Chapter commentary
2 Chronicles Chapter 34
서론
Untitled
日本語
English original
Before we see Judah and Jerusalem ruined we shall yet see some glorious years, while good Josiah sits at the helm. By his pious endeavours for reformation God tried them yet once more; if they had known in this their day, the day of their visitation, the things that belonged to their peace and improved them, their ruin might have been prevented. But after this reign they were hidden from their eyes, and the next reigns brought an utter desolation upon them. In this chapter we have, I. A general account of Josiah's character, 2Ch 34:1,2. II. His zeal to root out idolatry, 2Ch 34:3-7. III. His care to repair the temple, 2Ch 34:8-13. IV. The finding of the book of the law and the good use made of it, 2Ch 34:14-28. V. The public reading of the law to the people and their renewing their covenant with God thereupon, 2Ch 34:29-33. Much of this we had 2Ki 22:1-20
1-33
The Reign of Josiah (623 BC)
日本語
ヨシヤの統治 (紀元前623年)
¹ ヨシヤは王位についたとき八歳で、エルサレムで三十一年間統治した。
² 彼は主の目に正しいことを行い、その父祖ダビデの道に歩み、右にも左にもそれなかった。
³ 彼はその治世の第八年に、まだ若かったが、その父祖ダビデの神を求め始めた。また第十二年にユダとエルサレムから高き所、アシェラ像、彫像、鋳造した像を清め始めた。
⁴ 彼らは彼の前でバアルの祭壇を打ち壊した。その上に高く立てられた香の祭壇を彼は切り倒し、アシェラ像、彫像、鋳造した像を打ち砕いて粉とし、それらに犠牲をささげた者たちの墓の上に撒いた。
⁵ また彼は祭司たちの骨をその祭壇の上で焼き、ユダとエルサレムをきよめた。
⁶ 彼はマナセ、エフライム、シメオン、さらにはナフタリに至るまで、その荒れ果てた廃墟の町々でも同様に行った。
⁷ 彼が祭壇とアシェラ像を打ち壊、彫像を粉砕し、イスラエルの全地のすべての偶像を切り倒した後、彼はエルサレムに帰った。
ヨシヤについてここで私たちは次のように告げられている。1. 彼は非常に若く、わずか八歳で王冠を受けた（しかし幼児期は彼の権利を奪うものではなかった）。彼は 三十一年間 統治した（2Ch 34:1）。相当な期間である。しかし私は、彼の治世の初めには事態が父の時代と大差なく進んだのではないかと懸念する。子どもであったから、国政の運営を他に委ねなければならなかったからである。それで、彼の年数の多くを占める第十二年に至って改革が始まった（2Ch 34:3）。ヒゼキヤがしたように、ただちに取りかかることはできなかった。2. 彼は非常に良く統治した（2Ch 34:2）。神に認められ、ダビデの足跡をたどり、 右にも左にも それなかった。両方の手に誤りがあるからである。3. 彼が若い頃、十六歳ほどのとき、 神を求め始めた（2Ch 34:3）。彼がマナセが受けたほどの良い教育を受けていないと考える理由がある（周囲の者が彼を腐敗させ、堕落させようとしなかったなら幸いである）。それでも彼は若くして神を求めた。若い人々が神を求めることは務めであり利益であり、特に若い貴族たちが分別の年齢に達したならち直ちに 神を求め始める ことは彼らの誉れとなる。早く求める者はこれを見いだすからである。4. その治世の第十二年に、おそらく国政を完全に自分の手に収めたとき、 彼はその王国から偶像礼拝の残りを清め始めた 。高き所、アシェラ像、偶像、祭壇、偶像礼拝のすべての用具を滅ぼした（2Ch 34:3,4）。彼はマナセがしたように単に投げ捨てるだけでなく、打ち砕いて粉にした。この偶像礼拝の破壊はここでは第十二年のこととされるが、2Ki 23:23では第十八年のこととされる。おそらく第十二年に何らかの着手がなされたのであろう。そのとき偶像礼拝を清め始めたが、その良いわざは反対に遭い、六年后に律法の書が見いだされるまでは十分には成し遂げられなかった。しかしここでは、 列王記 でより詳しく具体的に記された全体のわざが簡潔にまとめられている。彼の熱心は、ユダとエルサレムだけでなく、彼が影響力を持つ限り、イスラエルの町々においてもこのわざを行うように彼を駆り立てた。
⁸ さて彼の治世の第十八年に、彼がその地と宮を清めた後、アザリヤの子シャパンと、市の総督マアセヤと、ヨアハズの子、記録官ヨアを遣わして、その神、主の宮を修繕させた。
⁹ 彼らは大祭司ヒルキヤのところに来て、神の宮に持ち込まれた銀を渡した。これは門を守るレビ人たちがマナセとエフライム、およびイスラエルの残りのすべての者、またすべてのユダとベニヤミンの全会衆の手から集めたものであった。彼らはエルサレムに帰った。
¹⁰ 彼らはこれを主の宮を監督する者たちの手に渡し、彼らはそれを主の宮で働く工人に与えて、宮を修繕し、補修した。
¹¹ すなわち石工と大工に与えて、切り石と接合用の木材を買い、ユダの王たちが破壊した家々を修繕させた。
¹² 人々は忠実にわざを行った。その監督者はメラリの子孫であるレビ人ヤハテとオバデヤ、およびコハテの子孫であるゼカリヤとメシュラムで、これを進行させ、 その他の 楽器に熟達したレビ人たちであった。
¹³ また彼らは荷を担う者たちの上に立ち、すべての仕方の奉仕においてわざをするすべての者を監督した。レビ人のうちには書記、役人、門衛があった。
ここで、1. 王によって宮の修繕のための命令が出される（2Ch 34:8）。彼が宮の腐敗を清めた後、そのなされるべき奉仕のためにこれを整え始めた。このように私たちは心という霊的な宮についても、罪の汚れからきよめ、次いで新たにして神の像に変えられるべきである。ヨシヤはこの命令のなかで神を その神、主 と呼ぶ。真に神を愛する者は その御住まいの家を愛する 。2. これについて効果的な配慮がなされた。レビ人たちは国中を巡って銀を集め、2Ch 34:8に述べられた三人の受託者に届けた。彼らはそれを大祭司ヒルキヤに届け（2Ch 34:9）、彼と彼らはそれを監督者と労働者である工人たちの手に渡した。彼らは請け負って、いわゆる「総量で」これを行った（2Ch 34:10,11）。工人たちが勤勉で正直であったことが記されている。 彼らは忠実にわざを行った（2Ch 34:12）。工人たちは注意深く勤勉でなければ完全に忠実とは言えない。彼らがそうするであろうという信頼が置かれているからである。また監督者たちが才能に富んでいたことも示されている。 楽器 に熟達した者たちがすべてこのわざを監督するために用いられたからである。音楽の熟達が建築に役立つはずもないが、彼らが分別と才能のある人々であることの証拠であり、とりわけその才能が数学に向いていたことを示し、これが彼らをこの任務に非常に適格にした。機知に富む者々は、その機知を善を行い、友人を助け、機会あるごとに公共に仕えることに用いるときに知者となる。このわざにおいて神が様々に賜物を分配される様を見よ。ここに 荷を担う者 として肉体の労働に適し、働くために造られた者たちがいた。ここにはまた（ より良き素材で 造られた）音楽に熟達した者たちがおり、彼らは 労する者たちを監督する者 、書記、役人であった。前者は手であり、後者は頭であった。彼らは互いに必要とし、わざは両方を必要とした。わざの監督者は荷を担う者を軽視してはならず、奉仕において働く者たちも指導の職にある者たちを恨んではならない。むしろ互いに愛のうちに尊び、仕え合い、神が栄光を受け、教会が両者の異なる賜物と性向の益を受けるようにせよ。
¹⁴ 彼らが主の宮に持ち込まれた銀を取り出したとき、祭司ヒルキヤはモーセが授けた主の律法の書を見いだした。
¹⁵ ヒルキヤは書記シャパンに答えて言った。「わたしは主の宮で律法の書を見いだした。」そしてヒルキヤはその書をシャパンに渡した。
¹⁶ シャパンはその書を王のところに携え、また王に報告して言った。「あなたのしもべたちに委ねられたことはすべて、彼らは行っています。
¹⁷ また主の宮で見つかった銀を集めて、監督者たちと工人たちの手に渡しました。」
¹⁸ そこで書記シャパンは王に告げて言った。「祭司ヒルキヤがわたしに一冊の書を渡しました。」そしてシャパンはそれを王の前で読んだ。
¹⁹ 王が律法のことばを聞くと、その衣を裂いた。
²⁰ 王はヒルキヤと、シャパンの子アヒカムと、ミカの子アブドンと、書記シャパンと、王のしもべアサヤに命じて言った、
²¹ 「行って、見つかったこの書のことばについて、わたしのため、またイスラエルとユダに残されている者たちのために、主に問え。わたしたちの父祖たちが主のことばを守らず、この書にしるされているすべてを行わなかったため、わたしたちの上に注がれた主の怒りが大きいからである。」
²² そこでヒルキヤと、王が 任命した者たち は、女預言者フルダのところに行った。フルダはハルハスの孫、ティクワの子シャルムの妻であって、衣の管理者であった。（彼女はエルサレムの第二区に住んでいた。）彼らは彼女にその旨を告げた。
²³ 彼女は彼らに答えて言った。「イスラエルの神、主はこう仰せられる。あなた方をわたしに遣わしたその人に告げよ。
²⁴ 主はこう仰せられる。見よ、わたしはこの場所とその住民の上に災いをもたらす。ユダの王の前で読まれたその書にしるされているすべてののろいである。
²⁵ これは彼らがわたしを捨て、他の神々に香をたいて、その手のわざすべてをもってわたしの怒りを刺激したからである。それゆえ、わたしの怒りはこの場所に注がれ、消えることがない。
²⁶ しかし主に問うためにあなた方を遣わしたユダの王については、あなた方は彼にこう言え。聞いたことばについてイスラエルの神、主はこう仰せられる、と。
²⁷ あなたの心が柔らかであったため、あなたは神の前でへりくだった。あなたがこの場所とその住民に対する御声を聞いたとき、わたしの前でへりくだり、衣を裂き、わたしの前で泣いたので、わたしもあなたの声を聞き入れた、と主は仰せられる。
²⁸ 見よ、わたしはあなたをあなたの父祖たちのもとに集める。あなたは平和のうちにあなたの墓に集められる。あなたの目は、わたしがこの場所とその住民にもたらすすべての災いを見ないであろう。」彼らは王にこのことを告げた。
この段落全体は、2Ki 22:8-20にここに記されているのと全く同じように記されており、そこで観察したことにここで付け加えることは何もない。しかし、1. 私たちは聖書が豊かにあり、すべての人の手にあり、あるいはあり得ること、律法と福音の書が失われず、稀ではないこと、この意味で 主のことばは 珍しくないことについて、神に感謝する機会を得る。聖書は宝石であるが、神に感謝、珍品ではない。いのちの水の泉は閉ざされた井戸や封印された泉ではなく、その流れはすべての場所で 私たちの神の都を喜ばせる 。神の律法の大いなる事がこのように一般にされたのに、もし私たちがこれらを異質なものと見なすなら、私たちはどれほど多くを弁解しなければならないことであろうか。2. 私たちは神のことばを読むとき、あるいは聞くとき、いつでもそのことで心を動かし、すべての不信心と不義に対してそこに啓示された神の怒りに対する聖なる恐れを心に抱くべきであることを学ぶ。ヨシヤの柔らかな心がそうであったように。彼が律法のことばを聞いたとき 衣を裂き（2Ch 34:19）、神は彼のその行いを喜ばれた（2Ch 34:27）。もし聖書に含まれる事がらが、ここでヨシヤにとってであったように、私たちにも新しいものであれば、確かにそれは通常よりも深い印象を残すであろう。しかしよく知られているからといって軽いものではなく、それゆえ私たちが考えを浅くしてはならない。それゆえ衣を裂かず、心を裂け。3. 私たちはここで、罪の確信の下にあり、神の怒りのおそれのうちにあるとき、主に問うように導かれる。ヨシヤがそうしたように（2Ch 34:21）。 問おうとするなら問え（Isa 21:12）。神に感謝、私たちにはこの問いをもって近づくべき生ける神のことばがある。4. 私たちはここで、罪が国々と王国にもたらす滅びについて警告される。神を捨てる者は自らに災いをもたらし（2Ch 34:24,25）、 消えることのない 火を燃やす。かたくなに悔い改めず、悪い道に固執する者々に対して宣告が下されたとき、神の怒りの火はそのようになる。5. 私たちはここで、ヨシヤがしたように神の前にへりくだり、主を求めるように励まされる。それによって神の怒りを私たちの地からそらすことができなくても、自分の魂は救うであろう（2Ch 34:27,28）。また良い人々は、死を恐れるどころか、それが 来たるべき災いから彼らを連れ去る ときは、むしろこれを歓迎するように教えられる。これが約束の事柄とされることによって、その性質がいかに変わるかを見よ。 あなたは平和のうちにあなたの墓に集められる 。洪水が来るとき、ノアのようにその箱舟のなかに収められるのである。
²⁹ そこで王は人を遣わし、ユダとエルサレムのすべての長老たちを集めた。
³⁰ 王は主の宮に上った。ユダのすべての人々、エルサレムの住民、祭司たち、レビ人たち、およびすべての民、大小を問わず、皆共にであった。王は主の宮で見つかった契約の書のすべてのことばを彼らの耳に読んだ。
³¹ 王はその場所に立ち、主の前に立って契約を結んだ。すなわち全心を尽くし、全霊を尽くして主に従い、主の戒めと、あかしと、定めを守り、この書にしるされている契約のことばを成し遂げることを。
³² また彼はエルサレムとベニヤミンにいるすべての者にこれを固く立たせた。エルサレムの住民はその父祖たちの神、神の契約に従って行った。
³³ ヨシヤはイスラエルの子らに属するすべての地域から忌むべきものをすべて取り除き、イスラエルにいるすべての者にその神、主に仕えさせるようにした。 そして 彼の生涯のすべての日、彼らはその父祖たちの神、主に従うことをやめなかった。
ここには、律法が読まれるのを聞き、預言者を通して神が送られたメッセージを受け取った後、ヨシヤがその王国の改革においてさらに進んだことの記録がある。このような王を持つ民は幸いである。ここで次を見いだす。1. 彼らは良く教えられた。王はまず彼らにその務めを教えてから、これを強制しようとしたのではない。大小、老若、貧富、高低のすべての民を集めた。 聞く耳のある者は聞け 、 契約の書の ことばを。そのことばはすべての人に関係するからである。奉仕に誉れを与え、注意をいっそう引きつけるために、祭司やレビ人がいながらも、王自身が民にその書を読んだ（2Ch 34:30）。そして彼は、自分自身が感動していることを示すような仕方で読んだに違いない。これは聞く者たちを感動させる手段となった。2. 彼らは堅く立たせられた。神とイスラエルの間の契約の条項が読まれ、彼らが理解をもって神と契約を結べるようにされた後、王と民は大いなる荘厳さをもって、いわばその条項に署名した。王はその場所で、 書にしるされている ことに従い、全心全霊をもって神の戒めを守ることを契約し（2Ch 34:31）、民にもこの契約に同意することを宣言し、この契約に従って彼らがなすべきすべての事を忠実に果たし、成し遂げ、守ることを荘厳に約束させた。彼らはそうした。恥じてそれ以外はできなかったからである。彼は そこにいるすべての者にこれを固く立たせ（2Ch 34:32）、彼らすべてに 仕えさせ、まことに仕えさせた（2Ch 34:33）。これを行わせ、これを 生活のわざ とした。彼は彼らをこれに導くために、なしうるすべてのことをした。 仕えさせ、まことに仕えさせた という繰り返しは、これが彼の心にかかっていた唯一の事であったことを示す。彼のしたことにおいてこれ以外の目的はなかった。彼らを神とその務めに結びつけることであった。3. 彼らは良く世話を受け、しっかりと見守られた。 彼の生涯のすべての日、彼らは主に従うことをやめなかった 。彼は彼らが再び偶像礼拝に陥らないように、多くの労をもって彼らを押し留めた。彼の 生涯のすべての日 は彼らに対する抑制の日々であった。しかしこれは、彼らのうちに そむく傾向 、偶像礼拝への強い傾向があったことを暗示する。彼らの多くは、彼が道から除かれることだけを望み、そうすれば自分たちの高き所と偶像を再び立てるだろうと考えていた。それゆえ私たちは、 ヨシヤの日に （Jer 3:6）神が不実なユダを責め、彼女は 全心をもってわたしに立ち返らず、偽りをもって 立ち返った（2Ch 34:10）、いや、 姦淫を行い（2Ch 34:8）、それによって そむいたイスラエルを義とさえした（2Ch 34:11）と告発されたのを見いだす。この治世の第二十三年に、すなわちこれより四、五年後、彼らは その手のわざをもって神を怒らせることを続けた（Jer 25:3-7）。そして非常に注目すべきことに、彼らに滅びをもたらし、預言者が右の脇に横たわって負うべき ユダの家の不義 は、ヨシヤの改革の始まりであるその第十二年または第十三年から数えられた（Eze 4:6）。そこからエルサレムの滅びまでがちょうど四十年であったからである。ヨシヤは彼のしたことに真実であったが、民の大多数はこれを嫌い、なお偶像を慕った。それで王によって良く企てられ、良く進められた改革は、民にはほとんど何の効果も及ぼさなかった。彼らはしぶしぶ偶像と別れ、心ではなおこれに結びつき、これを再び望んだ。神はこれをご覧になり、それゆえその時から、永続的な安全と平和の基礎が据えられたと思うべきまさにその時から、彼らの滅びのための宣告が出たのである。改革のための有望な試みを挫折させ、神に偽りをもって立ち返ることほど、一つの民の滅びを早め、これを成熟させるものはない。 欺かれてはならない。神は侮られるような方ではない。
English original
The Reign of Josiah (623 BC)
¹ Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.
² And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
³ For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
⁴ And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.
⁵ And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
⁶ And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.
⁷ And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
Concerning Josiah we are here told, 1. That he came to the crown when he was very young, only eight years old (yet his infancy did not debar him from his right), and he reigned thirty-one years (2Ch 34:1), a considerable time. I fear, however, that in the beginning of his reign things went much as they had done in his father's time, because, being a child, he must have left the management of them to others; so that it was not till his twelfth year, which goes far in the number of his years, that the reformation began, 2Ch 34:3. He could not, as Hezekiah did, fall about it immediately. 2. That he reigned very well (2Ch 34:2), approved himself to God, trod in the steps of David, and did not decline either to the right hand of to the left: for there are errors on both hands. 3. That while he was young, about sixteen years old, he began to seek after God, 2Ch 34:3. We have reason to think he had not so good an education as Manasseh had (it is well if those about him did not endeavour to corrupt and debauch him); yet he thus sought God when he was young. It is the duty and interest of young people, and will particularly be the honour of young gentlemen, as soon as they come to years of understanding, to begin to seek God; for those that seek him early shall find him. 4. That in the twelfth year of his reign, when it is probable he took the administration of the government entirely into his own hands, he began to purge his kingdom from the remains of idolatry; he destroyed the high places, groves, images, altars, all the utensils of idolatry, 2Ch 34:3,4. He not only cast them out as Manasseh did, but broke them to pieces, and made dust of them. This destruction of idolatry is here said to be in his twelfth year, but it was said (2Ki 23:23) to be in his eighteenth year. Something was probably done towards it in his twelfth year; then he began to purge out idolatry, but that good work met with opposition, so that it was not thoroughly done till they had found the book of the law six years afterwards. But here the whole work is laid together briefly which was much more largely and particularly related in the Kings. His zeal carried him out to do this, not only in Judah and Jerusalem, but in the cities of Israel too, as far as he had any influence upon them.
⁸ Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.
⁹ And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.
¹⁰ And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house:
¹¹ Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.
¹² And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of music.
¹³ Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.
Here, 1. Orders are given by the king for the repair of the temple, 2Ch 34:8. When he had purged the house of the corruptions of it he began to fit it up for the services that were to be performed in it. Thus we must do by the spiritual temple of the heart, get it cleansed from the pollutions of sin, and then renewed, so as to be transformed into the image of God. Josiah, in this order, calls God the Lord his God. Those that truly love God will love the habitation of his house. 2. Care is taken about it, effectual care. The Levites went about the country and gathered money towards it, which was returned to the three trustees mentioned, 2Ch 34:8. They brought it to Hilkiah the high priest (2Ch 34:9), and he and they put it into the hands of workmen, both overseers and labourers, who undertook to do it by the great, as we say, or in the gross, 2Ch 34:10,11. It is observed that the workmen were industrious and honest: They did the work faithfully (2Ch 34:12); and workmen are not completely faithful if they are not both careful and diligent, for a confidence is reposed in them that they will be so. It is also intimated that the overseers were ingenious; for it is said that all those were employed to inspect this work who were skilful in instruments of music; not that their skill in music could be of any use in architecture, but it was an evidence that they were men of sense and ingenuity, and particularly that their genius lay towards the mathematics, which qualified them very much for this trust. Witty men are then wise men when they employ their wit in doing good, in helping their friends, and, as they have opportunity, in serving the public. Observe, in this work, how God dispenses his gifts variously; here were some that were bearers of burdens, cut out for bodily labour and fit to work. Here were others (made meliori luto—of finer materials) that had skill in music, and they were overseers of those that laboured, and scribes and officers. The former were the hands: these were the heads. They had need of one another, and the work needed both. Let not the overseers of the work despise the bearers of burdens, nor let those that work in the service grudge at those whose office it is to direct; but let each esteem and serve the other in love, and let God have the glory and the church the benefit of the different gifts and dispositions of both.
¹⁴ And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses.
¹⁵ And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.
¹⁶ And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it.
¹⁷ And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.
¹⁸ Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
¹⁹ And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.
²⁰ And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,
²¹ Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book.
²² And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect.
²³ And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me,
²⁴ Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah:
²⁵ Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.
²⁶ And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard;
²⁷ Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.
²⁸ Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.
This whole paragraph we had, just as it is here related, 2Ki 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 (2Ch 34:19), and God was well pleased with his doing so, 2Ch 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, 2Ch 34:21. It concerns us to ask (as they did, Ac 2:37), Men and brethren, what shall we do? and more particularly (as the jailor), What must I do to be saved? Ac 16:30. If you will thus enquire, enquire (Isa 21:12); and, blessed be God, we have the lively oracles to which to apply with these enquiries. 4. We are here warned of the ruin that sin brings upon nations and kingdoms. Those that forsake God bring evil upon themselves (2Ch 34:24,25), and kindle a fire which shall not be quenched. Such will the fire of God's wrath be when the decree has gone forth against those that obstinately and impenitently persist in their wicked ways. 5. We are here encouraged to humble ourselves before God and seek unto him, as Josiah did. If we cannot prevail thereby to turn away God's wrath from our land, yet we shall deliver our own souls, 2Ch 34:27,28. And good people are here taught to be so far from fearing death as to welcome it rather when it takes them away from the evil to come. See how the property of it is altered by making it the matter of a promise: Thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, housed in that ark, as Noah, when a deluge is coming.
²⁹ Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
³⁰ And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.
³¹ And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book.
³² And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
³³ And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.
We have here an account of the further advances which Josiah made towards the reformation of his kingdom upon the hearing of the law read and the receipt of the message God sent him by the prophetess. Happy the people that had such a king; for here we find that, 1. They were well taught. He did not go about to force them to do their duty, till he had first instructed them in it. He called all the people together, great and small, young and old, rich and poor, high and low. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear the words of the book of the covenant; for they are all concerned in those words. To put an honour upon the service, and to engage attention the more, though there were priests and Levites present, the king himself read the book to the people (2Ch 34:30), and he read it, no doubt, in such a manner as to show that he was himself affected with it, which would be a means of affecting the hearers. 2. They were well fixed. The articles of agreement between God and Israel being read, that they might intelligently covenant with God, both king and people with great solemnity did as it were subscribe the articles. The king in his place covenanted to keep God's commandments with all his heart and soul, according to what was written in the book (2Ch 34:31), and urged the people to declare their consent likewise to this covenant, and solemnly to promise that they would faithfully perform, fulfil, and keep, all and every thing that was on their part to be done, according to this covenant: this they did; they could not for shame do otherwise. He caused all that were present to stand to it (2Ch 34:32), and made them all to serve, even to serve the Lord their God (2Ch 34:33), to do it and to make a business of it. He did all he could to bring them to it—to serve, even to serve; the repetition denotes that this was the only thing his heart was set on; he aimed at nothing else in what he did but to engage them to God and their duty. 3. They were well tended, were honest with good looking to. All his days they departed not from following the Lord; he kept them, with much ado, from running into idolatry again. All his days were days of restraint upon them; but this intimated that there was in them a bent to backslide, a strong inclination to idolatry. Many of them wanted nothing but to have him out of the way, and then they would have their high places and their images up again. And therefore we find that in the days of Josiah (Jer 3:6) God charged it upon treacherous Judah that she had not returned to him with all her heart, but feignedly (2Ch 34:10), nay, had played the harlot (2Ch 34:8) and thereby had even justified backsliding Israel, 2Ch 34:11. In the twenty-third year of this reign, four or five years after this, they had gone on to provoke God to anger with the works of their hands (Jer 25:3-7); and, which is very observable, it is from the beginning of Josiah's reformation, his twelfth or thirteenth year, that the iniquity of the house of Judah, which brought ruin upon them, and which the prophet was to bear lying on his right side, was dated (Eze 4:6), for thence to the destruction of Jerusalem was just forty years. Josiah was sincere in what he did, but the generality of the people were averse to it and hankered after their idols still; so that the reformation, though well designed and well prosecuted by the prince, had little or no effect upon the people. It was with reluctancy that they parted with their idols; still they were in heart joined to them, and wished for them again. This God saw, and therefore from that time, when one would have thought the foundations had been laid for a perpetual security and peace, from that very time did the decree go forth for their destruction. Nothing hastens the ruin of a people nor ripens them for it more than the baffling of hopeful attempts for reformation and a hypocritical return to God. Be not deceived, God is not mocked.
ユダとエルサレムが滅びる前に、私たちはなお数年の栄光ある時を見るであろう。良い王ヨシヤが舵を握っている間である。彼の敬虔な改革の努力を通して、神は彼らをもう一度試みられた。もしこの彼らの日、すなわち神の顧みの日に、彼らが自分の平安に属する事柄を知り、それを活かしていたならば、彼らの滅びは防げたであろう。しかしこれらの事が過ぎた後は彼らの目から隠され、次の王たちの統治は彼らに完全な荒廃をもたらした。本章で私たちが見る内容は次のとおりである。 I. ヨシヤの人物に関する全般的な記録、2Ch 34:1,2。 II. 偶像礼拝を根絶やしにしようとする彼の熱心、2Ch 34:3-7。 III. 神殿を修復しようとする彼の配慮、2Ch 34:8-13。 IV. 律法の書の発見と、それを良く用いたこと、2Ch 34:14-28。 V. 律法を民に公に朗読し、それに基づいて神との契約を新たにしたこと、2Ch 34:29-33。これらの多くは2Ki 22:1-20にも記されている。