Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes.
Parallel translations
- WEB When the king had heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.
- KJV And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
- BSB When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes
- NASB When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.
- NLT When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Upon hearing the words of the law, Josiah tears his clothes in grief. He responds with deep conviction and repentance.
Overview
Confronted by God's law, Josiah tears his garments, a sign of profound sorrow and contrition over the nation's sin. He takes the word seriously and is grieved by Judah's failure to keep it. His humble, repentant response models the right reaction to Scripture's exposure of sin, the brokenness that leads to grace in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 2 Chr 34:19When the king had heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.
- Joel 2:13Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.
- Jonah 3:6–7The news reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
- Josh 7:6Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before Yahweh’s ark until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.
- 2 Kgs 22:19because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Yahweh, when you heard what I spoke against this place, and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you,’ says Yahweh.
- Jer 36:24The king and his servants who heard all these words were not afraid, and didn’t tear their garments.
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 22:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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