2 Chronicles 35 22

2 Chronicles 35:22 kjv

Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.

2 Chronicles 35:22 nkjv

Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself so that he might fight with him, and did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God. So he came to fight in the Valley of Megiddo.

2 Chronicles 35:22 niv

Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God's command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.

2 Chronicles 35:22 esv

Nevertheless, Josiah did not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to fight with him. He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to fight in the plain of Megiddo.

2 Chronicles 35:22 nlt

But Josiah refused to listen to Neco, to whom God had indeed spoken, and he would not turn back. Instead, he disguised himself and led his army into battle on the plain of Megiddo.

2 Chronicles 35 verses

2 Chronicles 35 22 Meaning

2 Chronicles 35:22 describes King Josiah's refusal to heed a divine warning conveyed through Pharaoh Necho, the Egyptian king. Despite Necho explicitly stating his campaign was under God's command and not against Judah, Josiah stubbornly prepared for battle. He disguised himself for combat, indicating an intent to deceive or minimize personal risk, yet he defiantly ignored the clear instruction, leading to his fatal encounter in the plain of Megiddo. The verse highlights Josiah's tragic misjudgment and disobedience to a direct divine word, despite its unconventional messenger.

2 Chronicles 35 22 Context

Chapter 35 details Josiah's profound reforms and his zealous observance of Passover. Having fully cleansed Judah from idolatry and restored temple worship, Josiah appears as an ideal king. This makes the tragedy of his death in verse 22 profoundly startling. Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt was marching to aid Assyria against the rising Babylonian Empire. Josiah's decision to intercept Necho at Megiddo is unexpected given his previous dedication to God. The immediate context shows Necho appealing directly to Josiah, stating his mission was divinely sanctioned and not against Judah. Despite this clear message, and Josiah's otherwise impeccable piety, he rejects the warning, setting the stage for his untimely death. This verse forms a pivotal and tragic turning point in Judah's history, signaling the rapid decline leading to exile, as the Chronicler aims to show that even good kings face judgment when disobedient.

2 Chronicles 35 22 Word analysis

• Nevertheless (וְלֹ֣א, ve-lo): This strong conjunction introduces a contrast. Despite all Josiah's righteousness and God's apparent favor in his earlier reforms, a sharp pivot occurs, highlighting his fateful departure from discernment and obedience. It underscores the severity of what follows.
• Josiah would not turn his face from him (הֵסֵב֙ פָּנָיו֙ מִמֶּנּוּ, hesev panav mimmennu): Literally, "he did not turn his face from him." This idiom indicates a determined resolution or stubbornness. Josiah was resolute in his course of action against Necho, unyielding in his intent to confront him, signifying a lack of receptivity to the message or the messenger.
• but disguised himself (וַיִּתְחַפֵּשׂ, vayitkhapes): This verb suggests changing one's appearance, often to conceal identity or to deceive. While kings sometimes disguised themselves in battle to avoid being specific targets, in this context, it may hint at Josiah's hubris or a strategic error—perhaps believing he could outwit God's warning or mitigate the risks of defying it.
• in order to fight with him (לְהִלָּ֣חֶם בּ֗וֹ, le’hillakhem bo): Directly stating his purpose. This phrase reinforces Josiah's active and defiant engagement, transforming a potentially defensive or mediating stance into an aggressive confrontation.
• did not listen to the words of Necho from the mouth of God (לֹֽא־שָׁמַ֞ע אֶל־דִּבְרֵ֣י נְכ֣וֹ מִפִּי־אֱלֹהִ֗ים, lo-shama el-divrei Nekho mippi-Elohim): This is the critical theological assertion. The Chronicler explicitly attributes Necho's words to God. "Did not listen" (לא־שמע) is a recurring biblical phrase indicating a refusal to obey. Josiah's sin was not merely resisting Necho, but defying God Himself, delivered through an unexpected channel. It suggests that Josiah might have thought a pagan king could not speak for God, or that his own zeal for Israel was superior to this unexpected command.
• but came to fight in the plain of Megiddo (וַיָּבֹ֥א לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בְּבִקְעַ֥ת מְגִדּֽוֹ, vayavo lehillakhem bəviqa‘at Megiddo): "Came to fight" underscores his personal commitment to the confrontation. Megiddo, a strategic crossroads, historically a place of numerous battles, becomes the stage for this fateful clash, forever associated with deep mourning and final conflict (Zech 12:11, Rev 16:16). This decision directly contravened the divine warning, sealing his doom.

2 Chronicles 35 22 Bonus section

The Chronicler's account of Josiah's death is significantly different from the parallel in 2 Kings 23:29-30, which simply states Josiah "went against him" and was killed. The Chronicler emphasizes the explicit divine origin of Necho's words. This theological emphasis is crucial: it attributes Josiah's death not to a political miscalculation or mere happenstance, but to a direct act of disobedience against God's revealed will. This focus aligns with the Chronicler's broader aim of demonstrating that Judah's history, especially its kings, directly reflects their obedience or disobedience to God. Josiah's end provides a stark illustration of the principle that even genuine piety in most areas of life does not negate the consequences of selective disobedience to a clear divine instruction. This detail underscores that God can and does use unexpected, even ungodly, vessels to communicate His will, and the listener bears the responsibility to discern and obey the divine message itself, rather than judging the messenger.

2 Chronicles 35 22 Commentary

2 Chronicles 35:22 marks a profound theological and historical moment, revealing a fatal flaw in an otherwise righteous king. Josiah, who had painstakingly cleansed Judah of idolatry and renewed the covenant with fervor, committed the grave error of not heeding a divine word, simply because it came from an unconventional messenger—a pagan Egyptian king, Necho. The Chronicler's explicit "from the mouth of God" elevates Necho's warning to undeniable divine revelation, highlighting Josiah's critical failure in discernment and obedience. His determination to proceed, marked by stubbornness ("would not turn his face") and an almost presumptuous confidence ("disguised himself"), tragically led to his premature death in battle at Megiddo. This serves as a potent warning that even great devotion and past obedience do not exempt one from the consequences of rejecting God's direct command, regardless of the conduit. It underscores that God's sovereignty extends to all nations and that His message must be heeded, no matter how unexpected its delivery.