The Death of Josiah^(A)

²⁰ After all this when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt went up to war in Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to meet him. ²¹ And Necho sent messengers to him saying, “What is there between you and me, king of Judah? I am not against you this day, but against the house with which I am at war. And God has commanded that I hurry. Refrain from being against God who is with me so that He does not destroy you.”

²² But Josiah did not turn away from him for he went to battle against him disguised. He did not listen to the words of Necho that came from the mouth of God, but he came to battle in the plain of Megiddo.

²³ So the archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, “Take me away for I am severely wounded.” ²⁴ Then his servants took him from the chariot, and they set him in a second chariot, and they brought him to Jerusalem. He died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

²⁵ And Jeremiah composed a dirge for Josiah, and all the male and female singers speak of Josiah in their laments to this day. They set them as a statute over Israel. They are written in the Laments.

²⁶ And the remainder of the acts of Josiah, his deeds and covenant faithfulness, according to what is written in the Law of the Lord, ²⁷ and his acts from beginning to end are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.