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2 Chronicles 35:20-27

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

20. 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. 21. But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? [I come] not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from [meddling with] God, who [is] with me, that he destroy thee not. 22. Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. 23. And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded. 24. His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in [one of] the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 25. And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they [are] written in the lamentations. 26. Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to [that which was] written in the law of the LORD, 27. And his deeds, first and last, behold, they [are] written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

2 Chronicles 35:20-27 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on 2 Chronicles 35:20

Theological / Devotional

After all this. This was 13 years after Josiah’s Passover in his 18th year (v. 19), since he reigned 31 years (ch. 34:1). The history of Judah for this 13-year period is almost a complete blank. Some idea of conditions during this period may be gained from such contemporary prophetic books as Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah.

When Josiah had prepared the temple. This clause is explanatory of the preceding phrase “after all this,” that is, the events to be narrated happened after the time that Josiah had prepared the Temple, not at the time of the preparation, as the English translation may be interpreted.

Against Charchemish. This section dealing with Josiah’s death in battle against Necho (vs. 20-27) is parallel to 2 Kings 23:29, 30. The Chronicles account contains more details than the account in Kings. Necho’s object was to aid the Assyrians against the Babylonian forces that had moved west, threatening both Syria and Palestine, for ultimately those forces would become a menace to Egypt. For further details on the situation at that time see on 2 Kings 23:29.

By SdaBc