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And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

New Defender's Study Bible Notes

22:8 Hilkiah the high priest. A seal in a ring containing the name of this same Hilkiah was found in Palestine.


22:8 found the book of the law. The Pentateuch had probably been placed by Moses in the Ark of the Covenant (Deuteronomy 10:5) along with the two tables of the law, and possibly the record of Joshua as well. In any case, one copy of the Pentateuch had apparently been hidden somewhere in the temple by a faithful priest during the time when Manasseh was attempting to destroy the religion of his forefathers. Evidently the sacred writings, still in the ark, had been transferred from the tabernacle to the temple when it was built, and had been kept safe there from the times of Solomon onward to Josiah. Also see note on II Chronicles 34:14.


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