2 Chronicles 35 Study Notes

35:16-17 That day refers back to v. 1, which these verses continue.

35:18-19 The Chronicler declared that this was the greatest Passover celebration since the kingship was first established in the days of . . . Samuel. Perhaps the last good Passover celebration was when Israel first entered the promised land (Jos 5:10-11; cp. 2Kg 23:22). No king of Judah or Israel had celebrated so well. This evaluation may be a reference to the precise attention to the proper procedure, or to the joyful participation of the Levites, priests, gatekeepers, Israelites, and all the common people of Jerusalem. It was a true restoration of the ancient tradition, incorporating all the appropriate guilds and procedures.

35:20 The three superpowers of that time—Assyria, Babylonia, and Egypt—were about to fight for world supremacy. Egypt and Assyria had formed an alliance against the Babylonians. Neco, the pharaoh of Egypt, had assembled a large army and was heading to Carchemish in Mesopotamia to join the fight against Babylon.

35:21 Pharaoh Neco of Egypt was not an enemy of Judah. He had no intention of conquering Judah. Nevertheless, Josiah marched out to meet the Egyptian army in battle. Ominously, the Chronicler does not say that Josiah inquired of God whether he should fight. Josiah’s death at Megiddo occurred in 609 BC.

35:22-24 Josiah confronted Neco on the large plain of Megiddo. To protect himself from any personal revenge by Neco, he disguised himself. But the king was mortally wounded by an arrow. He was transported to Jerusalem where he died. It is ironic that Josiah, one of the best kings of Judah, was killed in a manner remarkably similar to Ahab, perhaps the worst king of Israel (18:29-34).

35:25-27 Josiah’s obituary contains many positive words, which makes his premature and unnecessary death all the more tragic. The Dirges does not refer to the canonical book of Lamentations.