NOTES for Ki2 23:1-37
Having received confirmation in the preceding chapter that the people's punishment was inevitable, Josiah acted in a rather unusual way. In a situation where you cannot change anything and something terrible will happen no matter what you do, you might simply give up and do nothing. Why change anything when it will change nothing? Why cleanse yourself of filth and sin when life will bring no joy anyway, especially since the king had already been promised that he himself would not see the prophecy fulfilled? Nevertheless, Josiah goes all the way and does everything he can to cleanse his land, his people, the temple, and himself from paganism and idolatry. The idols are destroyed, the Covenant is reaffirmed, and the Passover is celebrated once again. Afterward the king dies in battle against the Egyptians. His son had not reigned for even three years when he was taken captive to Egypt, and his brother began paying tribute to Pharaoh.