FEATURED STUDY | May 13, 2026 | A Study on Chapter 22 of the Book of 2 Kings
The Book of the Law Found
During a 2002 press briefing on possible weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Donald Rumsfeld famously discussed known knowns, known unknowns and unknown unknowns. He said that there were things we know, things we know we don’t know and things we don’t know that we don’t know. Rumsfeld was saying that there were incalculable risks associated with weapons that Iraq might possess. In our study of 2nd Kings chapter 22, we see a king who discovered unknown unknown unknowns. He didn’t know what he didn’t know and he was unaware that he didn’t know. He was blessed and cursed with the bliss of ignorance.
Like his father Manasseh, Josiah became king at a young age as he was only 8 years old when he ascended to the throne after his father was assassinated. He did what was right in the eyes of God, a description that fit other kings, but none had the added language that he turned neither to the right or left. We will merge this chapter with 2nd Chronicles chapter 34 which provides additional information about this great king.
In the 8th year of his reign, he began to seek God at the age of 16. When he was 20, he began to eliminate objects of pagan worship. He purged high place, Asherah poles, altars, idols and images and had them broken to pieces and scattered on the graves of those who worshipped them. He burned the bones of the priests who had embraced idol worship and even went to some of the northern tribes to continue his purge.
In his 18th year, he ordered the temple to be purified and repaired. He sent his secretary Shaphan to the temple to have the priest Hilkiah to get money ready to pay the workers who were making the repairs. Not only was money given by inhabitants of Judah, but some people from the northern tribes contributed as well. Apparently, the very thing that Jeroboam feared came true, true believers recognized that the temple was God’s chosen place of worship (see 1st Kings 12:27).
While the money was being brought from the temple, Hilkiah found the Book of the Law and gave it to Shaphan. Then Shaphan took the book and reported to Josiah that the money had been paid out to the workers, then he said “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book”. He read from the book and Josiah tore his robes in anguish. He ordered Hilkiah and several other men to inquire of God about what was written. He said that God’s anger against them was great because their fathers had not kept the word of God.
The men went to the prophetess Huldah to seek God’s counsel. She told the men that God said that He would bring disaster on the place and the people, all the curses written in the book that was read to Josiah. This is an indication that what may have been read to Josiah was the book of Deuteronomy (see Deut. 28:15-68). We have no record of when the Book of the Law went missing. In Deut. 31:26, Moses had the book placed in the ark and in 31:10 he required that the book be read to the people every 7 years. God said that because they had provoked Him through their idol worship that His anger would burn and not be quenched. He told the men to tell Josiah that because he humbled himself and wept that he would not see the disaster coming to Judah in his lifetime.
Josiah called people from all over Judah and Benjamin to come to the temple where he read to them all the words of the book that had been found. He renewed the covenant with God and had the people pledge themselves to it. The chapter ends by noting that so long as Josiah lived, the people did not fail to follow God. Unlike his grandfather Hezikiah, Josiah was not content with the knowledge that Judah would not fall during his lifetime. He did all that was in his power to convince the people to turn towards God.
The reactions of Hilkiah and Shaphan to the reading of the book are noteworthy. While Josiah immediately realized that they were in danger of God’s judgement, the other 2 men seemingly considered that finding the book was of no significance. Josiah’s reaction indicates not just a fear of God’s wrath but also a genuine remorse over his own failure to live up to the covenant God had made with Israel.
I also note that the prophetess warned of God’s anger but as we discussed last week, it was the job of the prophets to teach, rebuke then announce the impending judgement. It could be that few prophets were left after the reign of terror imposed by Manasseh.
Finally, we have all heard that ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking the law. Romans 1:18-20 says that God has made His identity plain to man and that His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen. Regardless of his ignorance of the written law, Josiah seemed to have an innate knowledge of God’s righteousness.
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