manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters. 14And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the LORD [1]given by Moses. 15And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan. 16And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and moreover brought the king word again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it. 17And they have [2]emptied out the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the workmen. 18And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read therein before the king. 19And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. 20And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and [3]Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, 21Go ye, inquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book
14. This verse has no parallel in 2 Kin.
the book of the law] See the Additional Note at the end of the chapter, pp. 337 ff.
15. answered and said] For the use of "answer" where no question had been asked cp. xxix. 31, note.
18. And Shaphan read therein] Contrast 2 Kin., "And Shaphan read it," implying that he read the whole book, which of course was a simple matter, if it consisted of the nucleus of Deuteronomy (see note, ver. 14). The Chronicler, however, believing the book to have been the whole Pentateuch, could not suppose that the whole was read to the king, and accordingly he writes therein in place of it.
19. rent his clothes] A sign of grief. "Clothes" is in the plur. because both inner and outer garments are meant. See Ezra ix. 3 (with Ryle's note).
20. Ahikam the son of Shaphan] Cp. Jer. xxvi. 24, xl. 5.
Abdon the son of Micah] In 2 Kin. "Achbor the son of Micaiah."
21. for them that are left in Israel] Not in 2 Kin. The Chronicler likes to mention the remnants of the northern tribes, as in vv. 6, 9.
