2 Kings 22 · Verse 11

2 Kings 22:11

And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
2 Kings 22:11, King James Version

2 Kings 22:11 in other translations

BSBWhen the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes
WEBWhen the king had heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.
ASVAnd it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
YLTAnd it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the words of the book of the law, that he rendeth his garments,
DARBYAnd it came to pass when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his garments.
BBEAnd the king, hearing the words of the book of the law, took his robe in his hands, violently parting it as a sign of his grief;
WebsterAnd it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

What does 2 Kings 22:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Kings 22:8-11

8-11. Hilkiah said ... I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord, &c.--that is, the law of Moses, the Pentateuch. It was the temple copy which, had been laid (De 31:25, 26) beside the ark in the most holy place. During the ungodly reigns of Manasseh and Amon--or perhaps under Ahaz, when the temple itself had been profaned by idols, and the ark also (2Ch 35:3) removed from its site; it was somehow…

Read the full comment on 2 Kings 22:8-11 →

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 22:11-20
The book of the law is read before the king. Those best honour their Bibles, who study them; daily feed on that bread, and walk by that light. Convictions of sin and wrath should put us upon this inquiry, What shall we do to be saved? Also, what we may expect, and must provide for. Those who are truly apprehensive of the weight of God's wrath, cannot but be very anxious how they may be saved. Huldah let Josiah know what judgments God had in store for Judah and Jerusalem. The generality of the people were hardened, and their hearts unhumbled, but Josiah's heart was tender. This is tenderness of heart, and thus he humbled himself before the Lord. Those who most fear God's wrath, are least likely to feel it. Though Josiah was mortally wounded in battle, yet he died in peace with God, and went to glory. Whatever such persons suffer or witness, they are gathered to the grave in peace, and shall enter into the rest which remaineth for the people of God.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Kings 22:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַֽיְהִי֙vay.Hiand it wasH1961
כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַkish.Mo.a'when heardH8085
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
דִּבְרֵ֖יdiv.Rei[the] words ofH1697
סֵ֣פֶרSe.fer[the] scroll ofH5612
הַתּוֹרָ֑הha.to.Rahthe lawH8451
וַיִּקְרַ֖עvai.yik.Ra'and he toreH7167
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
בְּגָדָֽיו\׃be.ga.Davclothes hisH899

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 22:11

  • 2 Chronicles 34:19

    And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.

  • Joel 2:13

    And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

  • Jonah 3:6-7

    For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:

  • 2 Kings 22:19

    Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.

  • Jeremiah 36:24

    Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.

  • Joshua 7:6

    And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
that he rent.
19; 2Ch 34:19; Jer 36:24; Joe 2:13; Jon 3:6,7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 22:10

    And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

  • 2 Kings 22:11

    And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

  • 2 Kings 22:12

    And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying,

Read all of 2 Kings 22

2 Kings 22:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cuando el rey hubo oído las palabras del libro de la ley, rasgó sus vestidos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arriva que, quand le roi entendit les paroles du livre de la loi, il déchira ses vêtements.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah, als der König die Worte des Buches des Gesetzes hörte, da zerriß er seine Kleider.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et audisset rex verba libri legis Domini, scidit vestimenta sua.