Josiah Is Fatally Wounded by the Egyptians at Megiddo

c. 609 BCE

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On his way to battle the Babylonians, King Neco II of Egypt met with opposition from King Josiah. In the plains of Meggido, the two armies battled, and the Judean troops were defeated. The book of Chronicles tells the story:

2 Chronicles 35:20-24

‍...King Neco of Egypt came up to fight [against the Babylonians] at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him. [Neco] sent messengers to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I do not march against you this day but against the kingdom that wars with me...But Josiah would not let him alone; instead… he came to fight in the plain of Megiddo. Archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, “Get me away from here, for I am badly wounded.”His servants...conveyed him to Jerusalem. There he died and was buried in the grave of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem went into mourning over Josiah.

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Overview

In the Bible

2 Chronicles 35:20-24

...King Neco (II) of Egypt came up to fight [against the Babylonians] at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him.

[Neco] sent messengers to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I do not march against you this day but against the kingdom that wars with me...

But Josiah would not let him alone; instead… he came to fight in the plain of Megiddo. Archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, “Get me away from here, for I am badly wounded.”

His servants...conveyed him to Jerusalem. There he died and was buried in the grave of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem went into mourning over Josiah.

דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים ב' ל"ה, כ'-כ"ד:

"... עָלָ֞ה נְכ֧וֹ (השני) מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֛יִם לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם (בבָבְלִים) בְּכַרְכְּמִ֖ישׁ עַל־פְּרָ֑ת וַיֵּצֵ֥א לִקְרָאת֖וֹ יֹֽאשִׁיָּֽהוּ׃ וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח (נְכוֹ) אֵלָ֣יו מַלְאָכִ֣ים לֵאמֹר֩ מַה־לִּ֨י וָלָ֜ךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה לֹֽא־עָלֶ֨יךָ אַתָּ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙ כִּ֚י אֶל־בֵּ֣ית מִלְחַמְתִּ֔י... וְלֹֽא־הֵסֵב֩ יֹֽאשִׁיָּ֨הוּ פָנָ֜יו מִמֶּ֗נּוּ כִּ֤י לְהִלָּחֵֽם־בּוֹ֙... וַיָּבֹ֕א לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בְּבִקְעַ֥ת מְגִדּֽוֹ׃ וַיֹּרוּ֙ הַיֹּרִ֔ים לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יֹֽאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ לַֽעֲבָדָיו֙ הַֽעֲבִיר֔וּנִי כִּ֥י הָֽחֳלֵ֖יתִי מְאֹֽד׃ וַיַּֽעֲבִירֻ֨הוּ עֲבָדָ֜יו... וַיּֽוֹלִיכֻ֨הוּ֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיָּ֕מָת וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּקִבְר֣וֹת אֲבֹתָ֑יו וְכָל־יְהוּדָה֙ וִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם מִֽתְאַבְּלִ֖ים עַל־יֹֽאשִׁיָּֽהוּ."