Introduction: From the Conclusion of the Pesach to the Final War
Chapter 35 opens with the great Pesach observed by Yoshiyahu, a Pesach unlike any celebrated in Israel since the days of Shmuel HaNavi, and concludes with the tragic fall of that righteous king in an unnecessary war in the valley of Megiddo. In this part, we will explore the final section of the chapter: Yoshiyahu setting out to confront Pharaoh Necho, his refusal to allow him passage through his land, his wounding, his death, and the lamentation recited over him by Yirmeyahu HaNavi.
בִּשְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה לְמַלְכוּת יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ נַעֲשָׂה הַפֶּסַח הַזֶּה׃ - In the eighteenth year of Yoshiyahu's reign, this Pesach was observed.
"After All This" - Yet No Miracle Was Performed for Him
אַחֲרֵי כׇל־זֹאת אֲשֶׁר הֵכִין יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ אֶת־הַבַּיִת עָלָה נְכוֹ מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם לְהִלָּחֵם בְּכַרְכְּמִישׁ עַל־פְּרָת וַיֵּצֵא לִקְרָאתוֹ יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ׃ - After all this, when Yoshiyahu had prepared the Temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight at Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Yoshiyahu went out toward him.
The commentary attributed to Rashi explains that the verse speaks here as a lamentation: Come and see that Yoshiyahu did not merit to have a miracle performed for him as was performed for Chizkiyahu. By Chizkiyahu, it is written, "After these deeds of faithfulness," Sancheiriv came against him, yet a miracle was wrought for him, and one hundred and eighty-five thousand army captains died at the gates of Yerushalayim. Yoshiyahu likewise prepared the Beis HaMikdash for the service of Hashem, purified it, and observed the Pesach - and yet he did not merit a similar miracle.
What was the situation? Pharaoh Necho sought to march up to battle at Carchemish on the Euphrates River, meaning against the king of Ashur. Egypt lies to the south of Eretz Yisrael and the Euphrates to the north, and there was no way to reach it without traversing the Land of Israel. Therefore, he requested permission from Yoshiyahu, king of Yehudah, to pass through his land.
Why Was He Named "Necho"?
Neco, who is "Pharaoh Necho" mentioned elsewhere, was named so because he was lame in his feet. Targum Yonatan translates this similarly as "Pharaoh the lame." "Necho" comes from the root of being struck - he sustained an injury to his leg. The Aramaic term is also an expression of injury or catching, as in the halachic phrase "the catching of the fingernail": when inspecting a slaughtering knife, one checks that there is no nick that catches the fingernail, where the nail catches as if struck and snagged. The essence of the root denotes an injury, a blow, or a fracture.
The Midrash: "Hashem Is Righteous, for I Have Rebelled Against His Word"
The Midrash in Eichah Rabbah (parashah 1) asks regarding the verse, "Hashem is righteous, for I have rebelled against His word" - who said this? Yoshiyahu said it. This is as it is written: "After all this, when Yoshiyahu had prepared the Temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates" - at Karkisyon on the Euphrates, a place name - "and Yoshiyahu went out toward him... And he sent messengers to him, saying: What have I to do with you, king of Yehudah?... But Yoshiyahu would not turn his face away from him, for he disguised himself to fight him, and did not heed the words of Necho." And who had told him, "Desist from God Who is with me, so that He will not destroy you," meaning what is "from the mouth of God"? This was Yirmeyahu HaNavi. Yirmeyahu told him: My master Yeshayahu said, "And I will set Egyptian against Egyptian." Yoshiyahu replied: Moshe, the master of your master, said, "And no sword shall pass through your land" - not even a sword of peace. We will return to these matters within the text of the verses.
Pharaoh Necho's Mission to Yoshiyahu
וַיִּשְׁלַח אֵלָיו מַלְאָכִים לֵאמֹר מַה־לִּי וָלָךְ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה לֹא־עָלֶיךָ אַתָּה הַיּוֹם כִּי אֶל־בֵּית מִלְחַמְתִּי וֵאלֹהִים אָמַר לְבַהֲלֵנִי חֲדַל־לְךָ מֵאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר־עִמִּי וְאַל־יַשְׁחִיתֶךָ׃ - And he sent messengers to him, saying: "What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I am not coming against you today, but against the house with which I have war, and God has commanded me to hurry; cease from opposing God Who is with me, that He not destroy you."
"Messengers" - emissaries. "What have I to do with you, king of Judah?" - Why are you preparing your army for battle against me? "I am not coming against you today" - my campaign today is not aimed against you, "but against the house with which I have war" - I have an ongoing war with someone else, namely the king of Assyria.
The name of God appears twice in this verse, and Chazal disagree regarding it, as Radak cites: some say that both instances are sacred (referring to Hashem). According to this, "and God has commanded me to hurry" means that Hashem told me to hasten to this battle. And as the Malbim explains: "To hurry me" (levahaleni) - He commanded me to hasten to this war, in the sense of "and they hurried (vayavhilu) to bring Haman." In other words: You need not fear that I will conquer your land as well, for I am commanded to rush on my way, and I am racing with urgency to fight the one with whom I have war. And since the war is not against you, you have no reason to come out against me. Therefore, "cease from opposing God Who is with me" - if you go out now to wage war against me, you will be going out against the Holy One, blessed be He, Who is assisting me.
Radak asks: On what basis did Pharaoh Necho say these words? He answers: It is possible that he was told through the prophet Jeremiah that he was to fight at Carchemish; and while he was there fighting at Carchemish on the Euphrates, Hashem exacted Josiah's vengeance from him, as Nebuchadnezzar came against him. This is what Jeremiah prophesied concerning Egypt: "Concerning the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River in Carchemish, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck down," and it is said there: "For that day belongs to the Lord, God of Hosts, a day of vengeance, to avenge Himself of His adversaries" - and this was the vengeance for King Josiah. Thus, Pharaoh Necho was indeed sent to the Euphrates River, but he did not understand that his arrival there was so that he would receive his blow there for striking down Josiah, king of Israel.
"For in order to fight him he disguised himself"
וְלֹא־הֵסֵב יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ פָנָיו מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי לְהִלָּחֵם־בּוֹ הִתְחַפֵּשׂ וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֶל־דִּבְרֵי נְכוֹ מִפִּי אֱלֹהִים וַיָּבֹא לְהִלָּחֵם בְּבִקְעַת מְגִדּוֹ׃ - But Josiah did not turn his face away from him, for in order to fight him he disguised himself, and he did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God; and he came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
"But Josiah did not turn his face away from him" - he did not agree to turn aside and let him pass; rather, he set his face toward him to fight him and not allow him passage.
"Disguised himself" - as Metzudat Tzion explains: he wore garments different from those he normally wore, as in the phrase "Disguise yourself and enter the battle," said regarding Ahab. And why did Ahab disguise himself? Because the prophet of Hashem said that the entire people would return in peace and only the king would die in battle; Ahab understood that they were specifically targeting him, especially since the Arameans likely heard the prophecy and would target his head - so he disguised himself, yet an archer drawing his bow at random struck and killed him. We also find disguising in the case of Jeroboam's wife: when his son fell ill and he wanted to know what would happen, he sent his wife to disguise herself and appear before the prophet - and even though the prophet recognized her, since a prophet does not need physical sight to recognize someone, nonetheless there was an act of disguise there.
However, the Malbim explains this completely differently: "For in order to fight him he disguised himself" refers to Pharaoh Necho. Josiah did not turn away from him because he believed that Pharaoh Necho was disguising his intentions in order to fight against him; the whole story of waging war at Carchemish was merely a disguise, a pretense, and in truth he would pass through here, reach the heart of the land, and from there begin striking us from within. Therefore, "and he did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God" - he did not believe his claim that Josiah was not the target today; these words did not sit well with him, and he did not accept this excuse, but rather thought that it, too, was part of the ruse and disguise.
"And the archers shot at King Josiah"
וַיֹּרוּ הַיֹּרִים לַמֶּלֶךְ יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לַעֲבָדָיו הַעֲבִירוּנִי כִּי הׇחֳלֵיתִי מְאֹד׃ - And the archers shot at King Josiah; and the king said to his servants, "Take me away, for I am severely wounded."
"And the archers shot" - the bowmen shot arrows at King Josiah. And when he grew weak, he requested: "Take me away, for I am severely wounded" - it is already too difficult for me to ride in the chariot; remove me from it.
וַיַּעֲבִירֻהוּ עֲבָדָיו מִן־הַמֶּרְכָּבָה וַיַּרְכִּיבֻהוּ עַל רֶכֶב הַמִּשְׁנֶה אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ וַיּוֹלִיכֻהוּ יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם וַיָּמׇת וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּקִבְרוֹת אֲבֹתָיו וְכׇל־יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלַ͏ִם מִתְאַבְּלִים עַל־יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ׃ - “His servants removed him from the chariot, placed him in his secondary chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem. He died and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors; and all of Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Yoshiyahu.”
“His secondary chariot” - the commentary attributed to Rashi explains that kings had two chariots: the primary one, and an accompanying second chariot. The first was likely the war chariot, while the second was one in which he could rest. War chariots in those days were typically built on two wheels, with the rider standing on a platform in the rear while the wheels were attached by two poles to the galloping horse in front - as seen in battle depictions from those periods. Such a chariot maneuvered easily everywhere, but someone who could not stand could not sit in it; he had to be transferred to a chariot designed for sitting, a four-wheeled chariot. This was apparently the “secondary chariot,” the second vehicle in which he would rest when necessary. And from the impact of the arrows he died, and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all of Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.
Yirmiyahu’s Lamentation - “How the Gold Has Grown Dim”
וַיְקוֹנֵן יִרְמְיָהוּ עַל־יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמְרוּ כׇל־הַשָּׁרִים וְהַשָּׁרוֹת בְּקִינוֹתֵיהֶם עַל־יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ עַד־הַיּוֹם וַיִּתְּנוּם לְחֹק עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִנָּם כְּתוּבִים עַל־הַקִּינוֹת׃ - “And Yirmiyahu lamented for Yoshiyahu, and all the male and female singers spoke of Yoshiyahu in their laments to this day; they established them as an ordinance upon Israel, and behold, they are written in the Laments.”
The Malbim explains: “And they spoke” - the lamentation that Yirmiyahu composed over Yoshiyahu was subsequently recited by all the singing men and women, and to this day it remains among the dirges in Megillat Eichah. This is the lamentation of “How the gold has grown dim, the fine gold changed! The sacred stones are poured out...” and so forth, in which it is said, “The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Hashem, was captured in their traps.”
The commentary attributed to Rashi addresses the phrasing “male and female singers,” which seems jarring when speaking of a eulogy: one should not be surprised, for the terminology of singing and vocalists applies to dirges as well, since they would chant it all together as one. Indeed, at funerals in those times they would even bring flutes - not playing wedding tunes, but somber melodies, airs of lament, grief, and weeping, yet accompanied nevertheless by musical instruments. In our times, some have begun returning to this approach, holding funerals accompanied by heartfelt singing; strictly speaking, we did not receive such a practice from our forefathers, but one should realize that originally this was done. Here too, they sang or chanted laments.
And concerning the day of Yoshiyahu, Amos prophesied: “And I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in broad daylight” - for he died at thirty-nine years old, at the midpoint of his life, as it says, “The days of our years are seventy years.” It is further stated in Amos: “And I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation; and I will make it like mourning for an only son, and its end like a bitter day.” This is the meaning of “all the singing men and women spoke in their laments” - all of Judah and Jerusalem were mourning over him.
“They established them as an ordinance” - the commentary attributed to Rashi explains: whenever an occasion of weeping arose and they would lament and cry over it, they would mention this grief as well. That is, weeping over the death of Yoshiyahu was established as a permanent custom. We find a similar precedent on Tishah B’Av, when we recite kinot for those killed in the tragic decrees that occurred throughout history. This is also like the verse, “And it was a custom in Israel that the daughters of Israel went four days in a year to lament the daughter of Yiftach the Giladite” - they established it as a fixed observance. “And behold, they are written in the Laments” - this refers to the book of Lamentations that opens with “How the gold has grown dim.”
“His First and Last Deeds”
וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ וַחֲסָדָיו כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת יְהֹוָה׃ וּדְבָרָיו הָרִאשֹׁנִים וְהָאַחֲרֹנִים הִנָּם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר מַלְכֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוּדָה׃ - “As for the rest of the deeds of Yoshiyahu and his acts of devotion, in accordance with what is written in the Torah of Hashem, and his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.”
“First and last” can be explained here as well in the manner seen earlier: because there was an aspect in which he acted according to the word of Hashem, and there was an aspect in which he did not act according to the Torah, the verse mentions “first and last.” The aspect in which he acted according to the word of Hashem encompasses all that we have seen: that he purified the Beit HaMikdash, eradicated idolatry, and observed Pesach. And what he did not do properly was his refusal to permit the passage of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
The Midrash Continued: What Was Hidden Behind the Doors
Let us complete the Midrash we began earlier. "And he did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God" - where were these words conveyed? Through Yirmiyahu. Yirmiyahu said to him: "My teacher Yeshayahu said, 'And I will incite Egypt against Egypt,' meaning that the Holy One, blessed be He, sets the nations against one another; and even though here it is Egypt against Assyria, the concept is that the nations are fighting amongst themselves." Yoshiyahu objected and did not accept these words. He said to him: "Moshe is the master of your master" - you bring me what the teacher of Yeshayahu said, while I bring you what Moshe Rabbeinu said, who is the teacher of all Israel: "And a sword shall not pass through your land." And he reasoned: Surely it is already stated, "And I will grant peace in the land," and if there is peace in the land, there is certainly no sword - rather, even a sword of peace shall not pass through. And if so, we are worthy and upright, and it is unfitting that any sword should pass through here.
And why, nevertheless, was there a downfall? "And Yoshiyahu did not know that his entire generation was worshiping idols." What did the scoffers of the generation do? Half of an idolatrous image on one door, and half of the image on the other door. Yoshiyahu would send two Torah scholars to purge idols from their homes - like inspectors, to verify that no one had an idol in his house, and as soon as they saw one, they would smash and destroy it. They would enter and find nothing. When they were leaving, the homeowner would tell them: Just close the door behind you. When they closed it, "behold, his idol arose and stood upright" - for the image was carved on the inside across both leaves of the door; while the doors were open against the wall, it was hidden, and when closed, the image appeared again from within. "And when they went out and closed the doors behind them, it would be found standing inside" - the idol was found standing within.
And what is written there? "And the archers shot at King Yoshiyahu." Rabbi Mani says: Three hundred arrows they shot into him, until they made his body like a sieve. And Yirmiyahu listened intently behind him to know what he was saying - eavesdropping and bending down to hear what he was saying in his final moments. And what was he saying? "Hashem is righteous, for I have rebelled against His word" - he accepted the divine judgment upon himself, and said: I should not have gone out to this war, just as he had told him, "Desist from God Who is with me."
An Explicit Prophecy Versus the Counsel of a Sage
We have already mentioned several times in the past that one must distinguish between a prophet speaking on his own authority and a prophet saying, "I have a word from God for you." When a prophet speaks on his own, without having received a prophecy, his words are still significant - for the prophet is a wise and righteous person, and like any great person whose counsel is sought, one listens to his opinion. However, when it is not spoken from the mouth of Hashem, it does not possess the status of prophecy, but rather the counsel of a sage.
And here, as Yoshiyahu understood it, the words were said as Yirmiyahu's own reasoning, for Yirmiyahu told him, "My teacher Yeshayahu said, 'And I will incite Egypt against Egypt'" - and it is possible that that prophecy was referring to other matters, and from where do we know that it was said specifically about this day and this war? There was no explicit prophecy regarding the matter at hand. Had he said to him, "Hear the word of Hashem," and Hashem says: Do not go out to this war for I am not with you - and Yoshiyahu had refused, that would have been a refusal of the prophet's words, extremely grave, an act of great wickedness. But that was not the reality here; rather, he brought him something transmitted from Yeshayahu, which might refer to this time or might refer to another era. And since this was not a prophecy delivered in direct connection to the matter before him, Yoshiyahu saw fit to interpret things differently: Moshe Rabbeinu said, "And a sword shall not pass through your land"; I have a promise that I need not worry, and even a sword passing peacefully is forbidden from traversing my land. And in this, we see that he erred and went astray.
In summary:
Yoshiyahu, who prepared the Temple, purified the Sanctuary, and conducted a Pesach the likes of which had never been celebrated, did not merit a miracle like Chizkiyahu. He went out to stop Pharaoh Necho as he marched toward Carchemish, believing that all his words were merely deceit and a ruse; he did not accept what had been conveyed to him by Yirmiyahu because it was not uttered as an explicit prophecy for that specific hour, and he relied upon the promise, "And a sword shall not pass through your land" - without knowing that his entire generation was worshiping idols in secret, behind closed doors. Three hundred arrows were shot into him, and he accepted the divine verdict upon himself, saying: "Hashem is righteous, for I have rebelled against His word." Yirmiyahu composed a lamentation over him that was established for generations among the Kinot, and all of Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. With this, we have completed Chapter 35 of Divrei HaYamim II.