2nd Kings Chapter Twenty-five

 2Ki 25:1  And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built forts against it round about. 

2Ki 25:2  So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 

2Ki 25:3  On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. 

2Ki 25:4  Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city round about); and the king went by the way of the Arabah. 

2Ki 25:5  But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. 

2Ki 25:6  Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. 

2Ki 25:7  And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 

2Ki 25:8  Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem. 

2Ki 25:9  And he burnt the house of Jehovah, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, burnt he with fire. 

2Ki 25:10  And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. 

2Ki 25:11  And the residue of the people that were left in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the residue of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away captive. 

2Ki 25:12  But the captain of the guard left of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen. 

2Ki 25:13  And the pillars of brass that were in the house of Jehovah, and the bases and the brazen sea that were in the house of Jehovah, did the Chaldeans break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon. 

2Ki 25:14  And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. 

2Ki 25:15  And the firepans, and the basins, that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away. 

2Ki 25:16  The two pillars, the one sea, and the bases, which Solomon had made for the house of Jehovah, the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 

2Ki 25:17  The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a capital of brass was upon it; and the height of the capital was three cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the capital round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with network. 

2Ki 25:18  And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold: 

2Ki 25:19  and out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war; and five men of them that saw the king's face, who were found in the city; and the scribe, the captain of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the city. 

2Ki 25:20  And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah. 

2Ki 25:21  And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive out of his land. 

2Ki 25:22  And as for the people that were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor. 

2Ki 25:23  Now when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 

2Ki 25:24  And Gedaliah sware to them and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not because of the servants of the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. 

2Ki 25:25  But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elisham, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, so that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldeans that were with him at Mizpah. 

2Ki 25:26  And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces, arose, and came to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans. 

2Ki 25:27  And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison; 

2Ki 25:28  and he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, 

2Ki 25:29  and changed his prison garments. And Jehoiachin did eat bread before him continually all the days of his life: 

2Ki 25:30  and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him of the king, every day a portion, all the days of his life. 

Verses 1-21 Summary: Jerusalem is totally sacked and plundered. Only the poorest were left to tend the agriculture of the land. Some of the captured were taken to Babylon. The king was not executed, but he had to witness his sons being executed. His eyes were removed and he had to live out his days with these horrors. The temple is ruined and sacked and burned. Jerusalem is burned.

2nd Chronicles 36:15-21 Additional facts about the fall of Jerusalem: Because the priests/king had desecrated the temple, God brought this judgement on them. This was prophesied by Jeremiah and the exile was to cover seventy years.

3. What year was the fall of Jerusalem? 586

4. What prophet was in the city at the time of its fall and was allowed to stay with the poor who were left in the land? Jeremiah 40 describes how the executioner for Babylon allowed Jeremiah to go to Babylon or stay. Jeremiah stays with Gedaliah, the appointed governor.

5. Where could you read about the condition of the city following its fall? The book of Lamentations is one source that describes both physical and emotional distresses during this time. Other post exile prophets include Ezra, Nehemiah and Zachariah.

Verses 22-26 Summary: What is left of Judah's army meet with Gedaliah. Gedaliah tells them to dwell peaceably with Babylon and it will go well for them. Eventually, Ishmael kills Gedaliah and the Judean forces flee to Egypt.

6. Read Jeremiah 42:1-43:7. What did Jeremiah warn the people of at this time? The warriors against Babylon ask Jeremiah to inquire of God and they will obey whatever He says to do. Jeremiah does and tells them to stay in Israel, do not fear Babylon and God will protect them. If they side with Egypt, they will die (in multiple different scenarios). Jeremiah then tells them: Jer 42:19  Jehovah has said concerning you, O remnant of Judah, Do not go into Egypt. Know certainly that I have warned you this day.  Jer 42:20  For you used deceit against your souls when you sent me to Jehovah your God, saying, Pray for us to Jehovah our God; and according to all that Jehovah our God shall say, so declare to us, and we will do it.  
Again, we see the attitude toward God is one of entitlement and expectation. These men were looking to gain from God and had little regard to what He wanted or what they truly owed to Him (their hearts).

Verses 27-30 Summary: After 37 years of captivity, Jehoiachin is given status within the court of the Babylonian king Evil-merodach. He eats from the king's provisions and: "set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon"

2nd Chronicles 36:22-23 (What year is this?): Cyrus, king of Persia declares his conquering has be from Jehovah and that Jehovah has told him to build a temple in Jerusalem. He then calls for volunteers. (circa 537 BC)

2nd Kings Chapter Twenty-four

 2Ki 24:1  In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. 

2Ki 24:2  And Jehovah sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake by his servants the prophets. 

2Ki 24:3  Surely at the commandment of Jehovah came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did, 

2Ki 24:4  and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood: and Jehovah would not pardon. 

2Ki 24:5  Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 

2Ki 24:6  So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers; and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. 

2Ki 24:7  And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land; for the king of Babylon had taken, from the brook of Egypt unto the river Euphrates, all that pertained to the king of Egypt. 

2Ki 24:8  Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned in Jerusalem three months: and his mother's name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 

2Ki 24:9  And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that his father had done. 

2Ki 24:10  At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 

2Ki 24:11  And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came unto the city, while his servants were besieging it; 

2Ki 24:12  and Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. 

2Ki 24:13  And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold, which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of Jehovah, as Jehovah had said. 

2Ki 24:14  And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths; none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land. 

2Ki 24:15  And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon; and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the chief men of the land, carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 

2Ki 24:16  And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths a thousand, all of them strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. 

2Ki 24:17  And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's father's brother, king is his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah. 

2Ki 24:18  Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 

2Ki 24:19  And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 

2Ki 24:20  For through the anger of Jehovah did it come to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 

Verses 1-7 (Compare Dan. 1:1-2): Babylon and multiple other nations come up against Judah. 
DANIEL:

Dan 1:1  In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 

Dan 1:2  And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god: and he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his god.

Revealing Fact: Pulpit Commentary - (Paraphrased) Judah is thick with troubles. Within three years of Egypt's victories by Pharaoh-Necho, Nebuchadnezzar is sent to eastern regions to assert dominion. Jeremiah 46:2-12 deals with the great battle at Carchemish between Egypt and Babylon where Pharaoh-Necho is defeated. With Egypt out of the way, Babylon is free to assert its power. Jehoiakim submits to Nebuchadnezzar, but revolts three years later (602). Wars with neighbors ensue for four years (but not directly with Babylon at first). 2Chronicles 36:6 reveals Nebuchadnezzar's second assault against Judah and the taking of Jerusalem. Jehoiakim is executed and his body is humiliated (Jer. 22:30, 36:30-32) although the 2nd Kings writer leaves out the indignities.

Verses 8-12; 2nd Chronicles 36:9-10 Summary: Nebuchadnezzar enters Jerusalem and takes the king and his entourage.  - Jehoiachin is eighteen years old when he reigns, and reigns for three months. Nebuchadnezzar makes his brother Zedekiah king. Zedekiah is twenty-one years old.

NOTES: Verse 17 - Zedekiah is actually Jehoiachin's uncle!

Verses 13-16 Summary: Virtually all of Jerusalem's finest citizens were taken captive. Only the poorest of the population were left behind.

2. What prophet was taken into captivity in this invasion? See Ezekiel 1:1-3

Verses 17-20, 2nd Chronicles 36:11-14 Summary: Zedekiah is an evil king. He rebels against Babylon.

Zedekiah refused to listen to God's words through Jeremiah. The priests also defiled the house of God. They also stubbornly refused to listen to God through Jeremiah.

Note: Remember, there was a time that the Levites migrated to Judah so they could worship as was directed by Jehovah. Even more recent to this context, during the reign of Joash, we saw that it was the priest Jehoiada that kept the king straight and narrow. 
Whether or not these priests were Levitical is unknown from this text. It may have been a Jeroboam type issue where the kings just makes anyone a priest to suit his own purposes. Either way, the importance of a humble king and a strong priesthood seems to be the key to staying upright with God.

How does that play out today?

2nd Kings Chapter Twenty-three

 2Ki 23:1  And the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 

2Ki 23:2  And the king went up to the house of Jehovah, and every man of Judah, and all the ones living in Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, from small to great; and he read in their ears all the Words of the Book of the covenant that was found in the house of Jehovah. 

2Ki 23:3  And the king stood by the pillar, and made the covenant before Jehovah, to walk after Jehovah, and to keep His commandments, and His testimonies, and His statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to lift up the Words of this covenant that were written in this Book. And all the people stood to the covenant. 

2Ki 23:4  And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring out from the temple of Jehovah all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for Asherah, and for all the host of the heavens. And he burned them at the outside of Jerusalem, in the fields of Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. 

2Ki 23:5  And he caused to cease the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had given place to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places around Jerusalem, and those burning incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to constellations, and to all the host of the heavens. 

2Ki 23:6  And he brought out the sacred pole from the house of Jehovah to the outside of Jerusalem, to the torrent Kidron, and burned it at the torrent Kidron, and ground it to powder, and threw the powder of it on the graves of the sons of the people. 

2Ki 23:7  And he broke down the houses of the male prostitutes that were in the house of Jehovah, where the women were weaving shelters for Asherah. 

2Ki 23:8  And he made all the priests come in out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests burned incense, from Geba to Beer-sheba, and broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. 

2Ki 23:9  However the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of Jehovah in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers. 

2Ki 23:10  And he defiled Topheth in the valley of the sons of Hinnom, so that no man could cause his son and his daughter to pass through the fire of Molech. 

2Ki 23:11  And he caused to cease the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of Jehovah, by the room of Nathan-melech the eunuch, that was in the suburbs. And he burned with fire the chariots of the sun. 

2Ki 23:12  And the altars that were on the top of the upper room of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of Jehovah, the king broke down, and ran from there and threw the dust of them into the torrent Kidron. 

2Ki 23:13  And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the Mount of Corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the idol of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the idol of the Moabites, and for Milcom the idol of the sons of Ammon, the king defiled. 

2Ki 23:14  And he broke the images in pieces, and cut down the Asherahs, and filled their places with the bones of men. 

2Ki 23:15  And also the altar that was in Bethel, the high place that Jeroboam the son of Nebat had made by which he made Israel to sin, both that altar and the high place he broke down, and burned the high place; he ground it into powder, and burned the Asherah. 

2Ki 23:16  And Josiah turned and saw the graves that were there in the mount, and sent and took the bones out of the graves and burned them on the altar, and defiled it according to the Word of Jehovah that the man of God had proclaimed, who had proclaimed these things. 

2Ki 23:17  And he said, What is this monument that I see? And the men of the city said to him, The grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done concerning the altar of Bethel. 

2Ki 23:18  And he said, Let him alone, let no one touch his bones. And they let his bones escape with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria. 

2Ki 23:19  And also all the houses of the high places in the cities of Samaria, that the kings of Israel had made to provoke to anger, Josiah took away, and he did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel. 

2Ki 23:20  And he slaughtered all the priests of the high places who were there by the altars, and burned the bones of man upon them, and returned to Jerusalem. 

2Ki 23:21  And the king commanded all the people, saying, Perform a Passover to Jehovah your God, as it is written in this Book of the covenant. 

2Ki 23:22  Surely none has been performed like this Passover from the days of the Judges who judged Israel even to all the days of the kings of Israel, and of the kings of Judah; 

2Ki 23:23  but in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was prepared to Jehovah in Jerusalem. 

2Ki 23:24  And also the mediums and the spirit-knowers and the family gods, and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, Josiah put away in order to fulfill the Words of the Law that were written in the Book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of Jehovah. 

2Ki 23:25  And there was no king before him like him, who turned to Jehovah with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; and after him none rose up like him. 

2Ki 23:26  However, Jehovah did not turn away from the fury of His great anger with which His anger glowed against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him. 

2Ki 23:27  And Jehovah said, I will also turn away Judah from My face, as I turned Israel away, and I will reject this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I have said, My name shall be there. 

2Ki 23:28  And the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Judah? 

2Ki 23:29  In his days Pharaoh-necho the king of Egypt came up against the king of Assyria by the river Euphrates; and King Josiah went out to meet him, and he killed him in Megiddo, when he saw him. 

2Ki 23:30  And his servants made him ride dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and they buried him in his own grave. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah and anointed him, and made him king in place of his father. 

2Ki 23:31  Jehoahaz was a son of twenty three years when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; and the name of his mother was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 

2Ki 23:32  And he did the evil in the eyes of Jehovah according to all that his fathers did. 

2Ki 23:33  And Pharaoh-necho bound him in Riblah, in the land of Hamath, from reigning in Jerusalem, and he put a fine on the land, a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 

2Ki 23:34  And Pharaoh-necho made Eliakim the son of Josiah to reign instead of Josiah his father, and turned his name into Jehoiakim; and he took away Jehoahaz, and he came to Egypt and died there. 

2Ki 23:35  And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the silver by the mouth of Pharaoh. From each, according to his valuation, he exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land, to give to Pharaoh-necho. 

2Ki 23:36  Jehoiakim was a son of twenty five years when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years; and the name of his mother was Zebudah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 

2Ki 23:37  And he did the evil in the eyes of Jehovah according to all that his fathers did. 

Verses 1-14 Make a list of the things Josiah restored and be impressed with the sins Israel had been committing. You will also get a hint of the sinful things that previous kings had not cleaned up. Note how long some of these things had been allowed to continue. - 

Renews the covenant and includes "all his heart." - He destroys all the implements of idol worship. - He removed the priests of the idols. -  Tears down the houses of male cult prostitutes in (or by) the temple (where woven houses (hangings) for Asherah were also made by women). -  Destroyed other idol worship in the region and at the governor's gate. - Idol priests were not allowed to serve in the temple. - He desecrated the city of Topeth to stop the sacrifice of children. - He stopped sun worship. - Destroyed altars made by Ahaz and Manasseh. - He "defiled" the high places created by Solomon that served multiple gods/peoples. - Destroys the Asherah idols and buries men's bones in their place. -

1. Comment about Josiah as a spiritual leader and the lessons we can learn from him as we are spiritual leaders in our home and church: The key here is "all his heart." There were kings who made some changes to the overall direction of Judah. They removed idols. They perhaps renewed the covenant with God. They taught the people the law. But as we see here, there were still places that were built by Solomon that were still there. Likely, even desecrated places may have been left intact even within the temple by these previous kings. We cannot know what they thought but their actions tell us that they thought that changing the heart of the people was enough. Josiah's efforts reveals that faith is a two-pronged concept. It takes complete action to reveal a strong faith. Cleansing anything that leads away from Jehovah needs to be eradicated. On top of that, we will see him reinstitute proper worship/life. 

2. Who were the "perverted persons" mentioned in verse seven? The worship of Asherah included sexual promiscuity at every level. It would include male and/or female prostitutes that served as implements of a worship/desired-satisfaction of any kind. Weird.

Revealing fact - Pulpit Commentary concerning verse 11:

(Summarized) The idea of the sun god as a charioteer driving his horses across the sky was common among some of the nations. Egypt and the semitic tribes did not practice these beliefs. This renders verse eleven unclear.
It may be true that this practice was not prolific. The fact that the writer included it indicates the depths to which idol perversions had infiltrated everyday life.

3. In what way does Jesus in the New Testament mention the "valley of Hinnom" referred to in verse 10?

Strongs: γέεννα geenna gheh'-en-nah

Of Hebrew origin ([H1516] and [H2011]); valley of (the son of) Hinnom; gehenna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem, used (figuratively) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment: - hell.

Not to be confused with hades or sheole. The place has been described a place of fires to burn rubbish and in some cases, dead bodies. It is rendered has "hell," to depict a final place of judgement in the time of Christ.

 

Verses 15-20 Summary:  He destroys the altar and high place set up by Jeroboam (in Bethel, also destroyed the Asherah there). - He finds some graves there, digs them up and burns their bones (as prophesied IKings 13). Josiah goes throughout Israel and destroys other alters and places of worship, kills the priests and burns the bones.

Verses 21-25 Summary: Josiah calls for a passover. No other king was as thorough as he was in cleansing the nation from idolatry. None was as thorough after him. 

4. Compare verse 25 with 2Kings 18:5. Read these passages carefully. How do you reconcile the two texts?  

Of Josiah - 2Ki 23:25  And there was no king before him like him, who turned to Jehovah with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; and after him none rose up like him.

Of Hezekiah - 2Ki 18:5  He trusted in Jehovah the God of Israel, and after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him

The uniqueness of each king qualifies each statement and by that standard, they are both true. In the case of Josiah however, we see an unmatched zeal revealed by the complete nature of his "cleansing" efforts.

2Chronicles 35:1-19 (Additional facts about the passover): Josiah bolsters the priests. He restores the order as set up by David and Solomon. The king and Judah's leaders supply the animals for sacrifice (thousands). Offerings were made and distributed among the people. Singers were put in place and served as David had instituted. 
2Ch 35:18  And there had not been a Passover performed like it in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; yea, none of the kings of Israel performed such a Passover as Josiah performed

5. Why would the Chronicles devote so much space to this keeping of the passover? See above verse 18 of 2Chr. 35. It was a notable moment in that NONE of the previous kings performed one like it. 

Verses 26-27 Summary: God has already passed judgement against Judah. He will turn away from them.

Verses 28-30 Summary: Pharaoh-necho goes to war with Assyria. Josiah goes out to meet him (in battle). Josiah is killed. 

2 Chronicles 35:20-27 (Additional facts about Josiah's death): Pharaoh-neco warns Josiah that God has spoken with him and he does not want to war with Josiah. Josiah ignores him and:

2Ch 35:22  Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself to fight against him, and did not listen to the words of Necho from the mouth of God; and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. 

During the battle, he shot through by an arrow. He is buried with the kings. 

6. Look up Megiddo in a Bible dictionary and jot down a brief history of this valley. Check a map for its location. Megiddo belonged to the tribe of Manasseh, although, Judges records that they were not able to dive out all the inhabitants. It is just west of Jezreel in the northern kingdom.

It is mentioned in the song of Deborah as a place of battle. IKings 9- it was fortified by Solomon. Ahaziah king of Israel went there to die, killed by Jehu. Zechariah 12 mentions it in the context of weeping. 
Zec 12:10  And I will pour on the house of David, and on the people of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of prayers. And they shall look on Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be bitter over Him, as the bitterness over the first-born. 

Zec 12:11  In that day shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the valley of Megiddo - --- Appears to be a messianic message of both deliverance and mourning.

Within the new testament context the name is transformed to Armegeddon (Har Megiddo, or “Mount Megiddo”) in Rev. 16 as a place of mourning.

7. What do the words of Pharaoh-Necho to Josiah tell us about God? Jehovah is everyone's God. Even if they don't know it. In this case, Pharaoh was an agent of Jehovah. He knew it, but it doesn't mean he trusted Jehovah only. God uses whomever He wishes to serve His purpose(s). 
"For God commanded me to make haste. You must cease from opposing God, who is with me, so that He does not destroy you." 

NOTE: 2Kings 22:20 might be interpreted as God promising Josiah a peaceful death, not the one he experienced. When we look closer, we see that the promise is that Judah will not fall during his reign/ That is the "peace" promised to him.
"...you shall be gathered to your grave in peace. And your eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring on this place."

Verses 31-34 + 2Chronicles 36:1-4 Summary:
Kings- Jehoahaz becomes king. Pharaoh-neco dethrones him and takes him to Egypt. He puts Eliakim in his place and renames him Jehoiakim.  

Chronicles - (similar)

Verses 35-37; 2Chronicles 36:5-8 Summary: 

Kings- Jehoiakim paid the tribute as required by taxing the people. Jehoiakim was a bad king.

Chronicles - Jehoiakim is taken away by the Babylonian king.

2nd Kings Chapter Twenty-two

 2Ki 22:1  Josiah was a son of eight years when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty one years in Jerusalem; and the name of his mother was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. 

2Ki 22:2  And he did the good in the eyes of Jehovah, and walked in all the way of his father David, and did not turn aside to the right or the left. 

2Ki 22:3  And it happened, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Jehovah, saying, 

2Ki 22:4  Go to Hilkiah the high priest, and he shall count the silver that is brought into the house of Jehovah that the keepers of the door have gathered from the people. 

2Ki 22:5  And they will give into the hand of the workers, those who oversee in the house of Jehovah; and they shall give it to the doers of the work who are in the house of Jehovah, to strengthen the breaks of the house; 

2Ki 22:6  to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, and to buy wood and cut stone to strengthen the house; 

2Ki 22:7  only, the silver that is given into their hand shall not be reckoned with them, for they are acting in faithfulness. 

2Ki 22:8  And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the Book of the Law in the house of Jehovah; and Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 

2Ki 22:9  And Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought back word to the king, and said, Your servants have poured out the silver that has been found in the house, and have given it into the hand of the doers of the work, those who oversee in the house of Jehovah. 

2Ki 22:10  And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest has given a book to me; and Shaphan read it before the king. 

2Ki 22:11  And it happened when the king heard the Words of the Book of the Law, he tore his garments. 

2Ki 22:12  And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah the king's servant, saying, 

2Ki 22:13  Go, inquire of Jehovah for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, as to the Words of this Book that has been found; for great is the wrath of Jehovah that has been kindled against us, because our fathers have not listened to the Words of this Book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us. 

2Ki 22:14  And Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went to Huldah the prophetess the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe (and she lived in Jerusalem, in the second quarter ). And they spoke with her. 

2Ki 22:15  And she said to them, So says Jehovah, the God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, 

2Ki 22:16  So says Jehovah, Behold, I will bring evil on this place, and on its inhabitants, even all the Words of the Book which the king of Judah has read; 

2Ki 22:17  because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore My wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. 

2Ki 22:18  And to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of Jehovah, you shall say this to him, So says Jehovah, the God of Israel, the words that you have heard, 

2Ki 22:19  (because your heart was tender, and you have bowed before Jehovah when you heard what I spoke against this place, and against those living in it, to become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes, and have wept before Me;) even also I have heard, says Jehovah. 

2Ki 22:20  Behold! Even so I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered into your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring on this place. And they brought back this word to the king. 

Verses 1-7 Summary: Josiah becomes king at eight years old. At about 25 years old, he orders the funding of repairs to the temple.

2nd Chronicles 34:1-7 (Additional Facts): Josiah 'walked in the ways of his father David." He seeks after God. In his twelfth years as king, he removes idols. (obliterates them)

Verses 8-20 Summary: The priests find the law and read it. It is then read before Josiah. He mourns and seeks God's council on the matter. It is prophesied that Judah will fall, but the king will die in peace since he had humbled himself before God.

2nd Chronicles 34:8-28 (Additional Facts): Some of the damage in the temple was from the kings of Judah. The law is read to the population. The covenant with God is renewed.

4. How old was Josiah when he began to seek the Lord? "in the eighth year of his reign, and he was still a boy, he began to seek to the God of his father David" - he was about 15

He was about 20 when he removed the idols from the land.

Notes: Huldah the prophetess is a poignant figure in that men were usually entrusted for the word of God. 
Interesting that Josiah realizes how much trouble Judah is in over its idolatry. It was the part of the law that describes what God will do to them if they commit idolatry that pushes him over the edge. 

2nd Kings Chapter Twenty-one

 2Ki 21:1  Manasseh was a son of twelve years when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty five years in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother was Hephzibah. 

2Ki 21:2  And he did the evil in the eyes of Jehovah, according to the idolatries of the nations that Jehovah expelled from before the sons of Israel. 

2Ki 21:3  And he built again the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and raised up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as did Ahab the king of Israel, and worshiped all the host of the heavens, and served them. 

2Ki 21:4  And he built altars in the house of Jehovah, of which Jehovah had said, In Jerusalem I will put My name. 

2Ki 21:5  And he built altars for all the host of the heavens in the two courts of Jehovah's house. 

2Ki 21:6  And he made his son to pass through the fire, used magic, and used divination, and dealt with mediums and spirit-knowers. He expanded to work the evil in the eyes of Jehovah, to provoke Him to anger. 

2Ki 21:7  And he set a graven image of the Asherah that he had made in the house of which Jehovah had said to David and to his son Solomon, In this house, and in Jerusalem, that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever. 

2Ki 21:8  And I will not again make the feet of Israel wander any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they observe to do all that I commanded them, and to all the Law that My servant Moses commanded them. 

2Ki 21:9  But they did not listen, and Manasseh caused them to be led astray above the nations that Jehovah had destroyed from before the sons of Israel. 

2Ki 21:10  And Jehovah spoke by His servants the prophets, saying, 

2Ki 21:11  Because Manasseh the king of Judah has done these abominations, doing more wickedly than all that the Amorites did before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols, 

2Ki 21:12  therefore so says Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing evil on Jerusalem and Judah, so that whoever hears of it, his two ears shall tingle. 

2Ki 21:13  And I will stretch out over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab, and shall wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish (he wipes and turns it on its face). 

2Ki 21:14  And I will forsake the remnant of My inheritance, and give them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall be for a prey and for a spoil to all their enemies, 

2Ki 21:15  because they have done evil in My eyes, and have provoked Me to anger from the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day. 

2Ki 21:16  And also Manasseh has shed very much innocent blood, till he has filled Jerusalem from mouth to mouth; apart from his sin that he caused Judah to sin, to do evil in the eyes of Jehovah. 

2Ki 21:17  And the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Judah? 

2Ki 21:18  And Manasseh lay with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his house in the Garden of Uzza. And his son Amon reigned in his place. 

2Ki 21:19  Amon was a son of twenty two years when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem; and the name of his mother was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 

2Ki 21:20  And he did the evil in the eyes of Jehovah, as his father Manasseh did, 

2Ki 21:21  and walked in all the way that his father walked, and served the idols that his father served, and bowed himself to them. 

2Ki 21:22  And he forsook Jehovah, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of Jehovah. 

2Ki 21:23  And the servants of Amon conspired against him and killed the king in his own house. 

2Ki 21:24  And the people of the land killed all those who conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made his son Josiah king in his place. 

2Ki 21:25  And the rest of the acts of Amon that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Judah? 

2Ki 21:26  And they buried him in his grave in the garden of Uzza. And his son Josiah reigned in his place. 

Verses 1-9 Summary: Manasseh is an evil king. He re-introduces all the idolatry removed by his father. He commits atrocities in his idol worship. He sets up idolatry in the temple. Judah as a nation is led astray.

Verses 10-18 Summary: God passes judgement over Judah for their idolatry and the abominations instituted by Manasseh

1. If God had not given Hezekiah fifteen years more of life, do you believe that would have affected the reign of Manasseh in any way? Unknowable. Manasseh was only twelve years old when he started his reign. Unlike Joash, who has Jehoiada to guide him, Manasseh just seems to go his own way. Or, perhaps he is influences by godless fellows. Manasseh was not buried with the kings. 

2nd Chronicles 33:1-20 (Additional facts about Manasseh); Manasseh commits severe idolatry. He is brutally captured by the Assyrians. He prays to God and he is returned to Judah, He removes the idols. He strengthens Jerusalem. Jehovah is worshipped on the high places (unauthorized).

2. Later in 2Kings 23:26-27, God still spoke of punishing Judah for the sins of Manasseh. Why would God do this even though Manasseh had repented? (Compare 2 Kings 24:3-4) - 
God drew the line at child sacrifice. The shedding of innocent blood had to be answered. 

Verses 19-26 Summary (Amon): Amon is an evil king. His servants kill him. The servants are executed, Josiah becomes king. Amon was not buried with the kings.

2nd Chronicles 33:21-25 (Additional Facts About Amon): Amon served other gods to the exclusion of Jehovah. 

3. If Hezekiah's reign began in 725 BC, give the dates for the reigns of the subsequent kings:

Hezekiah   725-29=

Manasseh  696-55=

Amon        641-2=

Josiah        639

2nd Kings Chapter Twenty

 Ki 20:1  In those days Hezekiah was sick to death, and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to him, So says Jehovah, Order your house, for you are dying, and shall not live. 

2Ki 20:2  And he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Jehovah, saying, 

2Ki 20:3  I pray to You, O Jehovah, please remember how I have walked always before your face in truth, and with a perfect heart, and I have done the good in Your eyes. And Hezekiah wept with a great weeping. 

2Ki 20:4  And it happened when Isaiah had not gone out to the middle court, the Word of Jehovah came to him, saying, 

2Ki 20:5  Turn back, and you shall say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, So says Jehovah, the God of your father David, I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you; you shall go up to the house of Jehovah the third day. 

2Ki 20:6  And I have added fifteen years to your days; and I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and shall defend this city for My own sake, and for My servant David's sake. 

2Ki 20:7  And Isaiah said, Take a cake of figs; and they took and laid it on the boil; and he recovered. 

2Ki 20:8  And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, What will be the sign that Jehovah will heal me, that I will go up on the third day to the house of Jehovah? 

2Ki 20:9  And Isaiah said, This will be the sign to you from Jehovah, that Jehovah will do the thing that He has spoken: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it turn back ten steps? 

2Ki 20:10  And Hezekiah said, It would be a light thing for the shadow to go down ten steps; no, but let the shadow go back ten steps. 

2Ki 20:11  And Isaiah the prophet cried to Jehovah; and He brought back the shadow by the steps the shadow had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz, ten steps backward. 

2Ki 20:12  At that time Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan the king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been ill. 

2Ki 20:13  And Hezekiah listened to them, and showed them all the house of his treasury, the silver and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his weapons, and all found in his treasure house; there was not a thing that Hezekiah did not show them in his house and in all his dominion. 

2Ki 20:14  And Isaiah the prophet came in to King Hezekiah and said to him, What did these men say? And where did they come from to you? And Hezekiah said, They have come from a land afar off, from Babylon. 

2Ki 20:15  And he said, What did they see in your house? And Hezekiah said, They saw all that is in my house; there was not a thing that I did not show them among my treasures. 

2Ki 20:16  And Isaiah said to Hezekiah, Hear the Word of Jehovah: 

2Ki 20:17  Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have treasured up until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; there shall not be a thing left, says Jehovah. 

2Ki 20:18  And of your sons that shall issue from you, whom you shall father, they shall take away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. 

2Ki 20:19  And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, The Word of Jehovah that you have spoken is good. And he said, Is it not good if peace and truth are in my days? 

2Ki 20:20  And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool, and the conduit, and brought in the waters to the city, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Judah? 

2Ki 20:21  And Hezekiah lay with his fathers. And his son Manasseh reigned in his place. 

Verses 1-11 Summary: Hezekiah is ill to the point of death, Isaiah tells the king to get his house in order, he is going to die. Hezekiah turns toward the wall and prays to God and weeps. Before Isaiah leaves, God turns him back to tell Hezekiah that he will live another fifteen years. Hezekiah asks what the sign will be that it will happen. Isaiah posits that God will manipulate a shadow for him either moving it forward or backwards. Hezekiah suggests that it move backward and it does move backwards.

2nd Chronicles 32:24-36: Key- 2Ch 32:25  And Hezekiah did not return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart had been lifted up, and there was wrath on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 2Ch 32:26  And Hezekiah was humbled for the pride of his heart...
We see here that Hezekiah has incurred judgment.

4. Did God answer Hezekiah's prayer by changing His mind about his death or was it God's plan in the beginning to allow Hezekiah to live? Unknown ultimately. The text reads like God repented of His plan to allow Hezekiah's death. He was told he was going to die. God does not lie. it is dis appointing to see in Chronicles that Hezekiah becomes prideful after the incident.
Ultimately, the goodness afforded to him by God became a test and a snare to him. This could happen to anyone who is not careful. We need to be ready to keep ourselves in check in all matters.

NOTE: There is much written as to where the shadow was. Many believe it was a sun dial, others believe it was stairs. Either way, how and where God performed the miracle should take a back seat to the fact that it was performed. It is a revelation of power and authority.  

Verses 12-21 Summary: The king of Babylon sends letters and gifts to Hezekiah when he hears of Hezekiah's illness. Hezekiah responds by showing them all of hi riches. Isaiah tells Hezekiah that Judah will fall to Babylon and his sons will be taken and serve the king of Babylon. Hezekiah seems to be ok with it: 'The Word of Jehovah that you have spoken is good. And he said, Is it not good if peace and truth are in my days? "

2nd Chronicles 32:27-31: Hezekiah has amassed great wealth and property (cites). When the Babylonians come to inquire of his riches, God "leaves" Hezekiah to test his heart.

5. What do you think of Hezekiah's attitude toward the Lord's promise that his descendants would be taken away to Babylon? There appears to be a resolution of knowing that Judah would one day fall. He seems to be content with the fact that his reign will be peaceful. "Is it not good if peace and truth are in my days?"
We cannot read his mind. He may be thinking that Judah's fall is not of his doing/fault. He has no control over what happens in the future. He may even be happy that his sons will at least live and serve another king in lieu of genocide. Although, if made eunuchs, they cannot procreate.

6. What is your summary evaluation of the reign of Hezekiah? In the writer's own words: 2Ki 18:5  He trusted in Jehovah the God of Israel, and after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him; 2Ki 18:6 and he clung to Jehovah; he did not turn aside from following Him, and kept His commands that Jehovah commanded Moses. 

Those are God's words. That is what counts. The list he is compared to includes David, Solomon and Jehoshaphat.
I have to wonder if we would tend to read into his decision of showing his wealth:
1) It does reveal pride as is indicated in 2nd Chronicles: 2Ch 32:25  And Hezekiah did not return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart had been lifted up, and there was wrath on him and on Judah and Jerusalem
2) The question is did Hezekiah CAUSE the downfall of Judah? In my estimation, no. Babylon was coming as a world power and conquering Judah would have been in the mix whether or not Hezekiah has a lapse of judgement. Future chapters will reveal their issues and subsequent fall.

What lessons can we learn from Hezekiah's life and reign? Hezekiah cleaned up Judah's idolatry like none other and he wholly relied on God. His pride reveals what the message of the entire whole Old Testament. As good as we can be, we always end of having one flaw or another that needs a remedy by the hand of God. (Jesus)