What Did King Josiah
Josiah
Josiah or Yoshiyahu was a seventh-century BCE king of Judah who, according to the Hebrew Bible, instituted major religious reforms. Josiah is credited by most biblical scholars with having established or compiled important Hebrew Scriptures during the "Deuteronomic reform" whi…
What was Josiah's role in the Reformation?
Josiah as a king had to head the religious reform. Reformation initiated and started at the top level of the society. As a king, he was responsible of promoting religious reform. He was the one who lead out in reading the Book of the Law in front of the people (2 Kgs 23:2).
How does the author of kings describe Josiah's reign?
The author of Kings describes the accession of Josiah to the throne at 8 years, and then a busy year of reform in the 18th year of his reign. It begins with the decision to renovate the Temple, which leads to the discovery of the Book of the Law.
What happened to Josiah in the Bible?
The account of the religious reforms of King Josiah of the Southern Kingdom comes almost at the tail end of the story of the tragic decline of Israel under the monarchy. After Josiah, Egypt and Babylon will swoop in, installing Jerusalem’s last puppet kings and finally imposing the humiliation of exile.
Why does Jeremiah not mention Josiah’s reform?
Jeremiah’s writing does not mention Josiah’s reform, which happened after he had been in ministry for five years already. Instead it only mentions that it was during the time of Josiah’s reign when the word of Yahweh came to him. However, 2 Chronicles 35:25 records Jeremiah’s lamentation on the death of Josiah (see historical background above).
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What was Josiah's reform and why was it significant?
The reform consisted of removing pagan altars and idols from the Temple, destroying rural sanctuaries and fertility cults, and centralizing worship at the Temple of Jerusalem.
What did Josiah's reforms achieve for Judah?
He abolished idolatry, witchcraft, sorcery, soothsaying, divination from Judah/ Jerusalem. Altars at the high places were demolished and worship was centralized in Jerusalem.
What was Josiah's greatest accomplishment?
According to the Hebrew Bible, he instituted major religious reforms by removing official worship of gods other than Yahweh. Josiah is credited by most biblical scholars with having established or compiled important Hebrew scriptures during the “Deuteronomic reform” which probably occurred during his rule.
Why is King Josiah important?
Josiah, also spelled Josias, (born c. 648 bce—died 609), king of Judah (c. 640–609 bce), who set in motion a reformation that bears his name and that left an indelible mark on Israel's religious traditions (2 Kings 22–23:30).
What is Josiah reformation?
What Did King Josiah Reform? Margaret Barker. King Josiah changed the religion of Israel in 623 BC. According to the Old Testament account in 2 Kings 23, he removed all manner of idolatrous items from the temple and purified his kingdom of Canaanite practices.
What is the meaning of religious reform?
Definition. Religious reforms are performed when a religious community reaches the conclusion that it deviated from its - assumed - true faith. Mostly religious reforms are started by parts of a religious community and meet resistance in other parts of the same religious community.
In what two ways is the religious situation today similar to that of Josiah's time?
(b) The religious situation of today is similar to that of Josiah's time in many ways among which are: (i) Crimes and various vices are prevalent in our churches today. (ii) There are many corrupt practices in our society (or churches) today.
What does the name Josiah mean?
God supports and healsIt is of Hebrew origin and it means: "God supports and heals." The name Josias is a Latin variation. It too is of Hebrew origins. Josiah is derived from the Hebrew name Yoshiyahu, which incorporates the components yoshi, meaning “support,” and Yahu, which refers to the Hebrew god. 1.
How old was the youngest king in the Bible?
Jehoash was 7 years old when his reign began, and he reigned for 40 years. (2 Kings 12:1, 2 Chronicles 24:1) He was succeeded by his son, Amaziah of Judah.
What did God promise Josiah?
The Lord promised that King Josiah would live in peace. King Josiah wanted his people to keep their promises to the Lord. He asked them to celebrate the Passover to help them remember how the Lord freed the Israelites long ago in Egypt.
Why did Josiah rebuild the temple?
Most of the people in Judah were worshipping idols, and there was a lot of wickedness. Josiah felt that these things were wrong, but he was not sure what to do to correct them. After he had reigned for twenty-six years Josiah decided to repair the temple built by King Solomon.
What was the Reform of Josiah?
Josiah's Reform. The account of the religious reforms of King Josiah of the Southern Kingdom comes almost at the tail end of the story of the tragic decline of Israel under the monarchy. After Josiah, Egypt and Babylon will swoop in, installing Jerusalem’s last puppet kings and finally imposing the humiliation of exile.
How old was Josiah when he started reforming?
The Chronicler tells what is probably strikes us as a better story. Josiah’s reforms begin in the 8th year of the reign, when he was 16 years old, with a personal religious awakening, and a purification of all the land from idolatry.
How many years did Josiah reign?
The story is told both in 2 Kings 22-23 and in 2 Chronicles 34-35. The author of Kings describes the accession of Josiah to the throne at 8 years, and then a busy year of reform in the 18th year of his reign. It begins with the decision to renovate the Temple, which leads to the discovery of the Book of the Law.
What does Josiah's obedience mean?
On the other hand Josiah’s personal and public obedience means that there will be peace in the land (and peace for the ruler of the land) for the period of his reign . But then comes the end. Again, for some commentators this seems all too stark, flirting with the absurd.
What does Pharoah Neco say about Josiah's death?
The Chronicles account of Josiah’s death also proves more “satisfying” in that a theological justification emerges: Pharoah Neco warns Josiah that if Josiah interferes with his passage through the plain of Megiddo he will be interfering with the plans of “God who is with me.”.
What was Josiah's reform?
Josiah’s reform was accompanied by the celebration of the Passover. According to the text, “There had been no Passover kept in Israel like that since the days of Samuel the prophet; and none of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as Josiah kept, with the priests and the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 35:18). Passover commemorates Israel’s concrete redemption from Egypt’s slavery.
What was the occasion of Josiah's religious reform?
The occasion of Josiah’s religious reform was the repairing the temple of the LORD (2 Kgs 22:5). The dramatic discovery of the Book of the Law (Heb. sefer hatorah) resulted in a religious reformation throughout the country. The reform began with the repairing of the Temple of the LORD. It helped that he seems to have had an honest group of repairmen.
Why was Josiah's rediscovery of written material important?
The importance of the written material as an impetus of reform cannot be denied. Josiah’s rediscovery of written material mirrors the written material of Jeremiah’s message. Hearing the written sefer hatorah, King Josiah was moved by it, tore his clothes as a symbol of humility, and initiated the needed religious reform (2 Kgs 22:11). He recognized as a leader that “our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us” (2 Kgs 22:13). Josiah’s response after hearing the reading of the book of the Law is in contrast to his successor, Jehoiakim. According to Jeremiah 36:23, 24, Jehoiakim tore ( qara) the document but not his clothes, while Josiah tore ( qara) his clothes upon the reading of the scroll.
What did Josiah do as a king?
Josiah as a king had to head the religious reform. Reformation initiated and started at the top level of the society. As a king, he was responsible of promoting religious reform. He was the one who lead out in reading the Book of the Law in front of the people (2 Kgs 23:2). He himself made a covenant first with the LORDand then the people followed (2 Kgs 23:3). On this part of the narrative there is a shift of naming the book. The book of the Law ( sefer hatorah, 2 Kgs 22:8, 11) is now called the book of the Covenant ( sefer haberit, 2 Kgs 23:3). Interestingly, he started the covenant with the people while the idols, statues, and other pagan things are still in place and were still inside the temple.
Did Jeremiah mention Josiah's reform?
Jeremiah’s writing does not mention Josiah’s reform, which happened after he had been in ministry for five years already. Instead it only mentions that it was during the time of Josiah’s reign when the word of Yahweh came to him. However, 2 Chronicles 35:25 records Jeremiah’s lamentation on the death of Josiah (see historical background above). Why did Jeremiah not mention Josiah’s reform in the 52 chapters of his book? Is it possible that Josiah’s reform would only benefit him personally and not the whole nation of Judah? It is something to think about.
When did Josiah begin to seek the Lord?
Josiah’s reign began in 639 when he was eight years of age, but he began to seek the Lord only at age sixteen in 631 (34:1-3a).
When did Josiah send workers to repair the temple?
At age twenty-six, in 621, in the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah sent workers to repair the temple (34:8ff).
How long did Josiah reign?
King Josiah reigns for thirty one years (642-610BC), during which Judah enjoys a religious renaissance. 2 Kings 22:1-20 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign (in 624BC), the high priest, Hilkiah, re-discovers the Book of the Law in the Temple in Jerusalem. Josiah is greatly moved when the Law of Moses is read to him.
Where did Josiah destroy the fireplace?
Josiah tore down the quarters of the male shrine-prostitutes and destroyed Topheth (‘the fireplace’) - the pagan worship site in the Valley of Hinnom (the ‘Valley of wickedness’) - where children were sacrificed to the god Molech.
What does 2 Kings 23:1-28 mean?
2 Kings 23:1-28 King Josiah calls the elders of Judah together and renews the covenant with the LORD. Torah scroll containing the Law of Moses (Willy Horst) Josiah’s reforms.
Who succeeded Manasseh in 644BC?
King Josiah ushers in religious reforms. 2 Kings 21:19-26 In 644BC, Manasseh is succeeded by his son Amon, who follows in his father’s evil ways. After two years, his officials assassinate him and make his young son Josiah king in his place. King Josiah reigns for thirty one years (642-610BC), during which Judah enjoys a religious renaissance.
What festival did the people of Jerusalem celebrate?
The people of Jerusalem then celebrated the Passover festival for the first time in many generations and renewed their commitment to the LORD.
