The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 410

Hilld11h's ancestors and descendcmts we he.nd of;" i.e. the book wa.s either MoRes' leorn something in the following references: original handwriting e.nd solemn deposit 1 Chron. vi. 13, 14; ix. 11 ; 2 Kings xxv. (Dent. xxxi. 26)-in the.t ca.se nearly eight 18 ; N eh. xi. 11 ; Ezre. vii. 1. They delivered. centuries and e.half old-or, at any mte, the This means that Hilkiah's people delioered ste.nde.rd copy and authorized successor of of what they had r.ollected to 8he.phan e.nd it, though we nowhere read of such a copy his colleagues, who e.gain in their turn (ver. he.ving been me.de, nor is it necessary to 10) "put it into the hand of the workmen," doubt the durability of the original. A etc. This is carte.inly the meaning of book should be rendered the book. 2 Kings xxii. 4-9. And they returned to Ver. 18.-The implication on the face of 1':lrUBalem; tre.nsle.to, and of the dwellers in this verse as of the parallel (2 Kings xxii. Jerusalem. Note Keri, e.nd see eh. xxxv. 10), is that Shaphe.n leaves the king to 18 ; e.nd Septuagint rendering here e.nd snrmise (which he very qnickly does), from there. hearing a portion (Hebrew here, read in it ; Ver.10.-And they put it; i.e. Shaphe.n in parallel, "ree.d it") of the book, what and colleagues, according to the pe.re.llel. it was, Ver. 11.-'fhe exact work done we are Ver. 19.-With one insignificant excep- unable to follow with precision. The tion (the omission here of the word i>=ll?.), parallel describes it, in more general terms, the words of this verse are identical with. as "repairing the breaches." The repairs the parallel in its ver. ll. The same, to all here spoken of, however, betoken, to say purposes, may be said or our twelve suc- the least the rough usage, as well as ceeding verses, compared with the parallel "negligence," of kings like Manasseh e.nd in its ver. 12-ch. xxiii. 3. The king rent Amon, e.nd suggest e. further question as his clothes, in grief that the practice of hie to the nature of those heathen and idola- nation had diverged so terribly from their trous practices, which cost so much to the ever-to-be-venerated Law. very structure of temple and hoUBes, i.e. Ver. 20.-Ahike.m the son of Shaphan probably the contiguous chambers of the (see Jer. xxvi. 24; :d. 5). Abdon the soa main building (1 Kings vi. 5), the exact of Mioe.h. The parallel (2 Kings xxii. 12) style of which, however, is very doubtful. e.nd the Syriac Version have "Achbor the Ver. 12.-Faithfully. Refer be.ck to note, son of Michaiah" (see also Jer. xxvi. 22; eh. xxxi. 12. To set, , . forward; Hebrew, xxxvi.12). i'o'>:l', ; the idea, of course, not so much the.t Ver. 21.-For me, and for them that e.re of e~pediting, as of guiding and instructing. left in Israel and in Judah. The parallel The mention of those Levites whose busi- shows, " For me, and for the people, and for ness we.s music is rather e. surprise, and is all Judah" (2 Kings xxii. 13), without any not found in the parallel. e.pparent specific reference to Israel. Our Ver. 13.-Soribes. Considering the men- present passe.ge me.y intend to glance at the tion of" scribes" in the plural in 1 Kings iv. fact that the better po.rt of Israel were in 3, although it stands alone, till, at all events, captivity; and it will be possible, e.t any the time of Hezekiah (as testified by Prov. rate, to ree.d the le.at clause e.s intending, xxv. 1), it is e.t e.ny rate not improbable not "for them the.t are left in J ndah," but the.t an order of scribes was instituted by "e.nd for them in Jude.h." That is poured Solomon ; the.t it fell into desuetude imme- out ; Hebrew, n::;i;:i). The parallel shows, diately under the divided kingdom, and, "that is kindled;" Hebrew, n;;,1~ The coming into vogue again under Hezekiah, considerable resemble.nee between the is now mentioned in the natural we.y we Hebrew words is worthy of passing note. here find it. The mention of the ''scribe" Ver. 22.-The question may suggest itself, in the singular number is of frequent occur- Why we.a not J eremia.h ( oh. xxxv. 25; mvi. rence in the historic books, e.nd in Isaiah 21) at once consulted? Probably he was at (xxxiii. 18; xxxvi. 22). The officers. This Ane.thoth, e.nd not immediately accessible. word reproduces, in the Hebrew, the familiar Tikve.th. In Hebrew, Tokhath; and in pa- ahoterim of Exod. v. 10 (eee also 1 Chron. rallel, Tikvah. He.sre.h. In parallel,Harhas. xxiii. 3-6). In the college ; Revised Version, following Ver. 14.-The time of this verse is not Hebrew, in the (Mishneh) aecond quarter freo from ambiguity, whioh the pe.rallel does (see Zeph. i. 10; Conder's • Handbook to not remove. It purports either thnt, on the Bible,' p. 342). Nothing is known or occasion of" bringing out the money," Hil- Huldah, nor of Slle.llu.m her husband, excepi kiah providentie.lly lighted on his find, or whe.t lies in this and the parallel place. the.t he availed himself of that occasion to Ver. 23.-The oracular answer of Hulda.h, report e.nd give up the find me.de some time conte.incd in this and tho following five or other previously. The ite.lio-type word verses, is very closely paralleled by the six "given," in this verse, it is better to discarcl, verses of 2 Kings xxii. 15-20. and to restore the omitted words, "by the Ver. 25.-Poured out. So here e.gain, e.s 416 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [oH. xxxrv. 1-33,