2 Kings 22:2 - Exposition

And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in an the way of David his father. This is a stronger expression than any which has been used of any previous king of Judah except Hezekiah, and indicates a very high degree of approval. The son of Sirach says of Josiah, "The remembrance of Josias is like the composition of the perfume that is made by the art of the apothecary: it is sweet as honey in all mouths, and as music at a banquet of wine. He behaved himself uprightly in the conversion of the people, and took away the abominations of iniquity. He directed his heart unto the Lord, and in the time of the ungodly he established the worship of God. All , except David and Ezekias and Josias , were defective: for they forsook the Law of the Most High, even the kings of Judah failed" (see Ecclesiasticus 49:1-4). And turned not aside to the right hand or to the left ; i.e. he never deviated from the right path (comp. Deuteronomy 5:32 ; Deuteronomy 17:11 , Deuteronomy 17:20 ; Deuteronomy 28:14 ; Joshua 1:7 ; Joshua 23:6 ).