Keraia
2 Chronicles 35

2 Chronicles 35:20

The Death of Josiah · 2 Chronicles 35:20–24
Read 2 Chronicles 35

Translations

Modern
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.
Traditional
After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.
Literal
After all this, when Josiah had prepared the house, Neco king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to meet him.
Latin
Postquam instauraverat Josias templum, ascendit Nechao rex Ægypti ad pugnandum in Charcamis juxta Euphraten: et processit in occursum ejus Josias.

Original

Hebrew
English
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.

Notes

2 Chronicles 35:20–24

The story skips from Josiah’s eighteenth year in 622 BC to the year he died in 609 BC. As the Assyrian Empire weakened, Egypt and Babylon, once under Assyrian control, clashed. King Neco of Egypt, who had allied with Assyria to resist Babylon's growth, asked Josiah to let his army pass freely. Josiah's decision to block them might have been due to an alliance with Babylon or his own effort to gain independence from Egypt. Josiah died because he ignored a divine message given by a non-Jewish king.

Theme notes and profiles

Josiah

Parallels

2 Kings 23:28–30

People

Josiah: King of Judah known for his religious reforms Neco: Egyptian Pharaoh during the reigns of Josiah and Jehoiakim

Places

Carchemish: Ancient city; site of Babylonian victory over Egypt Egypt: Ancient nation; Israelites enslaved there; plagues and Exodus Euphrates: Major river in ancient Near East; boundary of Promised Land

Glossary

Assyria, Assyrians Carchemish Chaldea, Chaldeans Charchemish Chronicles, Books of First and Second First Book of Esdras Genealogy Huldah Necho, Nechoh, Neco, Necoh

Topics

Carchemish: A Babylonian City on the Euphrates, Against Which the King of Egypt Made War Egyptians: Invade the Land of Israel: Under Pharaoh-Necho Josiah: King of Judah: Killed in Battle with Pharaoh-Necho Necho: King of Egypt Pharaoh: Pharaoh-Necho: His Invasion of Assyria, Josiah's Death Rashness: Josiah, in Fighting Against Pharaoh-Necho