Josiah was the 16th king of Judah. His story can be found in 2 Kings 22:1-23:30 and 2 Chronicles 34-36:1. Josiah was the best king. No one, even his ancestor David compares to the way Josiah lived. In all his ways Josiah followed the Lord. As king, Josiah rebuilt the temple, tore down the bad altars, and was killed by Pharaoh Neco.
When he was 8 years old, Josiah became the 16th king of Judah, and he reigned for 31 years. The first thing he did as king was rebuild the Temple. As the Temple was being rebuilt, the high priest Hilkiah found the book of the law. After reading it, Josiah brought the people together and renewed the covenant. Even so, the Lord caused Judah to fall and be exiled to another country.
Josiah also tore down all of the altars, idols, and Asherah poles. He fulfilled everything the prophet from Judah had said when he prophesied to Jeroboam king of Israel. In addition to removing the vile things from Judah, Josiah led the people in a Passover celebration like no other. Never since the days of the judges had any comparable Passover been celebrated.
In the 31st year of his reign, Josiah went out to fight Pharaoh Neco. Neco was fighting at the Euphrates river and warned Josiah that he was on a mission from God, but Josiah wouldn't listen. He still went up to fight Neco, and so he was shot and killed by archers. Josiah's son Jehoahaz succeeded him as king.
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