2 Chronicles 35:20-24

Why does Josiah’s faithful reform not prevent his fatal mistake?

Berean Standard Bible

20 After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt 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, O king of Judah? I have not come against you today, but I am fighting another dynasty, and God has told me to hurry. So stop opposing God, who is with me, or He will destroy you!” 22 Josiah, however, did not turn away from him; instead, in order to engage him in battle, he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to fight him on the Plain of Megiddo. 23 There the archers shot King Josiah, who said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded!” 24 So his servants took him out of his chariot, put him in his second chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. And Josiah was buried in the tomb of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.

What is the context?

After setting the temple in order, Josiah confronts Neco’s army. Neco sends a warning that his campaign is against another dynasty and that opposing him will mean opposing God.

The narrator goes beyond reporting Neco’s claim: Josiah does not listen to words described as coming from God. He disguises himself, enters battle, and is shot by archers.

His servants bring him to Jerusalem, where he dies, and the people mourn. The account places a serious failure beside his earlier faithfulness rather than making the good work a guarantee that every later decision will be wise.

How is this passage commonly understood?

Wesley takes the warning as one Josiah should have heeded. 2 Kings 23:29–30 gives a shorter account, locating the killing at Megiddo and describing his body being brought to Jerusalem; Chronicles describes the wound there and death at Jerusalem. The reports differ in their detail and wording, and a complete reconstruction is not supplied by either notice.

What is our position?

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