539>Joshua 15:39”).”

“JOSIAH'S GOOD REIGN. (Kg2 22:1-2) Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign--Happier than his grandfather Manasseh, he seems to have fallen during his minority under the care of better guardians, who trained him in the principles and practice of piety; and so strongly had his young affections been enlisted on the side of true and undefiled religion, that he continued to adhere all his life, with undeviating perseverance, to the cause of God and righteousness.”

“In the eighteenth year - This is the date of the finding of the Book of the Law and of the Passover (marginal reference, and 2 Kings 23:23), but is not meant to apply to all the various reforms of Josiah as related in 2 Kings 23:4-20. The true chronology of Josiah’s reign is to be learned from 2Ch 34:3-8; 2 Chronicles 35:1. From these places it appear that at least the greater part of his reforms preceded the finding of the Book of the Law. He began them in the 12th year of his reign, at the age of 20, and had accomplishied all, or the greater part, by his 18th year, when the Book of the Law was found. Shaphan is…”

“The scribe - The secretary of state. 4 Kings (2 Kings) 22:8”

“22:1-2 Josiah ascended the throne of Judah in 640 BC. Like Joash (11:21), he was still a boy when he became king. He was faithful to the Lord, comparing favorably with David, like Asa (1 Kgs 15:11) and Hezekiah (2 Kgs 18:3). • doing what was right: Josiah’s conduct met the high standards of the law (Deut 17:11; 28:14).”

“am 3363-3394, bc 641-610 Josiah: This prince was one of the best, if not the best, of all the Jewish kings since the time of David. He began well, continued well, and ended well. Kg1 13:2; Ch2 34:1, 2-33; Jer 1:2; Zep 1:1; Mat 1:10, Josias eight years old: Kg2 11:21, Kg2 21:1; Psa 8:2; Ecc 10:16; Isa 3:4 Boscath: This was a city in the plain country of the tribe of Judah; and is mentioned in the parallel passage along with Lachish and Eglon. Jos 15:39, Bozkath 4 Kings (2 Kings) 22:2”

“Length and spirit of Josiah's reign. - Josiah (for the name, see at Kg1 13:2), like Hezekiah, trode once more in the footsteps of his pious forefather David, adhering with the greatest constancy to the law of the Lord. He reigned thirty-one years. As a child he had probably received a pious training from his mother; and when he had ascended the throne, after the early death of his godless father, he was under the guidance of pious men who were faithfully devoted to the law of the Lord, and who turned his heart to the God of their fathers, as was the case with Joash in Kg2 12:3, although there is no allusion to…”