josiah

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josiah - Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary :

  Josiah
  healed by Jehovah, or Jehovah will support. The son of Amon, and
  his successor on the throne of Judah (2 Kings 22:1; 2 Chr.
  34:1). His history is contained in 2 Kings 22, 23. He stands
  foremost among all the kings of the line of David for unswerving
  loyalty to Jehovah (23:25). He "did that which was right in the
  sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his
  father." He ascended the throne at the early age of eight years,
  and it appears that not till eight years afterwards did he begin
  "to seek after the God of David his father." At that age he
  devoted himself to God. He distinguished himself by beginning a
  war of extermination against the prevailing idolatry, which had
  practically been the state religion for some seventy years (2
  Chr. 34:3; comp. Jer. 25:3, 11, 29).
  
    In the eighteenth year of his reign he proceeded to repair and
  beautify the temple, which by time and violence had become
  sorely dilapidated (2 Kings 22:3, 5, 6; 23:23; 2 Chr. 34:11).
  While this work was being carried on, Hilkiah, the high priest,
  discovered a roll, which was probably the original copy of the
  law, the entire Pentateuch, written by Moses.
  
    When this book was read to him, the king was alarmed by the
  things it contained, and sent for Huldah, the "prophetess," for
  her counsel. She spoke to him words of encouragement, telling
  him that he would be gathered to his fathers in peace before the
  threatened days of judgment came. Josiah immediately gathered
  the people together, and engaged them in a renewal of their
  ancient national covenant with God. The Passover was then
  celebrated, as in the days of his great predecessor, Hezekiah,
  with unusual magnificence. Nevertheless, "the Lord turned not
  from the fierceness of his great wrath wherewith his anger was
  kindled against Judah" (2 Kings 22:3-20; 23:21-27; 2 Chr.
  35:1-19). During the progress of this great religious revolution
  Jeremiah helped it on by his earnest exhortations.
  
    Soon after this, Pharaoh-Necho II. (q.v.), king of Egypt, in
  an expedition against the king of Assyria, with the view of
  gaining possession of Carchemish, sought a passage through the
  territory of Judah for his army. This Josiah refused to permit.
  He had probably entered into some new alliance with the king of
  Assyria, and faithful to his word he sought to oppose the
  progress of Necho.
  
    The army of Judah went out and encountered that of Egypt at
  Megiddo, on the verge of the plain of Esdraelon. Josiah went
  into the field in disguise, and was fatally wounded by a random
  arrow. His attendants conveyed him toward Jerusalem, but had
  only reached Hadadrimmon, a few miles south of Megiddo, when he
  died (2 Kings 23:28, 30; comp. 2 Chr. 35:20-27), after a reign
  of thirty-one years. He was buried with the greatest honours in
  fulfilment of Huldah's prophecy (2 Kings 22:20; comp. Jer.
  34:5). Jeremiah composed a funeral elegy on this the best of the
  kings of Israel (Lam. 4:20; 2 Chr. 35:25). The outburst of
  national grief on account of his death became proverbial (Zech.
  12:11; comp. Rev. 16:16).