2 Kings 23:30

And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's stead.

And his servants {H5650} carried him in a chariot {H7392} dead {H4191} from Megiddo {H4023}, and brought {H935} him to Jerusalem {H3389}, and buried {H6912} him in his own sepulchre {H6900}. And the people {H5971} of the land {H776} took {H3947} Jehoahaz {H3059} the son {H1121} of Josiah {H2977}, and anointed {H4886} him, and made him king {H4427} in his father's {H1} stead.

His servants carried his dead body from Megiddo to Yerushalayim in a chariot and buried him in his own tomb. The people of the land took Y'ho'achaz the son of Yoshiyahu, anointed him, and made him king in his father's place.

From Megiddo his servants carried his body in a chariot, brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah, anointed him, and made him king in place of his father.

And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s stead.

Commentary

2 Kings 23:30 details the immediate aftermath of King Josiah's tragic death, a pivotal moment in Judah's history. It records the solemn return of his body to Jerusalem and the swift, popular choice of his son, Jehoahaz, to succeed him on the throne.

Context

This verse immediately follows the account of King Josiah's fatal encounter with Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt at Megiddo (2 Kings 23:29). Josiah was a revered king, known for his extensive religious reforms and his fervent adherence to the Law of Moses after its discovery (2 Kings 22:8-13). His death marked the end of Judah's last truly righteous reign and ushered in a period of rapid decline and foreign domination, ultimately leading to the Babylonian exile. The plain of Megiddo, where he died, was a strategically vital location, often a battleground for ancient empires.

Key Themes

  • The Tragic End of a Righteous King: Josiah's death, despite his faithfulness, underscores the complex and often harsh realities of the ancient Near East. It highlights that even devout leaders are not immune to political and military consequences.
  • Swift Royal Succession: The immediate anointing of Jehoahaz by "the people of the land" ('am ha'aretz) demonstrates the urgency of establishing stable leadership during a national crisis. This group often represented influential citizens or landowners who played a significant role in determining the next king, particularly when the traditional line of succession was challenged or under external pressure.
  • Judah's Diminishing Sovereignty: Josiah's ill-fated confrontation with Pharaoh Necho signals Judah's increasing vulnerability to powerful foreign empires like Egypt and Babylon, setting the stage for future subjugation.

Linguistic Insights

  • The phrase "people of the land" (Hebrew: 'am ha'aretz) refers not to all common people, but to a specific, influential segment of the population, likely landowners and leading citizens, who held the power to install or remove kings. Their active role here shows a popular mandate for Jehoahaz, perhaps over other contenders or foreign influence.
  • "Megiddo" (Hebrew: Megiddo) is a significant geographical location, known for its strategic importance and frequent battles throughout history. It is also prophetically linked to the final great battle, Armageddon, in the New Testament.

Practical Application and Significance

This verse reminds us that even when good leaders fall, life and governance must continue. It speaks to the human need for stability and leadership, especially in times of profound loss and uncertainty. For ancient Judah, Josiah's death was a profound spiritual and political blow, and the hurried anointing of Jehoahaz reflects a desperate attempt to maintain continuity. It serves as a historical marker of Judah's trajectory towards exile, emphasizing the consequences of both individual and national choices in the face of God's overarching plan.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Kings 9:28

    And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.

  • 2 Chronicles 36:1

    ¶ Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem.

  • 2 Chronicles 36:4

    And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.

  • 2 Chronicles 35:24

    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.

  • 2 Kings 21:24

    And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.

  • 2 Kings 14:21

    And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which [was] sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.

  • 1 Kings 22:33

    And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it [was] not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
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