Josiah’s Death

²⁰ After all this, when Josiah had restored the House, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to confront him.

²¹ Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What do we have to do with each other, King of Judah? I am not against you this day, but only against the house^[a] against which I am waging war. God has said that I should hurry. Stop opposing God, who is with me, so he will not destroy you.”

²² But Josiah did not turn aside from him. Instead, he disguised himself to fight with him. He did not listen to the words of Neco, which were from the mouth of God, but he went out to battle on the plain near Megiddo.

²³ The archers shot King Josiah, so the king said to his attendants, “Take me away, because I am badly wounded.” ²⁴ His attendants took him out of the chariot and carried him to his second chariot and brought him to Jerusalem. He died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

²⁵ Jeremiah composed a lament for Josiah, and all the male and female singers have sung about Josiah in their laments right up until the present day. They made this into a customary practice in Israel. You can find them recorded among the laments.

²⁶ The rest of the acts of Josiah and his faithful deeds, which were performed according to what is written in the Law of the Lord, ²⁷ and his actions from first to last, you can find these written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.