A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 23
2 Kings CHAP. XXIII.
THE Firſt Part of this Chapter is Joſiah's calling a General Council to Renew their Covenant with God, ver. 1, 2, 3. and 2 Chron. 34. ver. 29, to the end.
Remark the Firſt: The Prophets that were preſent at this Council (ſaith Menochius) were undoubtedly Jeremy, (with Baruch,) Zephany, Ʋrijah, (of whom we read, Jer. 26.20, &c.) and Huldah the Propheteſs; to which Vatablus adds, that tho' theſe ſame were at firſt abſent, yet through the care of this Godly King, they were all call'd to Aſſiſt in the Aſſembly; yea, and the Children of the Propheteſs alſo, and the People of all ſorts, becauſe all had Sinned, and ſo all are call'd to repent of their Sins.
Remark the Second; Joſiah call'd this Convocation, that he might enſure the Promiſe to himſelf the better, and if poſſible, to avert the Judgments of God threatned againſt the People by Huldah the Propheteſs: He cauſed one of the Prieſts to read the Covenant contained in that Book of Moſes's Manuſcript, and he conſtrained by his Royal Authority all that were preſent to take the Covenant, 2 Chron. 34.33. ſaith Junius; to which Lavater adds, N. B. Good God, what need have we of another Joſiah at this time, when ſo many Abuſes abound among us?
Remark the Third; The People pretended and profeſſed that they would ſtand to the Covenant in forſaking Idolatry, and in following the Commands of the True Jehovah, giving their Perſonal conſent each for himſelf, and binding themſelves by Oath to perform it; but the moſt of them Diſſembled, as is apparent (1.) from the Prophet's complaint concerning them in the time of Joſiah's Life, Jerem. 3.6, 10, 11. They turned not to God with all their heart but dealt deceitfully, and therefore he exhorts them to Plow up their Fallow Ground, &c. Jerem. 4.3. and waſh thy ſelf from wickedneſs, &c. ver. 14. And (2.) 'tis apparent by the Peoples Revolting and running ſo openly and impudently into Idoaltry after Joſiah's death: Yet this good King, hoping the beſt of them brought them to be bound to their good Behaviour by the Sacred Bonds of this Solemn Covenant, who himſelf ſtood to it ſincerely and with his whole heart, tho' they ſtood to it feignedly and with their mouth only.
The Second Part of this Chapter, 2 Kings 23. is a larger Amplification of this good King's Reformation, from ver. 4, to ver. 27. which he began in the Twelfth Year of his Reign, 2 Chron. 34.3. the farther carrying on of which is deſcribed there, ver. 4, 5, 6, 7. Jeremy began to Propheſy in the 13th. Year of Joſiah, Jer. 1.2. to help forward his begun. Reformation, which yet went on very ſlowly; not through any Negligence in Upright Joſiah, but by backwardneſs of both Princes and People, in whom Idolatry was ſo faſt Rooted, that Joſiah ſpent his 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 Years in its extirpation, and 'twas not till his 18th. Year, 2 Chron. 34.8. that the Copy of the Law written with Moſes's own hand, was found in the Temple, &c. as is ſpoken of before: Tho' ſome do ſuppoſe that this Reformation (here related) was wrought before upon the Grounds afore mentioned; yet let us take a freſh Review of it as it lies Recorded in order of Place in this Chapter, (omitting the order of Time) and then may we admire (with Dr. Lightfoot) the Remiſſneſs of both Princes and People, in Retarding this Reformation which Zealous Joſiah began in his Twelfth Year; yet 'tis almoſt incredible how much Filth remained to be removed in his Eighteenth Year, as 2 Kings 23. relates.
Remark the Firſt, Upon his Reforming the Temple and Places adjacent.
Mark 1. He Removed all thoſe Veſſels, and Ʋtenſils that had been made for the Worſhip of Baal, ver. 4. and tho' ſome of them doubtleſs were of precious Matter and curious Workmanſhip, yet this pious King would not permit them to continue, but either burnt them, or pounded them into Duſt near to the Brook Kidron; and ſuch was good Joſiah's Abhorrency of them, that he did not caſt the Aſhes of thoſe Abominable things into that Town-Ditch, &c. (they ſhall not have any place in his Kingdom, that Holy Land of Judah, ſaith Cajetan) but carrys them to Bethel belonging to the Ten Tribes, to pollute that place which had been the chief Throne of Idolatry, ſay Junius, Vatablus and Grotius: Jeroboam's Golden Calf there had turned Beth-el, the Houſe of God, into Beth-aven, Hoſ. 10.5. an Houſe of Wickedneſs, as their Names Hebr. do ſignifie. The filthy Duſt of thoſe Mawmets muſt not be allowed to lie near Jeruſalem, (ſaith Lavater) but it was carried about eight Miles from thence to diſgrace that Idolatrous City Bethel.
Mark 2. This zealous King Depoſed the Idolatrous Prieſts, &c. ver. 5. call'd Chemarims, Hebr. not only becauſe they wore black Cloaths (as the word ſignifies) after a Superſtitious faſhion, which is the concurrent opinion of Junius, Piſcator, Mercerus, Munſterus, Montanus, Pagnin, &c.) but alſo becauſe they were Tinged, Singed, and burnt black inwardly with an Hell-fire-fervency for a falſe Religion, ſaith Avenarius, &c. N. B. The Prophet Hoſea ſpeaks of thoſe Prieſts, Hebr. Chemarims, Hoſ. 10.5. affecting a black Habit, Sanctimoniae Ergô, for Sanctimony's ſake: And the Prophet Zephany ſaith in Joſiah's Day, that God will cut off the Name of the Chemarims, Zeph. 1.4. namely, Baal's Chimney Chaplains, black Sooty Fellows, like thoſe Greaſie Maſs-Prieſts or Abby-Lubbers in the Romiſh Church. Elias in Tisbi ſaith, theſe Atratei Black-coats were ſhut up in Cloyſters, and the Jewiſh Rabbins call the Monks Chemarims. Many Men (addicted to Idolatry) entertained thoſe Chemarims in Joſiah's time, Jer. 3.6. Zeph. 1.1, 4. as too many do Harbour Maſs-Prieſts in our Times); thoſe Joſiah cut off, according to Zephany's Prophecy, &c.
Mark 3. Joſiah Deſtroyed the Idolatrous Grove, ver. 6. either that Grove which was planted nigh the Temple, (as Flaccherus ſuppoſeth) wherein the Image of Baal was Worſhipped after the manner of the Gentiles, who Worſhipped Priapus in Groves, after which they committed all laſcivious Beaſtiality in promiſcuous Copulations; therefore the Lord forbade by his Law, the Planting of any ſuch Groves, Deut. 16.21. becauſe it was the practice of Idolaters, 1 Kings 15.13. and might be the occaſion of reviving that abominable Idolatry: Or rather, this was a Repreſentation of that Grove, or the Image of it, becauſe 'tis ſaid [He brought out the Grove from the Houſe of the Lord,] ver. 6. and we read of an Image with a Carved Grove about it, 2 Kings 21.7. that, not God in the Temple, but the Devil in the Grove, might be Worſhipped, ſaith Sanctius: And this Image he ſtamp'd ſmall to Powder at the Brook Kidron, and the Powder thereof he poured upon the Groves of that Raſcality, which had been ſet on Miſchief, as Exod. 32.22, 23. and which had Worſhip'd the Groves, 2 Chron. 34.4. And this Bastardly Brood (ſo call'd) was probably Buried in this infamous place, as a brand of Ignominy put upon them, ſaith Tirinus: All this was done (ſaith Junius) in deteſtation of Idolatry, and for Caution to them that ſtill lived.
Mark 4. Joſiah extirpated the curſed Cells or Seats of the Sodomites, ver. 7. thoſe abominable Brothel-Houſes, in which Males proſtitute their Bodies to Males, which was both a Puniſhment of Idolatry, Rom. 1.23, 24, 27. and a part of their Idol-worſhip, practiſed at the Inſtigation of that impure and diabolical Spirit worſhip'd in the Idol, ſaith Lavater, from 1 Kings 15.12, 13. and wickedneſs was ſo far ſpread in this Time (ſaith Sanctius) that thoſe heinous Sodomites drove a gainful Trade, even in the Temple it ſelf, and their ſpiritual Pollution involved them into ſuch carnal Luſts, as the very Women were not aſhamed (ſay Sanctius and Oſiander) to Weave Curtains for hiding the Mens ſhameleſs Sodomy, acted even by the Prieſts of the Groves, &c.
Remark the Second, Joſiah's Reformation (after the Temple) in City and Countrey.
Mark 1. He demoliſh'd all the High Places from the North to the South Coaſt of the Countrey without Partiality, ver. 8. neither ſparing thoſe Prieſts of Aaron's Line, though they ſacrificed not to Idols (ſaith Menochius) but to the true God, yet becauſe they did it in a forbidden Place, Deut. 12.11. therefore he depoſed them from their Offices: Nor did he ſpare the Rich more than the Poor (ſaith Junius) for when he had polluted all the high Places in other Cities (to take away their ſuppoſed Sanctity, ſaith Grotius) he found an High Place erected by Joſhun the Governour of the City at the very Gate, after the manner of the Pagans; who placed their Tutelar, or guardian-Gods at the Gates of their Cities: This Joſhua in Joſiah's Day, was a great Man and had a good Name, Heb but was a bad Man and of a ſuperſtitious Nature: He had complied with the Iniquity of former times, in ſetting up an high Place at the Gate nigh his Palace, yet Joſiah's Zeal ſpar'd it not.
Mark 2. Joſiah's candour toward thoſe Prieſts deſcended from Aaron, ver. 9. for though they had not kept the charge of the Lord, but had foully apoſtatized in ſacrificing to God in forbidden Places, either for fear or for favour becoming Time ſervers, and comporting with Idolatrous Kings, and therefore muſt bear their Iniquity; namely, they and their Poſterity muſt be degraded from their Prieſtly Functions, as a Puniſhment thereof, ſaith Menochius. N.B. Other faults (ſaith Grotius) in the Prieſts were pardoned if they proved Penitent, he did not remove them from their Sacerdotal Offices, but for Idolatry and Worſhipping God in unlawful Places did Degrade them; yet becauſe theſe were, 1. Levites of Aaron's Race, though lapſed and hurried down the ſtream of Temptation in former Times. And 2. They were Penitents, falling by Infirmity, but riſing again by Repentance (Poena or Puniſhment and Penitency are near of kin, being Words of the ſame Derivation) therefore for the Honour of the Prieſthood, this Pious King takes care of their maintenance, when laid aſide from the Service of God's Altar, as Neh. 13.28. Such an one was that temporizing Prieſt, Nehemiah chaſed from him: But a fuller Example hereof is in Ezek. 44.10, 11, 12, 13, 14. they yet were to live out of that allowance for the Prieſt, ver. 29, 30. Lev. 2.4, 5, 10, 11. and 24.5, 6, &c. Junius well obſerveth, that their ſpiritual Blemiſh put them into the very ſame State, which corporal Blemiſhes brought them into, Lev. 21.17, 18.
Mark. 3. Joſiah defiled Topheth, ver. 10. a pleaſant Valley near Jeruſalem, wherein Idolatrous Kings had cruelly tortur'd and tormented their own Children by burning them to Molech, Chap. 16.3. Jer. 7.31. call'd Topheth (ſaith Junius) from Toph a Drum which was there beaten, leſt the Father ſhould hear the moſt horrible howlings of his Child burning in the Fire. N.B. From this abominable abuſe of this Valley of Hinnom, Tophet was taken for Hell, Iſa. 30.33. which in Matth. 5.22. is call'd Gehenna from this Valley of Hinnom, repreſenting that place of Torment without End and paſt Imagination. This fruitful Valley zealous Joſiah defiled by Dung and dead Mens Bones, &c. (ſaith Lavater) to prevent the like abuſes for ever.
Mark 4. He likewiſe took away the Horſes of the Sun, &c. ver. 11. which were either, 1. Carved Horſes, to which were adjoined a carved Chariot with the Picture of the Sun, according to the Cuſtome of the Perſians, &c. as Sanctius ſaith: Or 2. They were rather living Horſes, becauſe had they been graven Work, the Scripture would have expreſs'd the Matter they had been made of, as it doth of Aaron's golden Calf, and Moſes's brazen Serpent, &c. beſide (ſaith Lavater) 'tis ſaid, he only took away thoſe Horſes, but burnt them not; whereas the Chariot he burnt, and 'tis not ſaid, he took it away, &c. N. B. Thoſe Horſes were kept to carry the Sun-worſhippers in a Chariot with ſpeed every Morning to worſhip the Sun at its firſt peeping forth. This Nathan Melech (which ſignifies the King's Gift) though a Courtier, thought it an Honour to be Groom of the Suns's Stable, but Joſiah ſpoil'd his Honour and all elſe, &c.
Mark 5. Joſiah brake down all the Altars, ver. 12. whereof ſome were built upon the Roof of the Royal Palace (ſo mad were they upon their Idols) and others in the two Courts of the Temple; not being content with the common and publick High Places and Altars, they would have ſuch in private for ſecret Service: And though Manaſſeh after his Repentance had demoliſh'd what he had made, 2 Chron. 33.15. yet he did not ſo aboliſh the Foundations of them utterly; hence they became Snares to his Succeſſors (ſaith Grotius) Jer. 19.13. Zeph. 1.5. thoſe Idolatrous Kings (ſaith Menochius) worſhipp'd the Hoſt of Heaven at their Altars on their Houſe-tops, but pious Joſiah in Poſt-haſte (as Ruts, Heb. ſignifies) pull'd them all down perfectly.
Mark 6. He deſtroy'd the High Places which Solomon in the time of his Apoſtaſy had built, to gratifie his Foreign Miſtriſſes, 1 Kings 11.5, 6, 7. and that upon Mount Olivet, ver. 13. here even in the ſight of the Sanctuary: So this Impudency did outface the great Jehovah, who could not look out of his Temple (the place of his Habitation) but he ſaw thoſe abominable Idols upon that Vile-Hill, which therefore he calleth here, not Har-Hamiſcah, the Mount of Anointing or Olives (as Piſcator well obſerves) but Har-Hamaſchith, the Mount of Corruption; for here the People had corrupted themſelves with Idolatry, as 'tis ſaid, Exod. 32.17. and Deut. 32.5. all thoſe Idols are call'd Abominations, becauſe they were abominable in themſelves, and made their Worſhippers abominable to God; yet had they not made the place it ſelf ſo abominable, but afterward it became our Saviour's Oratory, or uſual Place of Prayer, whither he was wont (when at Jeruſalem) to retire for Privacy, Luke 21.37. and 22.39. N.B. From whence we may learn, that ſuch Places as have been abuſed to Idolatry, may yet be afterward uſed for God's Service, eſpecially when God raiſeth up ſuch a Reformer as Joſiah was, who removed all thoſe Abominations, notwithſtanding the Authority of Solomon was upon them, wherein he excell'd all the Kings that went before him, &c.
Mark 7. Good Joſiah brake in pieces all the Images, &c. ver. 14. thoſe that were the moſt curious Mawmets and Monuments of Idolatry he ſpared not, though undoubtedly ſome corrupt Courtiers about him, could have wiſh'd the contrary: No doubt, but they pitied that thoſe prancing Horſes of the Sun (the ſwifteſt Creatures dedicated to the ſwifteſt God, ſaith Xenophon) ſhould be kill'd, and the curiouſly fram'd Chariots burnt; but Zeal tranſports this pious King to make away with all, cutting down the moſt delicate ſhady Groves, and fills them with the Bones of thoſe Idolatrous Prieſts, which he caus'd to be digg'd out of their Graves, ver. 16, 18. by this means (ſaith Vatablus) he polluted their Places of Idolatry, as ver. 8, 10. knowing that, eſpecially among the Jews, the leaſt touch of a dead Carkaſs or its Bones, would horribly contract a legal Contamination; ſo they would never frequent thoſe Places (where Dead-mens Bones lay) in ſuch a ſuperſtitious Manner, as formerly they had done.
Remark the Third, His Reformation in Iſrael, after that in Judah.
Mark 1. Moreover Joſiah went to Bethel, ver. 15. which belong'd to the ten Tribes, 1 Kings 13.1. ſaith Vatablus, but Lavater addeth, this good King did not ſtretch his Power beyond his Bounds, notwithſtanding; for the ten Tribes being now in Captivity, the Land of Iſrael ſeem'd now returned to its right old Landlord of the Houſe of David, and though this was ſuſpended for a Time, by God's grant of the ten Tribes to Jeroboam and his Succeſſors, yet theſe being all extinct, it returns to Joſiah, eſpecially ſeeing God had both predicted and promiſed, that this ſame King by Name ſhould do this, 1 Kings 13.2. whereby Joſiah had Power from God, who ordain'd him, and commanded him to do it. Thus Joſiah rightly began his Reformation at Bethel in an abandon'd Land.
Mark 2. Some Sepulchres he ſearched, namely thoſe of the Idolatrous Prieſts, ver. 16. whoſe Bones he digg'd up and burnt them upon Jeroboam's Altar to pollute it for Idolatrous uſe, this had been foreſeen and foretold above three hundred Years before, 1 Kings 13.2. Their Sins God puniſh'd in the Place where they had been committed, and God's forbearance for ſo long a Time was no forgiveneſs in God's Decree. Nor doth the King truſt his Officers, but ſees all done with his own Eyes, wherewith he eſpied another Sepulchre which he moleſted not, ver. 17, 18. namely, that of the Man of God that had predicted theſe things, 1 Kings 13.2, 11, 30, 31. probably this was known by ſuch a Grave ſtone as Jacob ſet upon Rachel's Grave, Gen. 35.20. with ſome Inſcription upon it: When he ſaw it, he ſaid [Let no Man move his Bones] which ſhews God's care, that the dry Bones of his Servants, may quietly reſt: And the Bones of that old lying Prophet fared the better for being mixed together with the Bones of the Man of God, but eſpecially becauſe he believed the Truth, 1 Kings 13.32.
Mark 3. And ſo he goes on with Reformation throughout the whole Country and Kingdom of Iſrael call'd oft Samaria, as here, ver. 19. and 2 Kings 17.24. he deſtroy'd all Relicks of Idolatry in Samaria, as he had done at Bethel: As for the Royal City Samaria it ſelf, it is not ſaid, that Joſiah entred into it, for the Inhabitants thereof did cleave cloſe to their Idols, 2 Kings 17.41. ſome ſuppoſe, that the King of Babylon (needing Hezekiah's aſſiſtance againſt the Aſſyrian his Mortal Enemy) might enlarge Hezekiah's Dominion over the then abandon'd Countrey of the ten Tribes, at leaſt in Matters of Religion, as ſeems probable from 2 Chron. 30.1, 4▪ 5, 6. and the ſame Power ſeems to be continued by the King of Babylon to Manaſſeh, betwixt whom there was ſome League, upon which he was return'd home to his Kingdom, 2 Chron. 33.13. and this Dominion over Iſrael might accordingly deſcend down to Joſiah, indenting with him and his Predeceſſors to defend the King of Babylon againſt the King of Egypt, who therefore was ſo zealous againſt Pharaoh-Necho, 2 Chron. 35.20, &c. If ſo, then Joſiah was not over buſie beyond his bounds in Reforming Iſrael, as well as Judah.
Mark 4. Joſiah ſlew the Prieſts, ver. 20. namely, ſuch as Jeroboam had made of the meaneſt of the People, 1 King 12.31. ſaith Menochius, and Grotius ſuppoſeth, theſe Prieſts of the High Places reſiſted Joſiah in his Reformation, or if they did not, their Ʋſurpation was Death by God's Law, Numb. 3.10. or they were the Prieſts of Baal, 2 Chron. 34.4. where 'tis ſaid, He broke down the Altars of Baalim, for as Lavater well obſerveth, when the Aſſyrians departed home with their Captives out of Iſrael, Chap. 17. of 2 Kings, many Iſraelites who had hid themſelves in other Countreys, returned home with their Prieſts, and ſet up their old Idolatry again; thoſe therefore were the Prieſts whom Joſiah found, to whom he would ſhew no ſuch Mercy, as he had done to the Prieſts of Aaron's Line, ver. 8, 9. but ſlew them and offer'd them up as Brute Victims (ſaith Lavater) upon their own Idolatrous Altars, burning their Bones upon them, whereby he did defile them, as ver. 16.
Mark 5. Joſiah rooted out moreover all the Wizards, &c, ver. 24. of which ſee Lev. 19.31, and 20 27. Numb. 22.5. Deut. 18.11. and the Teraphims, Images of Men (ſuch as Michol put into David's Bed, 1 Sam. 19.13.) by which the Heathens conſulted, Ezek. 21.21. and Anſwers were return'd by them, Zech. 10.2. either by the ſubtlety of Satan, or by the Forgery of the Prieſts: And he deſtroyed alſo all other Monuments of Idolatry, which he found in Judah as well as in Iſrael, he did all he could poſſibly do to prevent that utter Devaſtation of his Countrey foretold by the Prophets, but the Decree was even ready to bring forth, Zeph. 2.2. and there was no reverſing it.
Remark the Fourth, Joſiah's Celebration of the Paſſover, ver. 21, 22. 2 Chron. 35.
Mark 1. Sanctius ſaith here, ſo ſoon as Joſiah had aboliſh'd the falſe Worſhip (forbidden by God's Law) he now endeavours to ſet up the true worſhip of the Living God commanded by his Law, which Hilkiah had found, Chap. 22.8. and now had been read to them all.
Mark 2. The Paſſover was a moſt ſacred and ſolemn Sacrament, and Ordinance of God, Exod. 12.1, &c. and had been much and long neglected, without which all their Sacrifices were accounted in vain, for this Ordinance gave Vigour, Virtue, and Value to all others, and no Iſraelite ought to want this Sacrament, which was both a Monument of their Deliverance paſt, and likewiſe a Type of the Meſſiah to come, therefore did Joſiah ſo zealouſly revive it.
Mark 3. Though this famous Paſſover be paſſed over, after a Compendious Manner, in 2 Kings 23.21, 22, 23. ſhewing only, 1. The Time of it, in the eighteenth Year of his Reign (ſuppoſed to be immediately after his renewing the Covenant, 2 Chron. 34.31, 32. and 35.1.) And 2. The Excellency of it, exceeding all former Paſſovers for ſuch Preparation, Humiliation, Deteſtation of Idolatry, and Reformation of Religion, &c. but 'tis more particularly deſcribed in 2 Chron. 35. from ver. 1, to 18.