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The Death of Josiah

20 After all of this that Josiah had prepared for the temple,[a] Neco the king of Egypt went up to make war at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went up to meet him. 21 And he[b] sent messengers to him, saying, “What is there between us,[c] O king of Judah? I am not against you yourself this day, but against the house making war against me. And God has commanded me to make haste. Stop opposing God, who is with me that he will not destroy you.” 22 But Josiah did not turn his face from him, but he disguised himself to fight with him. He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and he went out to fight in the plain of Megiddo. 23 And the archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded.” 24 So his servants took him out of the chariot and transported him in his second chariot and brought him to Jerusalem. And he died and was buried in the burial sites of his ancestors.[d] And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned over Josiah. 25 And Jeremiah uttered a lament for Josiah, and all the male and female singers have spoken in their laments about Josiah to this day. And they made them a requirement in Israel, and behold, they are written in the laments.

26 Now the remainder of the words of Josiah and his loyal love for what is written in the law of Yahweh 27 and his words, from the first to the last, behold, they are written in the scroll of the kings of Israel and Judah.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 35:20 Or “house”
  2. 2 Chronicles 35:21 That is, Neco
  3. 2 Chronicles 35:21 Literally “What to me and to you”
  4. 2 Chronicles 35:24 Or “fathers”

Pharaoh Neco and Josiah’s Death(A)

20 Some time after all of this, after Josiah had finished preparing the Temple, King Neco of Egypt invaded Carchemish on the Euphrates River,[a] and Josiah went out to fight him. 21 But he sent messengers to him, who asked him, “What do we have in common, King of Judah? I am not here today opposing you. I am fighting the dynasty that is fighting me, and God has ordered me to hurry. For your own good, stop interfering with God, who is with me, and he won’t destroy you!”

22 But Josiah wouldn’t turn around. In fact, he put on a disguise so he could fight Neco.[b] He wouldn’t listen to what God told him through what Neco had to say, and as a result, Josiah came to attack Neco[c] on the Megiddo plain. 23 Some archers shot King Josiah, and the king told his servants, “Take me away, because I’m badly wounded.” 24 So his servants removed him from the chariot he was in and carried him away in a backup chariot that he had and took him back to Jerusalem, where he died and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors. All of Judah and Jerusalem went into mourning for Josiah.

25 Jeremiah sang a lament for Josiah, and all the male and female singers recite that lamentation about Josiah to this day. In fact, they made singing it an ordinance in Israel, and they are recorded in the Lamentations.[d] 26 Now the rest of the accomplishments of Josiah, including his faithful acts of devotion as required in the Law of the Lord, 27 and his other[e] activities from first to last, are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 35:20 The Heb. lacks River
  2. 2 Chronicles 35:22 Lit. him
  3. 2 Chronicles 35:22 The Heb. lacks Neco
  4. 2 Chronicles 35:25 This is not a reference to the Book of Lamentations in the Bible.
  5. 2 Chronicles 35:27 The Heb. lacks other