John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. And the king stood by a pillar , etc.] As the manner of kings was, ( 2 Kings 11:14) and is thought to be the brasen scaffold erected by Solomon, on which he stood at the dedication of the temple, and now Josiah at the reading of the law, ( 2 Chronicles 6:13), it is said to be his place, ( 2 Chronicles 34:31), (see Gill on “ 2 Kings 11:14”) and made a covenant before the Lord : agreed and promised in the presence of God, both he and his people: to walk after the Lord : the worship of the Lord, as the Targum; closely to attend to that: and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes : all the laws of God, moral, civil, and ceremonial: with all their heart, and all their soul : cordially and sincerely: to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book : lately found, and now read unto them: and all the people stood to the covenant : agreed to it, and promised to keep it; so the Targum, “all the people took upon them the covenant,” engaged to observe it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-3 - Josiah had received a message from God, that there was no preventin the ruin of Jerusalem, but that he should only deliver his own soul yet he does his duty, and leaves the event to God. He engaged the people in the most solemn manner to abolish idolatry, and to serve God in righteousness and true holiness. Though most were formal of hypocritical herein, yet much outward wickedness would be prevented and they were accountable to God for their own conduct.
Original Hebrew ויעמד5975 המלך4428 על5921 העמוד5982 ויכרת3772 את853 הברית1285 לפני6440 יהוה3068 ללכת1980 אחר310 יהוה3068 ולשׁמר8104 מצותיו4687 ואת853 עדותיו5715 ואת853 חקתיו2708 בכל3605 לב3820 ובכל3605 נפשׁ5315 להקים6965 את853 דברי1697 הברית1285 הזאת2063 הכתבים3789 על5921 הספר5612 הזה2088 ויעמד5975 כל3605 העם5971 בברית׃1285
