King Josiah Of Judah: The Deuteronomic Historians

In the twenty-second and twenty-third chapters of the book of Second Kings, the reign of King Josiah of Judah, also known as the Southern Kingdom, is described in great detail. The Deuteronomic Historians, through their writings, seem to paint Josiah in a very positive light. It is written that he “did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of his father David” (2 Kings 22.2). As the narrative progresses, this positivity is only amplified, which has led many scholars to believe that the Deuteronomic Historians were writing from a perspective that had adapted the idea that King Josiah was the best king in all of the history of Judah. During his time as king, Josiah was responsible for many reforms in Judah. What triggered these reforms, though, was the discovery of the Book of the Law in the House of the Lord. After the high priest at the time, Hilkiah, delivered the book to Josiah, and Shaphan the secretary read it to him, he was devastated; he realized that the Lord’s wrath was indeed great against the people of Israel, because their “ancestors did not obey [its] words” and by doing

This eye-opening event motivated King Josiah to command Hilkiah and a few others to inquire of the Lord concerning the words of the Law. Yahweh spoke through a prophetess, Huldah, and told the people to tell Josiah that