Catholic Commentary on 2 Kings 22

"Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people - that they would become a curse and be laid waste - and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you." (2 Kings 22:19)

Josiah and the Book of the Law

Josiah begins his reign at eight years old and does right in all the ways of his ancestor David. In the eighteenth year of his reign, repairing the Temple, Hilkiah the priest finds the Book of the Law. It is read to Josiah. When the king hears the words, he tears his robes. He sends to inquire of the LORD through the prophetess Huldah. She delivers judgment: the LORD will bring disaster on this place and its people because they have abandoned him and burned incense to other gods. But to Josiah she says: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people - that they would become a curse and be laid waste - and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you. Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.

The rediscovery of the Book of the Law is the rediscovery of the covenant itself: the reform follows from the hearing of the word. The Catechism identifies the reading and hearing of Scripture as the source of reform in every generation (CCC 131).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, Josiah's heart was responsive and he tore his robes when he heard the law. The right response to hearing the word of God for the first time, or for the hundredth, is this: hear it as if it were addressed to you, feel its weight, and let it produce the action that the words require. When did you last tear your robes at the word of God?

Prayer

Lord God, make our hearts responsive like Josiah's. When we hear your word, let it reach us with full weight. Let us weep where weeping is required. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

22
Josiah Reigns in Judah
(2 Chronicles 34:1-2)
1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
Funding the Temple Repairs
(2 Chronicles 34:8-13)
 
3 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the scribe, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the house of the LORD, saying, 4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. 5 And let them deliver it into the hands of the supervisors of those doing the work on the house of the LORD, who in turn are to give it to the workmen repairing the damages to the house of the LORD- 6 to the carpenters, builders, and masons-to buy timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. 7 But they need not account for the money put into their hands, since they work with integrity.”
Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law
(2 Chronicles 34:14-21)
 
8 Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD!” And he gave it to Shaphan, who read it.
 
9 And Shaphan the scribe went to the king and reported, “Your servants have paid out the money that was found in the temple and have put it into the hands of the workers and supervisors of the house of the LORD.”
 
10 Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.
 
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes 12 and commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor * 22:12 Achbor is another name for Abdon; see 2 Chronicles 34:20. son of Micaiah,† 22:12 Micaiah is a variant of Micah; see 2 Chronicles 34:20. Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the servant of the king: 13 “Go and inquire of the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah concerning the words in this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book by doing all that is written about us.”
Huldah’s Prophecy
(2 Chronicles 34:22-28)
 
14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah,‡ 22:14 Tikvah is a variant of Tokhath; see 2 Chronicles 34:22. the son of Harhas,§ 22:14 Harhas is a variant of Hasrah; see 2 Chronicles 34:22. the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.* 22:14 Or the Second Quarter, a newer section of Jerusalem; Hebrew the Mishneh
 
15 And Huldah said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell the man who sent you 16 that this is what the LORD says: I am about to bring calamity on this place and on its people, according to all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read, 17 because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be kindled against this place and will not be quenched.’
 
18 But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for the words that you heard, 19 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its people, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,’ declares the LORD.
 
20 ‘Therefore I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place.’ ”
 
So they brought her answer back to the king.

*22:12 22:12 Achbor is another name for Abdon; see 2 Chronicles 34:20.

†22:12 22:12 Micaiah is a variant of Micah; see 2 Chronicles 34:20.

‡22:14 22:14 Tikvah is a variant of Tokhath; see 2 Chronicles 34:22.

§22:14 22:14 Harhas is a variant of Hasrah; see 2 Chronicles 34:22.

*22:14 22:14 Or the Second Quarter, a newer section of Jerusalem; Hebrew the Mishneh

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