Josiah reform and the book of the law

The law book is easily recognizable as deuteronomy, and so king josiahs purge is usually known as the deuteronomic reform of the temple. Josiah knows that this will make no difference, but does it anyway. Josiahs reform and the book of the law robinson, donald w. In 598 bc, twentyfive years after the work of josiah, jerusalem was attacked by the babylonians under king nebuchadnezzar 2 kings 24.

Deuteronomic reform, great religious reformation instituted in the reign of king josiah of judah c. Josiah was eight years old when he began to rule, and he ruled thirtyone years in jerusalem. It is generally held that a study of the reforms which follow the discovery of the book of the law in the temple compels the conclusion that, if the account is historical, the. It had been ignored for up to 57 years after the days of hezekiah, but during the 55 year reign of manessah, 2 years of amons reign and 18. The book that grieved josiah reformed bible studies. Deuteronomic reform history of religion britannica. From the dedication of the temple by solomon, long centuries had passed until josiahs reforms 622 b. It begins with the decision to renovate the temple, which leads to the discovery of the book of the law. Josiah enacts a mighty reform that all the people should hear and obey this second lawdeuteronomy. It was so called because the book of the law found in the temple of jerusalem c. Theres a lot of discussion among commentators about what just that book of the law was. Project muse the discovered book and the legitimation. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. In the 18th year of the his reign, king josiah began the reconstruction of the temple in jerusalem.

In the eighteenth year of his rule, josiah ordered the high priest hilkiah to use the tax money which had been collected over the years to renovate the temple. Citeseerx document details isaac councill, lee giles, pradeep teregowda. He destroyed all the places where false gods had been worshipped. The occasion of josiahs religious reform was the repairing the temple of the lord2 kgs 22. It hardly seems possible that the book of the law could have been utterly lost for years, and that the very remembrance of it should have become a dim tradition. That it was from the nations great first prophet and lawgiver was the implicit belief of the king and all his contemporaries. It was under josiahs thirtyyear reign that the jerusalem temple was repaired, the book of the law was discovered, the feast of passover was reinstated, and the southern kingdom returned to its roots of faith in god. Josiahs reformation is a book that will impact your life and offers food for the soul on almost every page. In the eighteenth year of his rule he sent shaphan, the scribe, to the temple of jehovah with the command, go up to hilkiah, the chief priest, and see that, when he has taken the money that is.

His extreme dismay and dread of the curse pronounced on the realms neglect of the law seems to have been followed, after his great reform had seemed to set things right, by an excess of confidence in yahwehs restored favor which went beyond sound wisdom, and. Therefore, if 2 kings 2223 does not describe a reform in response to the finding of the book of the law and 2 chronicles 34 does affirm that josiah s reforms preceded the discovery of the book, then the higher critics basis for the late deuteronomy is washed away. Time had eroded the building, which had once been beautiful. The book of the law found josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in jerusalem thirtyone years. Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirtyone years in jerusalem. As many have pointed out, a foundational presupposition for this view is that the discovery of the book of the law was that which was the impetus. Sternly he met idolatry by slaying all the priests of the high places. The new law is now known as the book of the covenant 23. Ardent and pious as he was, there seems to have been a lack of balance in josiahs character. He was aided by jeremiah the prophet in spreading through his kingdom the knowledge and worship of jehovah. Josiahs reforms the book of jeremiah amazing facts. While hilkiah was clearing the treasure room of the temple. And both jeremiah and the book of mormon quote and allude to deuteronomy frequently.

Josiah s reform activities are given in two parallel accounts. To conclude, the reform of josiah has some historical foundation, but it is highly unlikely that history has been favored by the discovery of the book of the law. Josiahs reforms sabbath school lesson 8,4th qtr 2015. It helped that he seems to have had an honest group of repairmen. Josiah worked harder than ever at his reform program after that. In 598 bc, twentyfive years after the work of jos iah, jerusalem was attacked by the babylonians under king nebuchadnezzar 2 kings 24. The story is told both in 2 kings 2223 and in 2 chronicles 3435. The reform began with the repairing of the temple of the lord. Sometimes that term book of the law or books of the law could refer to all the books of moses. It was during the 18th year of his rule that he used the collected taxes to renovate the temple and ordered the high priest hilkiah to do so. There can be little doubt, judging from the nature of the reforms it elicited and the fact that the curses it contained are still extant, that this book of the law was virtually identical with our book of deuteronomy. The scroll of the law found by josiah in the temple. After josiah ascended the throne, the book of the law was found in the temple 2. According to the account of kings, the reform was motivated by the discovery of book of the torah in 622 b.

Josiah continued to remove all the evil priests, idols, wooden images and altars. One of the points of interest to scholars in the story of josiahs reform is the identity of the book of the law that was found in the temple during the repair ordered. During this renovation process hilkiah was clearing the room of treasures and discovered the book of the. He was unable to soften the hearts of the people of israel until he read to them the book of the.

This law will set a new relationship between the people and god. It was during this time that hilkiah discovered the book of the law. Josiah is credited by most biblical scholars with having established or compiled important hebrew scriptures during the deuteronomic reform which probably occurred during his rule. The great event of his reign came in its 18th year, when the book of the law, apparently deuteronomy deuteronomy, book of the bible, literally meaning second law, last of the five books the pentateuch or torah ascribed by tradition to moses. King josiah changed the religion of israel in 623 bc. First he called an assembly of the people and read the book of the law aloud to all of them.

Again, the discovery reminds us that the true basis of all religious reform is the word of god. Was the book of the law lost for a long time that king josiah never saw it before. In the eighteenth year of his reign, he raised money to repair the temple, and during the repairs the high priest hilkiah found the book of the law. What happened to the book of the law in the time of josiah. He turned to god with all his heart, with all his soul and with all his. Josiahs reform josiah reading the book of the law josiah was the king of judah from 641609 b. When hilkiah read it to josiah, the king tore his clothes, a sign of mourning and repentance verse 11. King josiah called for a time of national repentance. Thus began a period of reform that lasted until the death of josiah 2 kings. But because josiah had expressed such deep sorrow, god granted to him that he would not live to see this calamity. Josiahs reform spectrum website spectrum conversation.

He therefore argued that the discovered scroll had been composed not long before its discovery. Josiah was the grandson of manasseh, king of judah, and ascended the throne at age eight after the assassination of his. The author of kings describes the accession of josiah to the throne at 8 years, and then a busy year of reform in the 18th year of his reign. And hilkiah answered and said to shaphan the scribe, i have found the book of the law in the house of the lord. Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the lord given by moses. Thus began a period of reform that lasted until the death of josiah 2 kings 22. The young josiah and the book of the law bible hub. The young josiah and the book of the law childrens bible. E before that no reformative action had been reported. King josiah article about king josiah by the free dictionary. However, the first edition of the book of deuteronomy may well have been made under his realm.

As long as josiah reigned, the people kept the laws that were written in the book of the law. The passage in 2 kings xxiixxiii which records the reign of josiah is an important crux for old testament historical and literary criticism. The discovered book and the legitimation of josiahs reform jstor. Verse 11, now it happened, when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he tore his clothes. The scriptures that were being used in jerusalem at the end of josiahs reign, including some of the prophecies of jeremiah and the book of deuteronomy the book of the law appear in the brass plates taken by lehi to the new world. According to the old testament account in 2 kings 23, he removed all manner of idolatrous items from the temple and purified his kingdom of canaanite practices. The occasion of josiah s religious reform was the repairing the temple of the lord2 kgs 22.