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Commentary on 2 Chronicles 35 verses 20–27
It was thirteen years from Josiah's famous passover to his death. During this time, we may hope, thing went well in his kingdom, that he prospered, and religion flourished; yet we are not entertained with the pleasing account of those years, but they are passed over in silence, because the people, for all this, were not turned from the love of their sins nor God from the fierceness of his anger. The next news therefore we hear of Josiah is that he is cut off in the midst of his days and usefulness, before he is full forty years old. We had this sad story, Kg2 23:29, Kg2 23:30. Here it is somewhat more largely related. That appears here, more than did there, which reflects such blame on Josiah and such praise on the people as one would not have expected.
I. Josiah was a very good prince, yet he was much to be blamed for his rashness and presumption in going out to war against the king of Egypt without cause or call. It was bad enough, as it appeared in the Kings, that he meddled with strife which belonged not to him. But here it looks worse; for, it seems, the king of Egypt sent ambassadors to him, to warn him against this enterprise, Ch2 35:21.
1.The king of Egypt argued with Josiah, (1.) From principles of justice. He professed that he had no desire to do him any hurt, and therefore it was unfair, against common equity and the law of nations, for Josiah to take up arms against him. If even a righteous man engage in an unrighteous cause, let him not expect to prosper. God is no respecter of persons. See Pro 3:30; Pro 25:8. (2.) From principles of religion: "God is with me; nay, He commanded me to make haste, and therefore, if thou retard my motions, thou meddlest with God." It cannot be that the king of Egypt only pretended this (as Sennacherib did in a like case, Kg2 18:25), hoping thereby to make Josiah desist, because he knew he had a veneration for the word of God; for it is said here (Ch2 35:22) that the words of Necho were from the mouth of God. We must therefore suppose that either by a dream, or by a strong impulse upon his spirit which he had reason to think was from God, or by Jeremiah or some other prophet, he had ordered him to make war upon the king of Assyria. (3.) From principles of policy: "That he destroy thee not; it is at thy peril if thou engage against one that has not only a better army and a better cause, but God on his side."
2.It was not in wrath to Josiah, whose heart was upright with the Lord his God, but in wrath to a hypocritical nation, who were unworthy of so good a king, that he was so far infatuated as not to hearken to these fair reasonings and desist from his enterprise. He would not turn his face from him, but went in person and fought the Egyptian army in the valley of Megiddo, Ch2 35:22. If perhaps he could not believe that the king of Egypt had a command from God to do what he did, yet, upon his pleading such a command, he ought to have consulted the oracles of God before he went out against him. His not doing that was his great fault, and of fatal consequence. In this matter he walked not in the ways of David his father; for, had it been his case, he would have enquired of the Lord, Shall I go up? Wilt thou deliver them into my hands? How can we think to prosper in our ways if we do not acknowledge God in them?
II. The people were a very wicked people, yet they were much to be commended for lamenting the death of Josiah as they did. That Jeremiah lamented him I do not wonder; he was the weeping prophet, and plainly foresaw the utter ruin of his country following upon the death of this good king. But it is strange to find that all Judah and Jerusalem, that stupid senseless people, mourned for him (Ch2 35:24), contrived how to have their mourning excited by singing men and singing women, how to have it spread through the kingdom (they made an ordinance in Israel that the mournful ditties penned on this sad occasion should be learned and sung by all sorts of people), and also how to have the remembrance of it perpetuated: these elegies were inserted in the collections of state poems; they are written in the Lamentations. Hereby it appeared, 1. That they had some respect to their good prince, and that, though they did not cordially comply with him in all his good designs, they could not but greatly honour him. Pious useful men will be manifested in the consciences even of those that will not be influenced by their example; and many that will not submit to the rules of serious godliness themselves yet cannot but give it their good word and esteem it in others. Perhaps those lamented Josiah when he was dead that were not thankful to God for him while he lived. The Israelites murmured at Moses and Aaron while they were with them and spoke sometimes of stoning them, and yet, when they died, they mourned for them many days. We are often taught to value mercies by the loss of them which, when we enjoyed them, we did not prize as we ought. 2. That they had some sense of their own danger now that he was gone. Jeremiah told them, it is likely, of the evil they might now expect to come upon them, from which he was taken away; and so far they credited what he said that they lamented the death of him that was their defence. Note, Many will more easily be persuaded to lament the miseries that are coming upon them than to take the proper way by universal reformation to prevent them, will shed tears for their troubles, but will not be prevailed upon to part with their sins. But godly sorrow worketh repentance and that repentance will be to salvation.
It is true that in the holy Scriptures many are called righteous, as Zachariah and Elizabeth, Job, Jehosaphat, Josiah, and many others who are mentioned in the sacred writings. Of this fact I shall, if God gives me grace, give a full explanation in the work that I have promised; in this letter it must suffice to say that they are called righteous, not because they are faultless but because their faults are eclipsed by their virtues. In fact Zachariah is punished with dumbness, Job is condemned out of his own mouth, and Jehoshaphat and Josiah who are beyond a doubt described as righteous are narrated to have done things displeasing to the Lord. The first aligned himself with the ungodly Ahab and brought on himself the rebuke of Micaiah; and the second, though forbidden by the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, went against Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, and was killed by him.
Finally, Josiah is killed by Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, because he would not listen to the words of the Lord from the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah, or, as it is written in the Paralipomenon: “Josiah would not return but prepared to fight against him and did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God.” And it is stated, “And he died and was buried in the monument of his ancestors. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him, particularly Jeremiah, whose lamentations for Josiah all the singing men and singing women repeat to this day. And it became like a law in Israel: ‘Behold, it is found written in the Lamentations.’ ”
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SUMMARY
Second Chronicles 35:25 profoundly captures the national sorrow that engulfed Judah following the tragic death of King Josiah. It details an unprecedented and enduring period of mourning, spearheaded by the prophet Jeremiah, and involving professional singing men and women who composed and performed solemn dirges in Josiah's honor. These lamentations were not ephemeral expressions of grief but became a formalized and lasting custom in Israel, underscoring the deep spiritual and political void left by his passing and the irreparable loss of a truly righteous king, with their existence meticulously recorded in a collection of such elegies.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound message of grief and lasting impact. Pathos is powerfully evoked, drawing the reader into the deep sorrow experienced by Jeremiah and the entire nation. The vivid description of "all the singing men and the singing women" engaging in lamentation creates a striking image of widespread, communal grief, emphasizing the overwhelming scale of the tragedy. The phrase "to this day" functions as a Historical Marker and a form of Hyperbole, underscoring the enduring impact and memory of Josiah's death, suggesting that the lamentations persisted for a significant period, perhaps even into the Chronicler's own time, thereby emphasizing Josiah's unparalleled legacy. The mention of the lamentations becoming an "ordinance" and being "written in the lamentations" serves as a form of Verisimilitude and Historical Validation, lending powerful credibility to the account and emphasizing the profound importance of this event in Israelite collective memory and meticulous historical record-keeping. Finally, the entire verse functions as a poignant Foreshadowing of Judah's impending doom, as the loss of such a righteous and reforming king left the nation vulnerable to the inevitable divine judgment and subsequent exile.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The profound and institutionalized lament for King Josiah, led by the prophet Jeremiah, offers a rich theological reflection on the nature of grief, the significance of godly leadership, and the unfolding of divine judgment. Theologically, it reminds us that even the most righteous individuals and nations are not immune to tragedy and loss in a fallen world. Josiah's death, despite his unwavering faithfulness, served as a grim divine judgment upon the nation for its deeper, persistent idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness, even as it was a deeply personal tragedy for those who loved him and his reforms. It highlights the biblical importance of lament as a legitimate, necessary, and even sacred expression of faith, allowing individuals and communities to process overwhelming sorrow, acknowledge profound loss, and courageously bring their pain and questions before God. The enduring nature of these lamentations also powerfully speaks to the lasting impact of a life lived in devotion to God, emphasizing that true legacy is often measured not merely in immediate success or earthly prosperity, but in the spiritual imprint left on a people and the enduring memory of righteousness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The profound and lasting lamentation for King Josiah offers a powerful and enduring lens through which to reflect on our own lives, our communities, and the nature of leadership in a broken world. It compels us to consider the immense and often understated value of godly leadership, not only in political or national spheres but equally within our families, churches, workplaces, and local communities. Josiah's life serves as a compelling reminder that a courageous commitment to God's word and a zealous pursuit of righteousness can indeed bring about significant, even if temporary, spiritual revival and societal transformation. His death, however, teaches us a sobering truth: even the most faithful among us are not exempt from suffering, loss, or the tragic consequences of a fallen world, and that God's sovereign purposes often unfold in ways that profoundly defy our human expectations and desires for immediate triumph. This passage also profoundly validates the importance of grief and lament in the Christian life. In a world perpetually marked by brokenness, sorrow, and loss, we are called not to deny or suppress our sorrow but to courageously bring it before God, trusting in His compassionate presence and unwavering faithfulness even in our deepest pain and confusion. Finally, Josiah's enduring legacy, enshrined in song and historical memory, challenges each of us to live lives that leave a lasting spiritual impact, pointing others not to ourselves, but to the eternal truths of God's kingdom and the ultimate hope found in Christ.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Jeremiah lament for Josiah, and is this the same as the Book of Lamentations?
Answer: Jeremiah's lament for Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:25) was a specific, deeply personal, and national expression of grief over the sudden death of a righteous king whom Jeremiah undoubtedly respected and likely collaborated with in his extensive religious reforms. Jeremiah began his prophetic ministry during Josiah's reign (Jeremiah 1:2), and Josiah's death signaled a tragic and irreversible turning point for Judah, accelerating its decline towards the very exile and destruction that Jeremiah tirelessly warned against. While Jeremiah was indeed the divinely inspired author of the canonical Book of Lamentations, that biblical book is a collection of mournful dirges specifically lamenting the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Babylonians, not primarily Josiah's death. The "lamentations" mentioned in 2 Chronicles 35:25 refer to specific elegies and mournful songs composed in honor of Josiah, which were evidently recorded and became a lasting memorial, distinct from the later, broader lament for Jerusalem's fall found in the biblical book of Lamentations.
What does it mean that the lamentations became an "ordinance" and were "written"?
Answer: The statement that the lamentations for Josiah "made them an ordinance in Israel" means that the practice of mourning Josiah through these specific dirges became an established, formalized, and customary tradition or statute within the nation. It was not a fleeting, spontaneous expression of grief but an enduring, institutionalized memorial, perhaps even incorporated into national or religious observances for a significant period. This underscores the profound and lasting impact of Josiah's life and tragic death on the collective memory and spiritual life of the nation, signifying his unparalleled status as a beloved and righteous king. Furthermore, the phrase "they are written in the lamentations" indicates that these specific elegies composed for Josiah were meticulously recorded and preserved in a written collection of dirges. This suggests a significant historical and literary effort to document and perpetuate the memory of Josiah's unparalleled righteousness and the profound national sorrow surrounding his tragic demise, ensuring his legacy would not be forgotten by future generations but would serve as a lasting testament to his devotion and the nation's loss.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The profound and enduring lamentation for King Josiah, a righteous but ultimately mortal king whose tragic death plunged Judah into irreversible spiritual and political decline, powerfully points forward to the ultimate King, Jesus Christ, whose perfect reign and once-for-all sacrifice bring eternal hope and an end to all lament. Josiah's reforms, though significant and divinely blessed, were temporary and could not ultimately prevent the judgment awaiting Judah due to the people's persistent unfaithfulness. His death, though deeply tragic, marked a downward spiral. In stark contrast, Christ's perfect righteousness and His singular, redemptive sacrifice on the cross bring about an eternal, unshakeable kingdom (Hebrews 12:28) that will never pass away. While Josiah was deeply lamented, Christ's death, though initially met with profound sorrow and despair by His disciples, ultimately brought about the greatest triumph over sin, death, and the grave (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). He is the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, whose suffering, unlike Josiah's, was not a sign of national decline but the very means of salvation and reconciliation for all humanity (Isaiah 53:4-5). The enduring "ordinance" of lamenting Josiah foreshadows the ultimate, lasting comfort and eternal joy found in Christ, who promises to wipe away every tear from our eyes, where death, sorrow, crying, and pain will be no more (Revelation 21:4). He is the King who lives forever, whose reign is eternal and perfectly just, and whose perfect leadership brings not temporary reprieve but everlasting peace, redemption, and life abundant (Hebrews 7:23-25).