II Chronicles 34:14
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While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD written by Moses.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This whole paragraph we had, just as it is here related, Kg2 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 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 (Ch2 34:19), and God was well pleased with his doing so, Ch2 34:27. 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 not 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 enquire of the Lord; so Josiah did, Ch2 34:21. It concerns us to ask (as they did, Act 2:37), Men and brethren, what shall we do? and more particularly (as the jailor), What must I do to be save…
Open source ↗34:14-18 The discovery of the Book of the Law of the Lord was one of the rewards for faithfulness. • The book that was written by Moses was probably Deuteronomy. It might have been neglected and lost during the apostasies of Manasseh or Amon.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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After Rehoboam had established his sovereignty and royal power, he and all Israel with him forsook the Law of the LORD.
These are the statutes, ordinances, and laws that the LORD established between Himself and the Israelites through Moses on Mount Sinai.
So they went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites at the doors had collected from the people of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all the remnant of Israel, Judah, and Benjamin, and from the people of Jerusalem.
These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction.
Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the straw, and as dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will decay and their blossoms will blow away like dust; for they have rejected the instruction of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us,’ when in fact the lying pen of the scribes has produced a deception?
For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Moreover, he commanded the people living in Jerusalem to make a contribution for the priests and Levites so that they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.
so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.”
As for the rest of the acts of Josiah, along with his deeds of loving devotion according to what is written in the Law of the LORD—