2 Kings 22:20

Contextual Overview

¹¹ When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair. ¹¹ And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. ¹¹ And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. ¹¹ When the king heard the words of the Book of the Teachings, he tore his clothes to show how upset he was. ¹¹ When the king heard the words of the law scroll, he tore his clothes. ¹¹ And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. ¹¹ It happened, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he tore his clothes. ¹¹Now when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. ¹¹ When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. ¹¹ and the kyng hadde herd the wordis of the book of the lawe of the Lord, he to-rente hise clothis.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I will gather: Genesis 25:8, Deuteronomy 31:16, 1 Chronicles 17:11, 2 Chronicles 34:28

thou shalt: During thy life, none of these calamities shall fall upon thee nor thy people; no adversary shall be permitted to disturb the peace of Judea; and thou shalt at last "be gathered into thy grave in peace." Now, though it is stated that Pharaoh-Necho slew him at Megiddo, yet the Assyrians and the Jews were at peace; and though Josiah might feel it his duty to oppose the Egyptian king's going against his friend and ally, and that, in his endeavours to oppose him, he was mortally wounded at Megiddo, yet certainly he was not killed there, but was brought to Jerusalem, where he died in peace.

gathered: 2 Kings 23:29, 2 Kings 23:30, Psalms 37:37, Isaiah 57:1, Isaiah 57:2, Jeremiah 22:10, Jeremiah 22:15, Jeremiah 22:16

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 2:6 - in 1 Kings 11:12 - in thy days Job 23:17 - cut off Isaiah 66:2 - to this Jeremiah 23:9 - heart Jeremiah 34:5 - But thou Jeremiah 39:6 - before Ezekiel 9:4 - that sigh Amos 3:7 - but Revelation 13:14 - deceiveth

Cross-References

Genesis 11:26
When Terah had lived 70 years, he fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Genesis 11:26
And Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Genesis 11:26
After Terah was 70 years old, his sons Abram, Nahor, and Haran were born.

Genesis 11:26
When Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Genesis 11:26
And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Genesis 11:26
Terah lived seventy years, and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Genesis 11:26
After Terah had lived seventy years, he became the father of Abram and Nahor and Haran [his firstborn].

Genesis 11:26
And Thare lyuede seuenti yeer, and gendride Abram, and Nachor, and Aran.

Genesis 11:26
And Terah liveth seventy years, and begetteth Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Genesis 11:26
When Terah was 70 years old, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers,.... To his godly ancestors, to share with them in eternal life and happiness; otherwise it could be no peculiar favour to die in common, as his fathers did, and be buried in their sepulchres:

and thou shall be gathered into thy grave in peace; in a time of public peace and tranquillity; for though he was slain in battle with the king of Egypt, yet it was what he was personally concerned in, and it was not a public war between the two kingdoms, and his body was carried off by his servants, and was peaceably interred in the sepulchre of his ancestors, 2 Kings 23:29, as well as he died in spiritual peace, and entered into eternal peace, which is the end of the perfect and upright man, as he was, Psalms 37:37 but this chiefly regards his not living to be distressed with the calamities of his nation and people, as follows:

and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place: he being removed first, though it came upon it in the days of his sons:

and they brought the king word again; of what Huldah the prophetess had said unto them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In peace - The death of Josiah in battle 2 Kings 23:29 is in verbal contradiction to this prophecy, but not in real opposition to its spirit, which is simply that the pious prince who has sent to inquire of the Lord, shall be gathered to his fathers before the troubles come upon the land which are to result in her utter desolation. Now those troubles were to come, not from Egypt, but from Babylon; and their commencement was not the invasion of Necho in 608 B.C., but that of Nebuchadnezzar three years later. Thus was Josiah “taken away from the evil to come,” and died “in peace” before his city had suffered attack from the really formidable enemy.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 22:20. Thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace — During thy life none of these calamities shall fall upon the people, and no adversary shall be permitted to disturb the peace of Judea, and thou shalt die in peace with God. But was Josiah gathered to the grave in peace? Is it not said, 2 Kings 23:29, that Pharaoh-nechoh slew him at Megiddo? On this we may remark, that the Assyrians and the Jews were at peace; that Josiah might feel it his duty to oppose the Egyptian king going against his friend and ally, and endeavour to prevent him from passing through his territories; and that in his endeavours to oppose him he was mortally wounded at Megiddo: but certainly was not killed there; for his servants put him in his second chariot and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died in peace. See 2 Chronicles 35:24. So that, however we take the place here, we shall find that the words of Huldah were true: he did die in peace, and was gathered to his fathers in peace.

FROM the account in the above chapter, where we have this business detailed, we find that Josiah should not have meddled in the quarrel between the Egyptian and the Assyrian kings, for God had given a commission to the former against the latter; but he did it in error, and suffered for it. But this unfortunate end of this pious man does not at all impeach the credit of Huldah; he died in peace in his own kingdom. He died in peace with God, and there was neither war nor desolation in his land: nor did the king of Egypt proceed any farther against the Jews during his life; for he said, "What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee, but the house wherewith I have war; for God commanded me to make haste: forbear then from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not. Nevertheless, Josiah would not turn his face from him, and hearkened not to the words of Nechoh, from the mouth of God. And the archers shot at King Josiah: and the king said, Bear me away, for I am sore wounded. And his servants took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot, and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died and was buried in the sepulchre of his fathers;" 2 Chronicles 35:21-24.

It seems as if the Egyptian king had brought his troops by sea to Caesarea, and wished to cross the Jordan about the southern point of the sea of Tiberias, that he might get as speedily as possible into the Assyrian dependencies; and that he took this road, for God, as he said, had commanded him to make haste.