And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
When the king heard the words he was hearing the long-lost and newly recovered book of the law read aloud, and its discovery and study sparked the reformation of his reign. Its words deeply impressed him, and his rending of his clothes expressed being overwhelmed with sorrow, dismay, alarm, distress, shame and humility. It was an inward humbling of the heart before God, bowing before Him in anguish to show respect for the law, not merely an outward act. Part of his grief was shame that he had not known the law and that the people had been without it, recognizing their neglect of God's word. He also grieved because the reading showed how far Israel had departed from the commandments, violating them and dishonoring God.
The book's warnings of punishment made him feel profound sorrow, understand more fully God's abhorrence of sin, and recognize that an impenitent nation had nearly exhausted divine forbearance, incurred divine displeasure, and faced divine punishment for its practices. He therefore sought God and pardon for the nation's sins, repented, studied the law, treasured its teachings as a treasure of knowledge and an honor, and resolved to follow its counsel as a powerful aid to the reform he wanted. He acted to bring its teachings to the people and lead them to live by them, to honor and love the law and return to obedience. God accepted his efforts, and this reform averted threatened judgments for a time. His mourning over being without God's word points to the need to take calamities seriously and seek what they teach.
When the king heard the words he was hearing the long-lost and newly recovered book of the law read aloud, and its discovery and study sparked the reformation of his reign. Its words deeply impressed him, and his rending of his clothes expressed being overwhelmed with sorrow, dismay, alarm, distress, shame and humility. It was an inward humbling of the heart before God, bowing before Him in anguish to show respect for the law, not merely an outward act. Part of his grief was shame that he had not known the law and that the people had been without it, recognizing their neglect of God's word. He also grieved because the reading showed how far Israel had departed from the commandments, violating them and dishonoring God.
The book's warnings of punishment made him feel profound sorrow, understand more fully God's abhorrence of sin, and recognize that an impenitent nation had nearly exhausted divine forbearance, incurred divine displeasure, and faced divine punishment for its practices. He therefore sought God and pardon for the nation's sins, repented, studied the law, treasured its teachings as a treasure of knowledge and an honor, and resolved to follow its counsel as a powerful aid to the reform he wanted. He acted to bring its teachings to the people and lead them to live by them, to honor and love the law and return to obedience. God accepted his efforts, and this reform averted threatened judgments for a time. His mourning over being without God's word points to the need to take calamities seriously and seek what they teach.