Background
Josiah was born in 648 B.C. probably in Jerusalem.
Josiah was born in 648 B.C. probably in Jerusalem.
During his early years, the country remained a vassal of Assyria, but after 633 BCE the Assyrian Empire began to disintegrate, and like other states on the periphery, Judah regained its independence. In the course ofhis reign, Josiah was able to extend his kingdom to the Plain of Jezreel, to Galilee, and to the Philistine cities on the coast; to found new cities such as En Gedi; and to develop Jerusalem.
In 612 the Assyrian Empire collapsed with the fall of Nineveh, and Babylonia became an outstanding power under Nabopolassar, challenging the might of Egypt. Here Josiah made a fatal mistake. When the Assyrians were crumbling, Neco king of Egypt sent an army through Palestine to try and support them. Josiah had no interest in their preservation and rushed his army to Megiddo to stop the Egyptians. In the ensuing battle he was routed and fatally injured. His death was deeply mourned in Judah.
He is best remembered for his religious activities. When he was still only sixteen he rejected the idolatrous practices of his immediate ancestors and turned to the worship of God. At age eighteen, he began his reformation, no longer fearing objections from Assyria when he uprooted pagan practices.
He undertook a basic overhaul of the Temple during which a book of the Law was discovered, which was read aloud to the king, who was deeply disturbed that the law was not being observed according to the precepts laid out in the book. Scholars have tended to identify this book with Deuteronomy, but are divided as to whether the book had been written long belore and forgotten or whether it was an original composition from Josiah’s time.
The king gathered the people in the Temple and the book was read to them. A solemn covenant with God was proclaimed that was accepted by all the people, who undertook to obey the Law.
Josiah abolished all idolatry in Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, destroyed the long-standing altar at Bethel as well as the high places of Samaria, and centralized the cult in Jerusalem, as instructed in Deuternomy. He also abolished child sacrifice, sacred prostitution, and other heathen practices. He concluded this activity with a great celebration of the festival of Passover, which had fallen into neglect.
Quotes from others about the person
Jeremiah lamented his passing and the author of the books of Kings commented, “Before him there was no king like him nor did any like him arise after him.” (2 Kings 23:25)