Comments on 2 Chronicles 34

v1-7  Josiah in his youth embraces the Lord, and has organized
campaigns to utterly wipe out idolatry among Jerusalem as well as
some of the neighboring cities of Israel.

v8-13  Josiah then turns his attention towards repairing the
Temple and gets faithful administrators and laborers to undertake
the task.  Rather than using forced labor as was the case in the
original construction, they take up a collection and hire the
laborers.

v14-21  During the construction, a scroll containing the Law is
turned up and delivered to Josiah.  When he reads it and realizes
what it is he is emotionally distraught as it clearly outlines
their disobedience.  He becomes filled with fear and sends to
find out the word of the Lord concerning their position in His
eyes.

v22-28  Word is sent to Huldah the prophetess and she reports
that for their rebellion Judah will be cursed with all of the
curses contained in the book of the Law because of their
rebellion.  But, Josiah will be spared from seeing this as he
will be gathered to his kin before this happens.

v18 "a book", it is a popular notion today among both Jewish and
Christian scholars that the Law of Moses was passed down orally
and only documented some time much later, nobody knows when.  Yet
we have statements like this, and many others preceding it (e.g.,
Moses wrote the Law himself, Deut. 31:24; Samuel's documenting
his instruction to Saul, cf. 1 Sam. 10:25; Jehoshaphat's sending
the Levites out with book of the Law to teach it, cf. 2 Chron
17:9) which state unequivocally that the Law was documented.

v22 "Huldah the prophetess", a "prophet" or "prophetess" is one
who gives inspired, therefore implicitly authorized and
vicarious, speech.  One need not have the Priesthood to have
inspired speech, cp. 2 Ne. 32:2, Alma 32:23.  Miriam was likewise
a prophetess (Num. 12:2) as was Deborah (Judges 4:4).

v24 is making reference to the imminent invasion on Babylon
documented in ch. 36.

v29-33  Josiah teaches the Law first to the elders, and then gathers
all of people of Judah to the Temple, presumably during one of
the Feasts, and teaches all of them the Law (v. 29-30).  He then
has them all covenant to serve the Lord according to the dictates
of the Law (v. 31-32).  He then follows up with a similar
campaign to expunge idolatry and re-institute worship of the Lord
throughout Israel as well, and it enjoys considerable success (v.
33).



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