2 Chronicles 35:22
in 2 Chronicles 35Josiah, however, did not turn away from him; instead, in order to engage him in battle, he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to fight him on the Plain of Megiddo.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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 Neco from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
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.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 35
Commentary
8 notes on this verseIt is true that in the holy Scriptures many are called righteous, as Zachariah and Elizabeth, Job, Jehosaphat, Josiah, and many others who are mentioned in the sacred writings. Of this fact I shall, if God gives me grace, give a full explanation in the work that I have promised; in this letter it must suffice to say that they are called righteous, not because they are faultless but because their faults are eclipsed by their virtues.
This site's exposition
marched up to fight at Carchemish
on 2 Chronicles 35:20-22
At the height of the reform, Neco of Egypt marches and tells Josiah, “God told me to hurry”. Verse 22 names what he refused as “Neco’s words from the mouth of God”. Albert Barnes and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown take them as a real oracle carried by an unlikely messenger.
This site's exposition
he disguised himself
Albert Barnes notes that some render the verb as equipped himself, and the Septuagint reads took courage. He takes Necho's words as a real warning from God, which Josiah ought to have heeded. Matthew Henry reads the king's refusal as judgment on a nation unworthy of so good a king.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Finally, Josiah is killed by Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, because he would not listen to the words of the Lord from the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah, or, as it is written in the Paralipomenon: "Josiah would not return but prepared to fight against him and did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God." And it is stated, "And he died and was buried in the monument of his ancestors. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him, particularly Jeremiah, whose lamentations for Josiah all the singing men and singing women repeat to this day. And it became like a law in Israel: 'Behold, it is found written in the Lamentations.' "
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It was not in wrath to Josiah, whose heart was upright with the Lord his God, but in wrath to a hypocritical nation, who were unworthy of so good a king, that he was so far infatuated as not to hearken to these fair reasonings and desist from his enterprise.
That Jeremiah lamented him I do not wonder; he was the weeping prophet, and plainly foresaw the utter ruin of his country following upon the death of this good king. But it is strange to find that all Judah and Jerusalem, that stupid senseless people, mourned for him (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Nevertheless, Josiah would not turn his face from him,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Disguised himself - Compare the marginal reference. But most modern critics are dissatisfied with this sense in this place, and prefer to render “equipped himself;” or - with the Septuagint - adopt another reading, and render “took courage.” The words of Necho from the mouth of God - The author apparently regarded Necho’s words as actually prophetic - a warning to which Josiah ought to have listened - sent him by God to make him pause - though not spoken by divine inspiration, or in consequence of any supernatural revelation of the divine will to the Egyptian king.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
And Elohim (=God) said that I should hurry; refrain, then, from interfering with Elohim who is with me.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הֵסֵב֩ | hesev | he turned round | H5437 → | 161 times |
| יֹאשִׁיָּ֨הוּ | yoshiyahu | Josiah | H2977 → | 53 times |
| פָנָ֜יו | fanav | face his | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| מִמֶּ֗נּוּ | mimenu | away from him | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לְהִלָּחֵֽם־ | lehilachem- | to fight | H3898 → | 177 times |
| בּוֹ֙ | bo | against him | ||
| הִתְחַפֵּ֔שׂ | hitchapes | he disguised himself | H2664 → | 23 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁמַ֛ע | shama' | he listened | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| דִּבְרֵ֥י | divrei | [the] words of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| נְכ֖וֹ | nekho | Necho | H5224 → | 8 times |
| מִפִּ֣י | mipi | from [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֑ים | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וַיָּבֹ֕א | vaiyavo' | and he went | H935 → | 2568 times |
| לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם | lehilachem | to do battle | H3898 → | 177 times |
| בְּבִקְעַ֥ת | bevikat | in [the] valley of | H1237 → | |
| מְגִדּֽוֹ׃ | megido | Megiddo | H4023 → |
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
הֵסֵב֩he turned round
hesevH5437 →161 times
יֹאשִׁיָּ֨הוּJosiah
yoshiyahuH2977 →53 times
פָנָ֜יוface his
fanavH6440 →2123 times
מִמֶּ֗נּוּaway from him
mimenuH4480 →1188 times
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לְהִלָּחֵֽם־to fight
lehilachem-H3898 →177 times
בּוֹ֙against him
bo
הִתְחַפֵּ֔שׂhe disguised himself
hitchapesH2664 →23 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
שָׁמַ֛עhe listened
shama'H8085 →1159 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
דִּבְרֵ֥י[the] words of
divreiH1697 →1440 times
נְכ֖וֹNecho
nekhoH5224 →8 times
מִפִּ֣יfrom [the] mouth of
mipiH6310 →498 times
אֱלֹהִ֑יםGod
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
וַיָּבֹ֕אand he went
vaiyavo'H935 →2568 times
לְהִלָּחֵ֖םto do battle
lehilachemH3898 →177 times
בְּבִקְעַ֥תin [the] valley of
bevikatH1237 →
מְגִדּֽוֹ׃Megiddo
megidoH4023 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Kings 22:30And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 23:24
“Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 28:8
So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 23:24
Through
Judges 5:19Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver.
it leads to
- Judges 5:30
‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil—a girl or two for each warrior, a plunder of dyed garments for Sisera, the spoil of embroidered garments for the neck of the looter?’
- Judges 1:27
At that time Manasseh failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and their villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land.
- 1 Kings 4:12
Baana son of Ahilud in Taanach, in Megiddo, and in all of Beth-shean next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah and on past Jokmeam;
- Judges 5:30
Through
2 Chronicles 18:29And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 20:38
and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Kings 20:38
Through
2 Chronicles 35:21But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What is the issue between you and me, O king of Judah? I have not come against you today, but I am fighting another dynasty. God told…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 25:19
You have said, ‘Look, I have defeated Edom,’ and your heart has become proud and boastful. Now stay at home. Why should you stir up trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?”
- 2 Kings 18:25
So now, was it apart from the LORD that I have come up against this place to destroy it? The LORD Himself said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”
- 2 Chronicles 25:19
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Chronicles
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, LETTER 133.13; Jerome, Against the Pelagians 2.22; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.