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found in the house of the LORD. 3. And the king stood by a pillar, 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 their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book: and all the people stood to the covenant. 4. And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD, all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven; and he burnt them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el. 5. And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem, them also that burnt incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. 6. And he brought out the grove (z) from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burnt it at the brook Kidron, and stampt it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people. 7. And he brake down the houses of the sodomites that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the

seduced the people to do more evil than did the heathen; and Amon reigned two years, and walked in all the ways of Manasseh. Amongst other abominations, Manasseh built up again the high places for idolatrous worship, and reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove (for idolatrous worship), and set up a graven image of the grove in the house of the Lord, and built altars in the house of the Lord, and worshipped all the host of heaven and built altars for them, in the two courts of the house of the Lord. See 2 Kings xxi. 3 to 9. The making a grove near the altar of the Lord was expressly forbidden, Deut. xvi. 21. and so was worshipping any of the host of heaven. Deut. xvii. 2 to 7.

(z) v.6. "The grove," i. e. the "graven "image made by Manasseh." See note on

D. 2.

grove. 8. And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burnt incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. 9. Nevertheless, the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren. 10. And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. 11. And he took away the horses (a) that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burnt the chariots of the sun with fire. 12. And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Mansaseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron. 13. And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption (b) which Solomon (c) the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the

(a) v. 11. "The horses, &c." and "the "chariots of the sun," kept, perhaps, to carry some image or symbol of the sun in their processions. See post, note on Isaiah v. 18.

(b) v. 13. "The mount of corruption," the same as is called in the New Testament "the Mount of Olives."

(c)" Solomon." Solomon attached himself to many heathen women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, &c. and when he was old, they turned his heart after other gods, for whom he built high places near Jerusalem. For this sin God divided his kingdom in his son's time, and gave the ten tribes to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 1 Kings xi. 1. 4. 11. Such revolutions may the sins of the great produce!

abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcolm the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile. 14. And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men. 15. Moreover, the altar that was at Beth-el, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin (d), had made, both that altar, and the high place he brake down, and burnt the high place, and stampt it small to powder, and burnt the grove. 16. And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burnt them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word (e) of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words. 17. Then he said, "What title ❝is that that I see?" And the men of the city told him, "It is the sepulchre "of the man of God, which came from "Judah, and proclaimed these things "that thou hast done against the altar "of Beth-el." 18. And he said, "Let “him alone, let no man move his bones:" so they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet (g) that came out of Samaria. 19. And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them ac

(d) v. 15. "Made Israel to sin," by setting up two golden calves as objects of worship in Dan and Bethel, to prevent the ten tribes from going up to Jerusalem to worship. See 2 Kings xii. 26 to 33. and ante, 582. 1 Kings xiii. 1. note.

(e) v. 16. "The word, &c." about 330 years before. See ante, 582. 1 Kings xiii. 2. (g) v. 18. "The prophet, &c." in whose sepulchre the prophet from Judah and himself were buried. See ante, 584. 1 Kings xiii. 30, 31.

(h) v. 21. "The passover." The feast ordained to commemorate the preservation of the Israelites when all the first born of Egypt were destroyed. See ante, 530. Exod. xii.

(i) v. 26. "Great wrath," God's denun

cording to all the acts that he had done in Beth-el. 20. And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burnt men's bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem. 21. And the king commanded all the people, saying, "Keep the passover (4) "unto the LORD your God, as it is "written in the book of this covenant." 22. Surely there was not holden such a passover, from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the Kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah: 23. But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem. 24. Moreover, the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law, which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. 25. And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, ac cording to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him. 26. Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath (i), wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. 27. And the LORD

ciation by his prophets in the time of Manasseh was, "Behold I am bringing such "evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that "whosoever heareth it, both his ears shal "tingle: and I will stretch over Jerusalem "the line of Samaria, and the plummet of "the house of Ahab: (i. e. I will treat "them as I have treated Israel,) and I will "wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, "wiping it, and turning it upside down; "and I will forsake the remnant of mine "inheritance and deliver them into the "hand of their enemies, and they shall be"come a prey and a spoil to all their ene "mies. 2 Kings xxi. 12 to 14." This was accomplished upen the Babylonish capti vity, which commenced about four years after Josiah's death.

said, "I will remove Judah also out of 166 "my sight, as I have removed Israel (k), "and will cast off this city Jerusalem "which I have chosen, and the house "of which I said, " My name shall be "there." 28. Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 29. In his days Pharaoh-nechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria, to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him, and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him (7). 30. And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre and the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's stead. 31. Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32. And he did that which was evil (m) in the sight of the LORD,

CHAP. I.

according to all that his fathers had done. 33. And Pharaoh-nechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. 34. And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoabaz away: and he came to Egypt and died there. 35. And Jehoi akim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh; he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaoh-nechoh. 36. Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 37. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

PROVERBS.

THE proverbs of Solomon (n) the son of David king of Israel; 2. To know (0)

(k) v. 27. “As I have removed Israel." The ten tribes had been carried into captivity 97 years, before Christ, 721. See ante, 600. 2 Kings xviii. 11.

(1) v. 29. "When he had seen him," or "when he came into his sight."

(m) v. 32. "Evil." Josiah lived about 14 years after the great passover mentioned in verse 21, 22, 23. but as his sons and grandson, (the only persons on the throne before the Babylonish captivity was completely effected,) did evil in the sight of the Lord, there is no reason to suppose there had been a general national reformation, such as according to Jer. xviii. 7, 8. might be expected to avert God's vengeance. On the contrary, Jehoiakim, (in whose reign the captivity commenced,) committed abominations, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 8. and Zedekiah, (in whose time it was completed,) humbled not himself, "but stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart

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wisdom and instruction, to perceive (0) the words of understanding: 3. To receive (0) the instruction of wisdom, jus"from turning unto the Lord God of Is"rael: and all the chief of the priests and "the people transgressed very much after "all the abominations of the heathen, and "polluted the house of the Lord which "he had hallowed in Jerusalem: and "though the Lord sent to them by his

messengers, rising up betimes and send"ing them, because he had compassion on "his people and on his dwelling-place, "they mocked his messengers, and de"spised his word, and misused his pro"phets, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 12 to 16." Their conduct therefore called for the punishments which fell upon them.

(n) v. 1. "Of Solomon." Written about 1000 years before our Saviour's birth. They contain some admirable rules for human conduct, far surpassing any other system of morals before the times of the Gospel.

(o) v. 2. "Know," or "teach;" "per

tice, and judgment, and equity; 4. To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. 5. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: 6. To understand a proverb, and the interpret ation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. 7. The fear (p) of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8. "My son, hear the instruction "of thy father, and forsake not the law "of thy mother: 9. For they shall be "an ornament of grace unto thy head, "and chains about thy neck.

io. My

66 if sinners entice thee, consent son, "thou not. 11. If they say, "Come "with us, let us lay wait for blood, let "us lurk privily for the innocent with❝ out cause: 12. Let us swallow them "up alive as the grave, and whole, as "those that go down into the pit; "13. We shall find all precious sub"stance, we shall fill our houses with "spoil: 14. Cast in thy lot among us, let ❝ us all have one purse." 15. My son, "walk not thou in the way with them; "refrain thy foot from their path:

16. For their feet run to evil, "and make haste to shed blood. "17. Surely in vain the net (9) is "spread in the sight of any bird.

“ceive," or "communicate;" 66 cause "meditation upon;" receive," or "bring." The object is to point out the advantages these proverbs are calculated to produce.

(p) v. 7. "The fear, &c." With what advice could he so well begin, as with recommending profound submission to God, attention to parents, and watchfulness against the inticement of sinners?

(g) v. 17. "The net, &c." Probably a proverb. If a bird has sense not to run into a net it sees spread for its destruction, what will be your folly, if you are drawn in by these inticements, which you are apprized will produce yours?

(r) v. 18. "Their own blood, &c." Their own destruction will be the consequence of their misconduct: "their own "lives" will be the sacrifice.

(s) v. 19. "Taketh away the life of," i. e. "bringeth destruction upon."

"18. And they lay wait for their own "blood (r), they lurk privily for their 66 own lives. 19. So are the ways of

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every one that is greedy of gain: "which taketh (s) away the life of the 66 owners thereof." 20. Wisdom (t) crieth without, she uttereth her voice in the streets: 21. She crieth in the chief place of concourse (u), in the (a) openings of the gates: in the (u) city she uttereth her words, saying, 22. "How "long, ye simple ones, will ye love "simplicity? (a) and the scorners de"light in their scorning, and fools hate "knowledge? 23. Turn you at my "reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto (y) you, I will make "known my words unto you. 24. Be

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cause (2) I have called and ye re"fused, I have stretched out my hand, "and no man regarded; 25. But ye "have set at nought all my counsel; "and would none of my reproof: "26. I also will laugh at your calamity, "I will mock when your fear cometh; "27. When your fear cometh as deso"lation, and your destruction cometh "as a whirlwind; when distress and

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anguish cometh upon you: 28. Then "shall they call upon me, but I will "not answer; they shall seek me early, "but they shall not find me: "that they hated knowledge, and did

29. For

(t) v. 20. "Wisdom, &c." Instead of listening to the allurements of sinners, attend to the calls of wisdom: neglect will be fatal.

(u) v. 21. "Chief place of concourse;" "the openings of the gates," and "the "city;" the most public places. Her calls are open she has no cause for conceal

ment.

(x) v. 22. Read "How long, ye foolish ones, will ye love folly? how long will

"the scorners, &c."

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(y) v. 23. "Unto, or upon."

(2) v. 24. "Because, &c." A spirited denunciation against those who reject the calls of wisdom. In the parable of the ten virgins, Matt. xxv. 1 to 12. our Saviour intimates, that against those who have not made the due preparation in the proper time, the door is closed for ever. His answer to their call is, "Verily I say unto 66 you, I know you not."

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"not choose the fear of the LORD: "30. They would none of my counsel : they despised all my reproof. "31. Therefore shall they eat of the "fruit of their own way, and be filled "with their own devices. 32. For the "turning away (a) of the simple shall "slay them, and the prosperity of fools "shall destroy them. 33. But whoso "hearkeneth unto me, shall dwell "safely, and shall be quiet from fear of ❝evil."

CHAP. II. (b) My son, if thou wilt receive my (c) "words, and hide (d) my command"ments with thee; 2. So that thou "incline thine (e) ear unto wisdom, "and apply thine (e) heart to under66 standing: 3. Yea, if thou criest "after (g) knowledge, and liftest up "thy voice (g) for understanding: "4. If thou seekest her as (h) silver, "and searchest for her as for hid treasures: 5. Then shalt thou under"stand (i) the fear of the LORD, and "find the knowledge (i) of God. "(6. For the LORD () giveth wisdom: "out of his mouth cometh knowledge

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(a) v. 32. "Turning away," or "backsliding," "wickedness."

(b) The advantages of pursuing true wisdom, by securing God's favour, obtaining deliverance from wicked men and wicked women, and ensuring temporal prosperity.

(c) v. 1. "My," i. e. "Wisdom's." She was speaking in the preceding chapter, and this is a continuation of her address.

(d)" Hide," i. e. "treasure up ;" the same Hebr. verb as in verse 7., shewing a solicitude to obtain and keep.

(e) v. 2." Incline thine ear," and "ap"ply thy heart;" making these the great objects of inquiry and pursuit.

(g) v. 3. "Criest after," and "liftest "up thy voice for ;" expressions to signify an anxious desire and strenuous attempts to obtain them.

(h) v. 4. "As," i. e. "with as much “earnestness as you would for silver or "hidden treasures."

(i) v. 5. "The fear of the Lord," and "the knowledge of God;" the highest and most valuable kinds of knowledge:

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"and understanding. 7. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that "walk uprightly. 8. He keepeth the "paths of judgment (), and preserv"eth the way of his saints.) 9. Then "shalt thou understand (m) righteous"ness, and judgement, and equity; "yea, every good path. 10. When "wisdom entereth into thine (n) heart, "and knowledge is pleasant unto thy "soul (n); 11. Discretion shall pre"serve thee, understanding shall keep "thee; 12. To deliver thee from the

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way of the evil man, from the man "that speaketh froward things; "13. Who leave the paths of upright"ness, to walk in the ways of dark"ness: 14. Who (0) rejoice to do evil, "and (o) delight in the frowardness of "the wicked; 15. Whose ways are "crooked, and they (p) froward in their " paths; 16. To deliver thee from "the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her "words; 17. Which forsaketh the (q) guide of her youth, and forgetteth "the covenant of her God; 18. (For

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your duty to God, and the benefits which result from performing it.

(k) v. 6. The Lord giveth," and he only; and he will give it to those who properly seek, and to no others.

() v. 8. "Judgment," or "the just." In the preceding verse, and in the latter branch of this, he is speaking, not of what God is in himself, but of what he does for the good.

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(m) v. 9. "Righteousness, &c." i. c. your duty to man;" so that a perfect knowledge of both duties, to God and man, will be acquired. Verses 6, 7, & 8, should be in a parenthesis.

"

(n) v. 10. "Heart," "soul;" so as not to be superficial, but to fill the vital parts. (o) v. 14. Rejoice," and "delight;" not merely sinning, but making their own and others wickedness matter of pleasure and joy; a high degree of depravity: sinning openly, and feeling exultation in it, not shame.

(p) v. 15. "And they froward, &c." or "and paths froward. Sept."

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(q) v. 17. "The guide, &c." i. e. "her parents."

RR.

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