The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 391

HOMILETICS. Vers.1-13.-.A righteous branch from a wicked 1·oot. Josiah ls the most astonishing instance that is contained in Scripture of goodness springing up, and attaining high perfection under the most extraordinarily unfavourable circumstances. Josiah was- I. THE SON OF AN EXTRAORDINARILY WICKED FATHER. Amon, Josiah's father did evil in the sight of the Lord to an extent scarcely equalled even by any of the Tsr;elite monarchs. "Ile forsook the Lord God of his fathers" (eh. xxi. 22), and gave himself wholly up to idulatry. And he did this notwithstanding the example of his father's fall, punishment, and repentance. As the writer of Chronicles says (2 Chron. xxxiii. 23) "he trespassed more and more." Every idolatry of every neighbouring country wa~ adopted by him and reintroduced into Judah; the temple was defiled afresh; the fires of__ Tophet were relight~d; sodomites polluted the temple precincts (eh. xxiii. 7). '\\ 10kednes, of every kmd was encouraged, not only idolatry and debauchery, but "violence and deceit" (Zcph. i. 9), profane swearing (Zeph. i. 5), luxury in apparel (Zeph. i. 8), covetousness (Zeph. i. 18), oppres5ion (Zeph. iii. 1), injustice (Zeph. iii. 2), treachery (Zcph. iii. 3), and utter shamelessness (Zeph. iii. 5). II. 'l'HE GRANDSON OF A STILL HORE WICKED GRANDFATHER. Manasseh was worse than Amon in that he set at nought all the restraints of his bringing up, the example of his saintly father, and the instruction of Isaiah, whom he is said to have executed. He was worse, again, as the original introducer of many most corrupting idolatries which, but for his example, Amon might never have thought of. And he was worse as enforcing his false and impure religion on those who were reluctant to adopt it by means of persecution, and so ":filling Jerusalem with innocent blood from one end to another" (eh. xxi. 16)-a sin which is never laid to the charge of Amon. If heredity be indeed the strong predisposing cause which modern biologists assert it to be, what depths of depravity might not a prince have been expected to sound, who had such a father as Amon, such a grandfather as Manasseh! IIL BROUGHT UP IN A OORRUPT COURT. Manasseh's court, even after his repentance, was probably but half-purified. Amon's must have been a sink of corruption. Childish innocence is soon lost in an atmosphere of profligacy; and Josiah, ere he was eight years of age, had probably been made to witness many of tbe worst forms of human depravity. "Nil dictu fredum facture hrec limina tangat intra quoo puer est" was a maxim not likely to obtain much observance in a palace where the rites of the Syrian goddess were approved and practised. IV. WITHOUT, so FAB AS WE KNOW, AlIY RELIGIOUS INSTDUCTOB. Isaiah had been martyred in the earlier portion of Manasseh's reign. Micah had gone to his rest even earlier. Jeremiah did not receive his call until Josiah's thirteenth year (Jer. i. 2). Ha- ba.kkuk and Zephauiah lived, perhaps, under Amon, but arc not likely to have been allowed access to his court, much less opportunity for influencing the heir to the throne. Josiah 's official tutors and instructors under Amon must undoubtedly have been persons devoted to the court religion, which was the syncretic idolatry conceived by Manasseh and maintained by his successor. It is not quite easy to see how the young prince would come into contact with any of the professors of true religion, or obtain any knowledge of the Jehovistic worship. Such, however, was the natural purity aud strength of character by God's grac& implanted in the young prince from the first, that to none of the evil influences within him or without him did he succumb. It is declared of him in the infallible Word, tha.t • he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David hie father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left" (ver. 2). Al BOOn ae he had any power to show what hi~ inclinations were, as soon (that is) ae Clil, XXII, 1-20.) THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. 441