Tyndale Open Study Notes2 Chronicles 34

Josiah ruled for thirty-one years, from 640 to 609 BC.

When Josiah was sixteen, he started to seek the God of his ancestor David. At twenty, he began his own reforms.

By Josiah’s twelfth year as king, in 628 BC, the Assyrian Empire had mostly fallen apart. During this time, northern Israel was almost empty. This allowed Josiah to expand his influence and control into Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, reaching even as far as Naphtali.

The fact that musicians supervised the construction shows the importance of Levites leading this work. Other ancient texts mention that music was often part of construction projects.

• Finding the Book of the Law of the LORD was a reward for being faithful.

• The book, likely written by Moses, was probably Deuteronomy. It may have been forgotten and lost during the unfaithful times of Manasseh or Amon.

the curses written in the book: See Deuteronomy 27:14–26; 28:15–68. Curses in a covenant explain what happens to those who break the covenant, as Israel and Judah did with the Lord. These curses included exile.

King Josiah did not die peacefully; Pharaoh Neco II of Egypt killed him (2 Chronicles 35:20–25). However, Josiah was buried peacefully, meaning Jerusalem was at peace, and exile did not occur during his reign. His repentant spirit prevented immediate disaster.

Renewing the covenant was the most important event in Josiah's reform.