In the eighth year, when [Josiah] became king. [This means]: in the very year that he became king, which was his eighth.

In the twelfth year he began to purge. But he did not finish until the eighteenth year of his reign, after finding the scroll (vv. 8, 14): it was then that he finished purging everything (v. 33).

Onto the graves, ha-zoveḥim la-hem (=those who sacrificed to them). The noun in the construct state is elided: the graves, qivrei ha-zoveḥim la-hem (=the graves of those who sacrificed to them). This is akin to ha-aron ha-berit (=the Ark, [the Ark of] the Covenant; Jos 3:14), ha-‘am ha-milḥamah (=the people, [the people of] the battle; Jos 8:11), and those like them.

With their ḥaravot (=instruments of destruction). These are the hatchets with which they would smash the altars. The same is true for: “and will smash your towers with ḥaravot” (Ezek 26:9).

He ground le-hedaq (=into fine bits). This is the equivalent of le-hadeq, or it is a form of the Niphal.

In the eighteenth year of his reign, to purge the land and the Temple. This means: He decided to complete the purging of the land and the Temple, and he in turn commissioned Shaphan son of Azaliah to repair the Temple.

[Josiah] tore his clothes. [The Sages] say (cf. b. Yoma 52b) that the scroll was found rolled to the chapter of the admonitions: “The Lord will drive [out] you and the king whom you have set over you …” (Deut 28:36).

**Va-asher ha-melekh.**This means: va-asher ṣivvah ha-melekh (=and those whom the king ordered) to go with Hilkiah to seek the advice of the Lord.

In the mishneh. [This means]: in the house of study. Similarly, et mishneh ha-Torah (Deut 17:18) means the teachings of the Torah.

In his place. In the book of Kings, however, [it says], “on the ‘ammud” (2 Kgs 23:3). What is meant, then, is that [Josiah] stood on his feet, near the ‘ammud (=pillar). But Targum Jonathan renders “the ‘ammud”: istevana (=the stand). We have already explained this above (2 Chr 23:13).

And he imposed upon all who were in Israel to worship. The text then continues to explain the worship that he imposed on them—to worship the Lord.