Josiah
Josiah was a significant figure in the history of Judah, ascending to the throne at a young age of eight after the assassination of his father, King Amon, around 640/639 BCE. His reign is marked by a religious reformation that sought to eliminate foreign religious practices from Judah, inspired by the discovery of an early version of the book of Deuteronomy in 622 BCE. This reformation, which included the removal of Assyrian cult objects, coincided with the decline of the Assyrian Empire and reflected the political climate of the time. Despite his efforts, Josiah struggled to achieve full national independence as Egyptian influence grew during his reign. He is uniquely praised among Judean kings for his dedication to the law of Moses, and his reign is often viewed as a pivotal time in the shaping of Jewish religious identity. Josiah's life ended tragically when he was killed at the Battle of Megiddo in 609 BCE, and he was subsequently buried in Jerusalem. His legacy is complex, with debates surrounding the actual impact of his reforms and the limitations he faced in expanding Judaean territory.
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Josiah
Related civilization: Judah
Major role/position: King of Judah
Life
The son of the assassinated monarch Amon, eight-year-old Josiah (joh-SI-uh) was appointed king of Judah in 640/639 b.c.e. Inspired either by his own religious impulses or by the discovery in 622 b.c.e. of an early version of the book of Deuteronomy, Josiah promulgated a purging of alien religious features from the Judaean cult. Such a religious reformation was not without political ramifications: The purge doubtless included the removal of Assyrian cultic objects and was concomitant with the dissolution of the Assyrian Empire. Josiah, killed at Megiddo by Pharaoh Neco II in 609 b.c.e., was buried in Jerusalem.
Influence
The influence of Josiah’s reformation remains debatable, the biblical descriptions notwithstanding, because the accounts are tendentious. His efforts to centralize the cult were, evidently, not entirely successful. Josiah failed to achieve national independence: During his reign, Assyrian hegemony over Judah increasingly gave way to Egyptian influence; expansion of Judaean holdings appears limited only to the environs of Bethel. Nevertheless, of all the kings, only Josiah is unreservedly praised for his unique commitment to the law of Moses. Indeed, Josiah’s idealized portrayal as the faithful king in the Deuteronomist history has led scholars to conclude that the work was most likely first redacted during Josiah’s reign.
Bibliography
Cross, Frank Moore. Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1973.
Miller, J. Maxwell, and John H. Hayes. A History of Ancient Israel and Judah. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1986.
Sweeney, Marvin. King Josiah of Judah. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.