2 Kings 22:11

2 Kings 22:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
• New International Version (NIV)When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes.

Context of 2 Kings 22:11

9Then Shaphan went to the king. He said to him, ‘Your officers have paid out all the money that was in the Lord's temple. They have given it to the men who are working on the temple repairs and to their leaders.’ 10Then Shaphan told the king, ‘Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.’ Shaphan started to read the book while the king listened. When the king heard the words from the Book of the Law, he was very upset. He tore his clothes. 12He gave a command to Hilkiah the priest, Shaphan's son Ahikam, Micaiah's son Acbor, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's servant. 13He told them, ‘Go to the temple. Ask the Lord about the message in this book that Hilkiah has found. I need to know what I should do, as well as all the people of Judah. The Lord has become very angry with us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words in this book. They have not done the things that it tells us we should do.’

2 Kings 22:11 word by word

וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י סֵ֣פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֑ה וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, when the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• had heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• of the bookסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: bookH5612
• of the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• that he rentקָרַעqâra‛ · to tearH7167
• his clothesבֶּ֫גֶדbeged · garmentH899

Cross-references for 2 Kings 22:11

• 2 Kings 22:19When you heard the message that I had spoken, you were very upset. You made yourself humble to respect me. You tore your clothes and you wept. You did that when you heard how I would punish this place and the people who live here. I said that I would destroy this place so that people would use its name as a curse. Because you became so upset, I have heard your prayer.
• 2 Chronicles 34:19When the king heard the words in the book of God's laws, he was so upset that he tore his clothes.
• Jeremiah 36:24As the king and his officers heard Jehudi read each section of the scroll, it did not make them afraid. None of them tore their clothes because they were upset.
• Joel 2:13Stop pulling your clothes to pieces. That does not help. Show me instead that you are really sorry.’ Return to the Lord, your God. He is kind and full of grace. He does not quickly become angry, and he is full of love. He is sad that he had to cause troubles for you.
• Jonah 3:6The king of Nineveh heard about God's message. He got up from his throne and he removed his royal clothes. He dressed himself in sackcloth and he sat in ashes on the ground.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 22:11

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11He rent his clothes - Partly grief and horror, like Reuben Genesis 37:29 and Job Job 1:20, partly in repentance, like Ahab 1 Kings 21:27.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-20Verses 11-20 The book of the law is read before the king. Those best honour their Bibles, who study them; daily feed on that bread, and walk by that light. Convictions of sin and wrath should put us upon this inquiry, What shall we do to be saved? Also, what we may expect, and must provide for. Those who are truly apprehensive of the weight of God's wrath, cannot but be very anxious how they may be saved. Huldah let Josiah know what judgments God had in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-13Like Hezekiah before him (2 Kings 19:1), Josiah tore his clothes in deep sorrow for his own spiritual state and that of the people of Judah. have not obeyed the words of this book: The part Shaphan read to Josiah reminded him of God's claim on his people, the need to stay faithful to the covenant, and the consequences for unfaithfulness (see Deuteronomy 28). Realizing that Judah had not followed the law, Josiah rightly feared the Lord's great anger.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-118-11. Hilkiah said ... I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord, &c.--that is, the law of Moses, the Pentateuch. It was the temple copy which, had been laid (De 31:25, 26) beside the ark in the most holy place. During the ungodly reigns of Manasseh and Amon--or perhaps under Ahaz, when the temple itself had been profaned by idols, and the ark also (2Ch 35:3) removed from its site; it was somehow lost, and was now found again during the…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 22:11

• Josiah
• Mourning
• Rending
• Repentance
• Scribe (S)
• Secretary (Recordist)
• Shaphan
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Colour
• Josiah
• Kings, The Books of
• Reckoning
• Bible, the
• Criticism of the Bible
• Ezekiel
• Hezekiah (2)
• Jeremiah (2)
• Jerusalem

Commentaries on 2 Kings 22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings