all the punishments with which the rebellious and idolaters are threatened in the book of the law; and secondly (2Ki 22:18-20), to the king himself, that on account of his sincere repentance and humiliation in the sight of God, he would not live to see the predicted calamities, but would be gathered to his fathers in peace. The first part of her announcement applies “to the man who has sent you to me” (2Ki 22:15), the second “to the king of Judah, who has sent to inquire of the Lord” (2Ki 22:18). “The man” who had sent to her was indeed also the king; but Huldah intentionally made use of the general expression “the man,” etc., to indicate that the word announced to him applied not merely to the king, but to every one who would hearken to the word, whereas the second portion of her reply had reference to the king alone. הזּה המּקום, in 2Ki 22:16, 2Ki 22:19, and 2Ki 22:20, is Jerusalem as the capital of the kingdom. In 2Ki 22:16, הסּפר כּל־דּברי is an explanatory apposition to רעה. 2Ki 22:17. “With all the work of their hands,” i.e., with the idols which they have made for themselves (cf. 1Ki 16:7). The last clause in 2Ki 22:18, “the words which thou hast heard,” is not to be connected with the preceding one, “thus saith the Lord,” and על or ל to be supplied; but it belongs to the following sentence, and is placed at the head absolutely: as for the words, which thou hast heart - because thy heart has become soft, i.e., in despair at the punishment with which the sinners are threatened (cf. Deu 20:3; Isa 7:4), and thou hast humbled thyself, when thou didst hear, etc.; therefore, behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, etc. לשׁמּה להיות, “that they (the city and inhabitants) may become a desolation and curse.” These words, which are often used by the prophets, but which are not found connected like this except in Jer 44:22, rest upon Lev 26 and Deut 28, and show that these passages had been read to the king out of the book of the law.
Verse 20
To gather to his fathers means merely to let him die, and is generally applied to a peaceful death upon a sick-bed, like the synonymous phrase, to lie with one’s fathers; but it is also applied to a violent death by being slain in battle (1Ki 22:40 and 1Ki 22:34), so that there is no difficulty in reconciling this comforting assurance with the slaying of Josiah in battle (2Ki 23:29). בּשׁלום, in peace, i.e., without living to witness the devastation of Jerusalem, as is evident from the words, “thine eyes will not see,” etc.
