2 Chronicles 35:20-24

Josiah's Last Deeds and Death

20 After all this that Josiah had prepared for the temple, Neco king of Egypt[a] marched up to fight at Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to confront him.
21 But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, "What is [the issue] between you and me, king of Judah?[b] I have not come against you today[c] but to the dynasty[d] I am fighting. God told me to hurry. Stop opposing God who is with me; don't make Him destroy you!"
22 But Josiah did not turn away from him; instead, in order to fight with him he disguised himself.[e] He did not listen to Neco's words from the mouth of God, but went to the Valley of Megiddo to fight.
23 The archers shot King Josiah, and he said to his servants, "Take me away, for I am severely wounded!"[f]
24 So his servants took him out of the war chariot, carried him in his second chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem. Then he died, and they buried him in the tomb of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

2 Chronicles 35:20-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 35

In this chapter we have an account of the keeping of the passover and its preparation, for which the priests and Levites were ordered to prepare, and to which Josiah, and his princes, gave liberally, and such an one was kept as had not been for ages past, 2Ch 35:1-19, and of Josiah's rash engagement in battle with the king of Egypt, in which he was slain, 2Ch 35:20-23 and of the great lamentations that were made for him, 2Ch 35:24-27.

Footnotes 6

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