Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Kings 23:2

"And the king went up to the house of Jehovah, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of Jehovah." — 2 Kings 23:2 (ASV)

And the prophets—that is, the numerous members of the prophetic order, who at this time formed a distinct class, repeatedly mentioned in the writings of Jeremiah (for example, Jeremiah 2:8; Jeremiah 5:31; Jeremiah 6:13), as well as of older prophets. The Targum has the scribes, the γραμματεύς of the New Testament, a class which hardly existed so early. Chronicles and some manuscripts read the Levites. (See Note on 2 Chronicles 34:30.)

All the men of Judah ... inhabitants of Jerusalem ... the people—a natural hyperbole, for of course the Temple court would not contain the entire population.

And he read—perhaps the king himself, but not necessarily. (Compare, for example, 2 Kings 22:10; 2 Kings 22:16.) Qui facit per alium facit per se. The priests were charged to read the Law to the people (Deuteronomy 31:9 and following) at the end of every seven years.

Small and great—that is, high and low. (Compare Psalms 49:2.)