josiah Summary and Overview

healed by Jehovah, or Jehovah will support. The son of Amon, and his successor on the throne of Judah (2 Kings 22:1; 2 Chr. 34:1). His history is contained in 2 Kings 22, 23. He stands foremost among all the kings of the line of David for unswerving loyalty to Jehovah (23:25). He "did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father." He ascended the throne at the early age of eight years, and it appears that not till eight years afterwards did he begin "to seek after the God of David his father." At that age he devoted himself to God. He distinguished himself by beginning a war of extermination against the prevailing idolatry, which had practically been the state religion for some seventy years (2 Chr. 34:3; compare Jer. 25:3, 11, 29). In the eighteenth year of his reign he proceeded to repair and beautify the temple, which by time and violence had become sorely dilapidated (2 Kings 22:3, 5, 6; 23:23; 2 Chr. 34:11). While this work was being carried on, Hilkiah, the high priest, discovered a roll, which was probably the original copy of the law, the entire Pentateuch, written by Moses. When this book was read to him, the king was alarmed by the things it contained, and sent for Huldah, the "prophetess," for her counsel. She spoke to him words of encouragement, telling him that he would be gathered to his fathers in peace before the threatened days of judgment came. Josiah immediately gathered the people together, and engaged them in a renewal of their ancient national covenant with God. The Passover was then celebrated, as in the days of his great predecessor, Hezekiah, with unusual magnificence. Nevertheless, "the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah" (2 Kings 22:3-20; 23:21-27; 2 Chr. 35:1-19). During the progress of this great religious revolution Jeremiah helped it on by his earnest exhortations. Soon after this, Pharaoh-Necho II. (q.v.), king of Egypt, in an expedition against the king of Assyria, with the view of gaining possession of Carchemish, sought a passage through the territory of Judah for his army. This Josiah refused to permit. He had probably entered into some new alliance with the king of Assyria, and faithful to his word he sought to oppose the progress of Necho. The army of Judah went out and encountered that of Egypt at Megiddo, on the verge of the plain of Esdraelon. Josiah went into the field in disguise, and was fatally wounded by a random arrow. His attendants conveyed him toward Jerusalem, but had only reached Hadadrimmon, a few miles south of Megiddo, when he died (2 Kings 23:28, 30; compare 2 Chr. 35:20-27), after a reign of thirty-one years. He was buried with the greatest honours in fulfilment of Huldah's prophecy (2 Kings 22:20; compare Jer. 34:5). Jeremiah composed a funeral elegy on this the best of the kings of Israel (Lam. 4:20; 2 Chr. 35:25). The outburst of national grief on account of his death became proverbial (Zech. 12:11; compare Rev. 16:16).

(whom Jehovah heals). 1. The son of Amon and Jedidah, succeeded his father B.C. 641, in the eighty years of his age, and reigned 31 years. His history is contained in #2Ki 22:1 ... 24:30; 2Ch 34:1 ..., 35:1| ... and the first twelve chapters of Jeremiah throw much light upon the general character of the Jews in his day. He began in the eighth year of his reign to seek the Lord; and in his twelfth year, and for six years afterward, in a personal progress throughout all the land of Judah and Israel, he destroyed everywhere high places, groves, images and all outward signs and relics of idolatry. The temple was restored under a special commission; and in the course of the repairs Hilkiah the priest found that book of the law of the Lord which quickened so remarkably the ardent zeal of the king. He was aided by Jeremiah the prophet in spreading through his kingdom the knowledge and worship of Jehovah. The great day of Josiah's life was the day of the passover in the eighteenth year of his reign. After this his endeavors to abolish every trace of idolatry and superstition were still carried on; but the time drew near which had been indicated by Huldah. #2Ki 22:20| When Pharaoh-necho went from Egypt to Carchemish to carry on his war along the seacoast. Necho reluctantly paused and gave him battle in the valley of Esdraelon. Josiah was mortally wounded, and died before he could reach Jerusalem. He was buried with extraordinary honors. 2. The son of Zephaniah, at whose house took place the solemn and symbolical crowning of Joshua the high priest. #Zec 6:10| (B.C. about 1520.)

JOSI'AH (whom Jehovah heals). 1. The son and successor of Amon, king of Judah, began to reign when he was only 8 years of age, and reigned 31 years, b.c. 641-610. 2 Kgs 22:1-2; 2 Chr 34:1, 2. He was remarkable for his integrity and piety. He gradually abolished the idolatrous customs of his predecessors, 2 Chr 34:3, and in the eighteenth year of his reign began a thorough repair of the temple. In the progress of this work Hilkiah the high priest found a "book of the law of the Lord given by Moses." 2 Chr 34:14. What book it was is uncertain; probably it was Deuteronomy. Josiah seems to have been ignorant of its existence; but when it was read to him by one of his officers he was overwhelmed with grief to find how far they and their fathers had departed from the right way. He, however, humbled himself before God, and sent to inquire of the Lord through Huldah the prophetess. In Jehovah's name she assured him that evil was determined of the Lord, but that he should not see it. 2 Chr 34:23-28. He then assembled the people and published the Law in their hearing, and they all united with the king in a solemn vow of obedience. After this he utterly destroyed every vestige of idolatry, both images and temples, and then, by divine command, caused the feast of the Passover to be celebrated with such solemnity as had not been known since the days of Samuel. 2 Chr 35:3-18. When Pharaoh-Neeho went up from Egypt to Carchemish, Josiah, probably as the ally or vassal of the king of Assyria, opposed him, and, mistrusting Necho's message from God, gave the Egyptian battle at Megiddo, but was mortally wounded, and was brought to Jerusalem, where he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. No king, perhaps, was ever more deservedly beloved, and certainly we know of none who was more sincerely and tenderly bewailed by his people. Indeed, his death was the end of prosperity to the kingdom of Judah. Jeremiah the prophet was greatly affected by it, and composed an elegy on the occasion, 2 Chr 35:25, and all those accustomed to celebrate in song the worth and achievements of men of great eminence, both men and women, mourned for Josiah for ages after his death. Indeed, the mourning was such as to become proverbial. Zech 12:11. He was only 39 years of age when he died. 1. The man in whose house the symbolical crowning of Jeshua took place. Zech 6:10.

= supported or healed by Jehovah. 1. Son of Amon and Jedidab; began to reign at eight years old (641 B.C.) and reigned 31 years, to 610 B.C. (2 Kings 22 to 24; 2 Chronicles 34-35). The first 12 chapters of Jeremiah may refer to this period. At the age of 16, "while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father." Since Amon was wicked it is likely that Jedidah (= beloved), like Lois and Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5), had early instilled into her child pious principles which bore fruit betimes, for in spite of the closing error which cost him his life the Holy Spirit, who remembers the graces and ignores the exceptional fails of believers, testifies "he declined neither to the right hand nor to the left." At the age of 20, in the 12th year of his reign, he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places , see GROVES or Asherah, and images of the sun and Baal, and strewed their dust on the graves of their former worshippers. The events of the purging out idolatry, the temple repair, and the finding of the law, in Kings are arranged according to subject matter; but in Chronicles chronologically. The repairing of the temple recorded 2 Kings 22:3-7, in a period by itself, subordinate to the discovery of the law, in the 18th year of Josiah's reign, must have been chronologically before that date, since in that year the builders were already repairing and the money for the work had been collected by theLevites who kept the door. The abolishing of the idols must have begun before the people made the covenant (2 Kings 23:3). The discovery of the law (see HILKIAH ) quickened his zeal in abolishing them throughout the whole kingdom. In 2 Kings their suppression is narrated more minutely, the Passover celebration is summarized; in Second Chronicles their suppression is summarized (2 Chronicles 34:3-7,33), but the Passover fully described (2 Chronicles 35:1-19). Josiah spared not even the high places which pious Hezekiah had left, nor those of Solomon in his apostasy, nor their priests (Chemarim), as <360104> Zephaniah 1:4 foretold; also Manasseh his grandfather's grove (Asherah) in the Lord's house (2 Kings 21:7; 23:6). He defiled Tophot in the valley of the children of see HINNOM , where the people used to make their children pass through the fire to Moloch; and burned the chariots of the sun, and took away the stored horses, and destroyed Ahaz' altars on the housetop. He fulfilled on the Bethel calf altar the prophecy of the man of God to Jeroboam, given three centuries before, and declaring his very name (as Isaiah did that of Cyrus ages before), but respected the prophet's sepulchre (1 Kings 13). His purgation thus extended to northern Israel as far as Naphtali, as well as to Judah. It was in repairing the temple that Moses' copy of the law, in his own handwriting, or at, least the original temple copy from his, was found. That the law was not previously unknown appears from the king's conduct on its discovery. He at once accepted its authority without mistrust as genuine and authentic; and read or caused it to be read in the ears of all the men of Judah, the priests and the prophets ("Levites" in <143430> 2 Chronicles 34:30). These too all accepted it, evidently because they and he had always recognized its truths generally (as his extirpation of idolatry already implied), but now he and they are brought into immediate contact, as it were, with Moses himself, through the original temple copy. His tenderness of heart (conscience) and his humbling himself before God with tears and rent garments brought God's promise through Huldah that he should be "gathered to his grave in peace," and "should not see the evil God was about to bring on" Jerusalem. It is true he fell in battle; but his remains were (and were the last) buried in his fathers' sepulchres "in peace," before seeing the enemy overthrow his capital (compare <243405> Jeremiah 34:5; <235701> Isaiah 57:1,2). "Because thou humblest thyself when thou heardest what I spake ... I also have heard thee." God is toward men what they are toward Him (Psalm 18:25,26). In this same year, the 26th of his age, the 18th of his reign, Josiahand his people entered into a covenant to keep the law of Jehovah with all their heart and all their soul (2 Kings 23:3; 2 Chronicles 34:31-33). His only fault was his supposition that by frustrating Necho's expedition to the Euphrates against Assyria he might avert God's predicted judgment on Judah. He scarcely realized the depth of Israel's apostasy, and hoped his reformation would enlist God's cooperation against the Egyptians. Nineveh was falling, if not already fallen. The Syrian princes, those independent as Josiah as well as Assyria's vassals, hoped now to be free from every foreign yoke; it was therefore necessary now to check the Egyptian, for though Necho was not marching against Judah but against Carchemish by Euphrates, Josiah knew that if once the Egyptians gained Coelosyria his independence would be gone. Necho appealed in vain to Josiah to leave him alone, as it was "against the house of his war" (his hereditary enemy) that he was marching, and that God commanded him, so that if Josiah interfered he would be "meddling with God." He thought the reference to God would have weight with Josiah. Of course Pharaoh's view of the Godhead was distinct from Josiah's. Josiah forgot his ancestor Solomon's inspired counsel (Proverbs 17:14; 26:17). Josiah's reformation had not removed the deep seated evil (as Jeremiah and Zephaniah testify), so that the deceased Manasseh's sin, acting still far and wide though hiddenly now, awaited God's fierce anger on Jerusalem, as he was warned by God through Huldah (2 Kings 22:16-20). Hence Josiah was permitted, not without culpability on his part, to meddle in the ungodly world's wars, and so to fall, and with himself to withdraw the last godly ruler from the people henceforth given over to punishment (2 Kings 23:25-30). Necho came by sea to Israel, landing at Accho. If he had come by Philistia Josiah would have met him there, and not allowed him to advance to Megiddo. There, in the great battle field of Israel, Esdraelon plain, Necho, when they met face to face, slew him. Josiah was carried wounded from Hadadrimmon to die before be reached Jerusalem. He was buried with every honour, and Jeremiah composed a dirge, annually chanted at Hadadrimmon (not the "Lamentations" over Jerusalem after its fall). Compare Jeremiah 22:10 "weep not for the dead, neither bemoan him" (namely, Josiah slain at Megiddo = Magdolum in Herodotus); he is at peace. The church, while potent in the world for God, must not descend to the world's level and use the world's weapons for even a good end. Her controversy must first be with herself so long as corruption is in her, and then shemust yield herself to God to be wielded by Him in the world for His glory. Antichrist superseding spiritual Babylon appropriately falls at Armageddon, i.e. the hill of Megiddo, the scene of godly Josiah's fall through descending to the world's carnal strifes as Babylon's ally (Revelation 16:14-18); the Jews' future mourning for Him whom they pierced, before God's interposition against all nations confederate against Jerusalem, answers to their mourning for Josiah at Megiddo (Zechariah 12:10,11). Josiah's greatness harmonizes with the parallel decline and fall of Assyria. Josiah exercised a sovereignty over Samaria and Galilee (2 Chronicles 34:6), besides Judah. In 633 B.C. the Medes attacked Nineveh. Then the Scythians (from whom Bethshan got its Greek name Scythopolis) desolated western Asia. Then Egypt cast off the Assyrian yoke, and Psammetik I attacked southern Syria. Finally, in 626 or 624 B.C., the Medes, Babylonians, and Susianians destroyed Nineveh and divided the empire. This gave Josiah the opportunity to free Judah from the Assyrian yoke which his grandfather had borne, and to enlarge his kingdom. (See for further illustrations of the Scripture harmony with secular history, N ECHO ). 2. Josiah, son of Zephaniah = cheen ("grace") (Zechariah 6:9,15). At his house in Jerusalem the three from Babylon were guests, from whom Zechariah by God's command took silver and gold to make crowns for the high priest Joshua's head.