2 Kings 23:26

Contextual Overview

²⁵ Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since. ²⁵ And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him. ²⁵ And like him there was no king before him, that turned to Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him did there arise any like him. ²⁵ There was no king like Josiah before or after him. He obeyed the Lord with all his heart, soul, and strength, following all the Teachings of Moses. ²⁵ No king before or after repented before the Lord as he did, with his whole heart, soul, and being in accordance with the whole law of Moses. ²⁵ And like him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there [any] like him. ²⁵ Like him was there no king before him, who turned to Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him. ²⁵Before him there was no king like Josiah who turned to the LORD with all his heart and all his soul and all his might, in accordance with all the Law of Moses; nor did anyone like him arise after him. ²⁵ Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him. ²⁵ No kyng bifor him was lijk hym, `that turnede ayen to the Lord in al his herte, and in al his soule, and in al his vertu, bi al the lawe of Moises; nether aftir hym roos ony lijk hym.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Notwithstanding: 2 Kings 21:11-13, 2 Kings 22:16, 2 Kings 22:17, 2 Kings 24:2, 2 Kings 24:4, 2 Chronicles 36:16, Jeremiah 3:7-10, Jeremiah 15:1-4

provocations: Heb. angers

Reciprocal: Exodus 20:5 - visiting Numbers 35:33 - it defileth 1 Kings 14:9 - to provoke 2 Kings 24:3 - remove them 2 Chronicles 29:10 - that his fierce 2 Chronicles 30:8 - the fierceness 2 Chronicles 33:9 - made Judah 2 Chronicles 34:24 - I will bring Isaiah 24:5 - because Jeremiah 15:4 - because Ezekiel 18:19 - Why Zephaniah 2:2 - the decree Zechariah 1:2 - Lord

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Notwithstanding, the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah,.... Notwithstanding the great reformation wrought among them; for though Josiah was a sincere reformer, and did what he did heartily, as to the Lord, according to his will, and for his glory; yet the people were not sincere in their compliance, they turned to the Lord not with their whole heart, but feignedly, Jeremiah 3:10

because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal; by shedding innocent blood and committing idolatry, which the people consented to and approved of, and even now privately committed idolatry, as the prophecies of Jeremiah and Zephaniah show; and it may easily be concluded that their hearts were after their idols, by their openly returning to them in the days of the sons of Josiah.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the marginal references. True repentance might have averted God’s anger. But the people had sunk into a condition in which a true repentance was no longer possible. Individuals, like Josiah, were sincere, but the mass of the nation, despite their formal renewal of the covenant 2 Kings 23:3, and their outward perseverance in Yahweh-worship 2 Chronicles 34:33, had feigned rather than felt repentance. The earlier chapters of Jeremiah are full at once of reproaches which he directs against the people for their insincerity, and of promises if they would repent in earnest.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 26. The Lord turned not — It was of no use to try this fickle and radically depraved people any longer. They were respited merely during the life of Josiah.