What did it signify that Josiah stood by the pillar (II Kings 22:1-3?

Answer 1

I think that you gave the wrong passage. I see nothing about a pillar.


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Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the LORD.

New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society


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I think that you are actually referring to chapter 23. According to at least one commentary, the "pillar" in verse 3 could be a "stairs" or a "pulpit".

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...Verse 3. Stood by a pillar] He stood, dwm[h l[ al haammud, "upon the stairs or pulpit." This is what is called the brazen scaffold or pulpit which Solomon made, and on which the kings were accustomed to stand when they addressed the people. See 2 Chron. vi. 13, and the parallel places. ...

Answer 2

2Ki 11:14
And she looked and behold, the king was standing by the pillar, according to the custom, with the captains and the trumpeters beside the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, "Treason! Treason!"

2Ki 23:3
And the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

I believe that was just the King's traditional place in the temple. The "Royal Seat", as it were. Probably had the best view.

Jim, http://www.jimpettis.com/wheel/