2 Chronicles 35:20-23

Josiah’s Reign Ends

35:20 After Josiah had done all this for the temple, ¹  King Necho of Egypt marched up to do battle at Carchemish on the Euphrates River. ²  Josiah marched out to oppose him. 35:21 Necho ³  sent messengers to him, saying, “Why are you opposing me, O king of Judah? ⁴  I am not attacking you today, but the kingdom with which I am at war. ⁵  God told me to hurry. Stop opposing God, who is with me, or else he will destroy you.” ⁶  35:22 But Josiah did not turn back from him; ⁷  he disguised himself for battle. He did not take seriously ⁸  the words of Necho which he had received from God; he went to fight him in the Plain of Megiddo. ⁹  35:23 Archers shot King Josiah; the king ordered his servants, “Take me out of this chariot, ¹⁰  for I am seriously wounded.”

[35:20]  ¹ tn Heb “After all this, [by] which Josiah prepared the temple.”

[35:20]  ² tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[35:21]  ³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Neco) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[35:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “What to me and to you, king of Judah?”

[35:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “Not against you, you, today, but against the house of my battle.”

[35:21]  ⁶ tn Heb “Stop yourself from [opposing] God who is with me and let him not destroy you.”

[35:22]  ⁷ tn Heb “and Josiah did not turn his face from him.”

[35:22]  ⁸ tn Heb “listen to.”

[35:22]  ⁹ map For location see Map1 D4; Map2 C1; Map4 C2; Map5 F2; Map7 B1.

[35:23]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “carry me away.”