Josiah
יֹאשִׁיָּ֫הוּ · yo.shiy.yah · H2977GἸωσίας · Iōsias · G2502“the Lord burns; the fire of the Lord” Hitchcock's 186949 mentions in 7 books, most in Jeremiah (16)
Who he was
Josiah was a king of Judah who reigned from approximately 640 to 609 BC. He was the son of Amon and the grandson of Manasseh (2Ki.21.24, 26; 1 Chronicles 3:14). Josiah became king at the age of eight and reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem (2 Kings 22:1; 2 Chronicles 34:1).
Josiah is best known for his religious reforms and his commitment to following the Law of the Lord. In the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah initiated repairs to the temple (2 Kings 22:3–7; 2 Chronicles 34:8–13). During these repairs, the Book of the Law was discovered (2 Kings 22:8–13; 2 Chronicles 34:14–21). Upon hearing the words of the Law, Josiah tore his clothes in repentance and sought the guidance of the prophetess Huldah (2 Kings 22:11–20; 2 Chronicles 34:22–28).
Josiah then led a comprehensive religious reform, removing pagan worship sites, idols, and practices from Judah and Jerusalem (2 Kings 23:1–25; 2Ch.34.29-35:19). He renewed the covenant between the people and God and celebrated the Passover with great dedication (2 Kings 23:21–23; 2 Chronicles 35:1–19).
Josiah's reign and reforms were praised by the prophets, including Jeremiah and Zephaniah (Jer.1.2; 3.6; 22.11, 18; 25.1, 3; 26.1; 35.1; 36.1-2, 9; Zephaniah 1:1). However, Josiah's life came to a tragic end when he confronted Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Megiddo and was killed in battle (2 Kings 23:29–30; 2 Chronicles 35:20–27). He was succeeded by his son Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:30; 2 Chronicles 36:1).
Despite the reforms Josiah implemented, Judah's unfaithfulness persisted, and the nation ultimately faced the Babylonian exile (2 Kings 23:26–27; Jeremiah 25:1–14). Nonetheless, Josiah is remembered as a righteous king who sought to turn the nation back to God.
Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Family
FatherAmonMotherJedidahSpouseHamutal, Zebidah, a wife of JosiahChildrenJehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, Shallum
Family relations: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Every mention
49 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)
2 Kings12 mentions
2 Kings 21:24But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.2 Kings 21:26He was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza, and Josiah his son reigned in his place.2 Kings 22:1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.2 Kings 22:3In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to Yahweh’s house, saying,2 Kings 23:16As Josiah turned himself, he spied the tombs that were there in the mountain; and he sent, and took the bones out of the tombs, and burned them on the altar, and defiled it, according to…2 Kings 23:19All the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke Yahweh to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all…2 Kings 23:23but in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was kept to Yahweh in Jerusalem.2 Kings 23:24Moreover, Josiah removed those who had familiar spirits, the wizards, and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that…2 Kings 23:28Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?2 Kings 23:29In his days Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates; and King Josiah went against him, but Pharaoh Necoh killed him at Megiddo when he saw him.2 Kings 23:30His servants carried him dead in a chariot from Megiddo, brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. The people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him…2 Kings 23:34Pharaoh Necoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim; but he took Jehoahaz away, and he came to Egypt and died there.
1 Chronicles2 mentions
2 Chronicles15 mentions
2 Chronicles 33:25But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.2 Chronicles 34:1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.2 Chronicles 34:33Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were found in Israel to serve, even to serve Yahweh their God. All…2 Chronicles 35:1Josiah kept a Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem. They killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.2 Chronicles 35:7Josiah gave to the children of the people, of the flock, lambs and young goats, all of them for the Passover offerings, to all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three…2 Chronicles 35:16So all the service of Yahweh was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on Yahweh’s altar, according to the commandment of King Josiah.2 Chronicles 35:18There was no Passover like that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet, nor did any of the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept—with the priests, the Levites…2 Chronicles 35:19This Passover was kept in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah.2 Chronicles 35:20After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him.2 Chronicles 35:22Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and didn’t listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and came to fight…2 Chronicles 35:23The archers shot at King Josiah; and the king said to his servants, “Take me away, because I am seriously wounded!”2 Chronicles 35:24So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he died, and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah…2 Chronicles 35:25Jeremiah lamented for Josiah, and all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day; and they made them an ordinance in Israel. Behold, they are…2 Chronicles 35:26Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his good deeds, according to that which is written in Yahweh’s law,2 Chronicles 36:1Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.
Jeremiah16 mentions
Jeremiah 1:2Yahweh’s word came to him in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.Jeremiah 1:3It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the carrying away of Jerusalem…Jeremiah 3:6Moreover, Yahweh said to me in the days of Josiah the king, “Have you seen that which backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and…Jeremiah 22:11For Yahweh says touching Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, and who went out of this place: “He won’t return there any more.Jeremiah 22:18Therefore Yahweh says concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: “They won’t lament for him, saying, ‘Ah my brother!’ or, ‘Ah sister!’ They won’t lament for him, saying ‘Ah…Jeremiah 25:1The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (this was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of…Jeremiah 25:3From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, these twenty-three years, Yahweh’s word has come to me, and I have spoken to you, rising up early and…Jeremiah 26:1In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from Yahweh:Jeremiah 27:1In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,Jeremiah 35:1The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying,Jeremiah 36:1In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,Jeremiah 36:2“Take a scroll of a book, and write in it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of…Jeremiah 36:9Now in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem…Jeremiah 37:1Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.Jeremiah 45:1The message that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah…Jeremiah 46:2Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck in the fourth year of Jehoiakim…
What the dictionary says
Healed by Jehovah, or Jehovah will support.
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Read the article →Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain