Antiquities Book 10, Chapter 5
How Josiah Fought With Neco [King Of Egypt.] And Was Wounded And Died In A Little Time Afterward; As Also How Neco Carried Jehoahaz, Who Had Been Made King Into Egypt And Delivered The Kingdom To Jehoiakim; And [Lastly] Concerning Jeremiah And Ezekiel.
1. Now Neco, king of Egypt, raised an army, and marched to the river
Euphrates, in order to fight with the Medes and Babylonians, who had
overthrown the dominion of the Assyrians, 8 for he had a desire to reign
over Asia. Now when he was come to the city Mendes, which belonged to
the kingdom of Josiah, he brought an army to hinder him from passing
through his own country, in his expedition against the Medes. Now Neco
sent a herald to Josiah, and told him that he did not make this
expedition against him, but was making haste to Euphrates; and desired
that he would not provoke him to fight against him, because he
obstructed his march to the place whither he had resolved to go. But
Josiah did not admit of this advice of Neco, but put himself into a
posture to hinder him from his intended march. I suppose it was fate
that pushed him on this conduct, that it might take an occasion against
him; for as he was setting his army in array, 9 and rode about in his
chariot, from one wing of his army to another, one of the Egyptians shot
an arrow at him, and put an end to his eagerness of fighting; for being
sorely wounded, he command a retreat to be sounded for his army, and
returned to Jerusalem, and died of that wound; and was magnificently
buried in the sepulcher of his fathers, when he had lived thirty-nine
years, and of them had reigned thirty-one. But all the people mourned
greatly for him, lamenting and grieving on his account many days; and
Jeremiah the prophet composed an elegy to lament him, 10 which is extant
till this time also. Moreover, this prophet denounced beforehand the sad
calamities that were coming upon the city. He also left behind him in
writing a description of that destruction of our nation which has lately
happened in our days, and the taking of Babylon; nor was he the only
prophet who delivered such predictions beforehand to the multitude, but
so did Ezekiel also, who was the first person that wrote, and left
behind him in writing two books concerning these events. Now these two
prophets were priests by birth, but of them Jeremiah dwelt in Jerusalem,
from the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, until the city and
temple were utterly destroyed. However, as to what befell this prophet,
we will relate it in its proper place.
2. Upon the death of Josiah, which we have already mentioned, his son,
Jehoahaz by name, took the kingdom, being about twenty-three years old.
He reigned in Jerusalem; and his mother was Hamutal, of the city Libhah.
He was an impious man, and impure in his course of life; but as the king
of Egypt returned from the battle, he sent for Jehoahaz to come to him,
to the city called Hamath 11 which belongs to Syria; and when he was
come, he put him in bands, and delivered the kingdom to a brother of
his, by the father's side, whose name was Eliakim, and changed his name
to Jehoiakim and laid a tribute upon the land of a hundred talents of
silver, and a talent of gold; and this sum of money Jehoiakim paid by
way of tribute; but Neco carried away Jehoahaz into Egypt, where he died
when he had reigned three months and ten days. Now Jehoiakim's mother
was called Zebudah, of the city Rumah. He was of a wicked disposition,
and ready to do mischief; nor was he either religious towards God, or
good-natured towards men.
Euphrates, in order to fight with the Medes and Babylonians, who had
overthrown the dominion of the Assyrians, 8 for he had a desire to reign
over Asia. Now when he was come to the city Mendes, which belonged to
the kingdom of Josiah, he brought an army to hinder him from passing
through his own country, in his expedition against the Medes. Now Neco
sent a herald to Josiah, and told him that he did not make this
expedition against him, but was making haste to Euphrates; and desired
that he would not provoke him to fight against him, because he
obstructed his march to the place whither he had resolved to go. But
Josiah did not admit of this advice of Neco, but put himself into a
posture to hinder him from his intended march. I suppose it was fate
that pushed him on this conduct, that it might take an occasion against
him; for as he was setting his army in array, 9 and rode about in his
chariot, from one wing of his army to another, one of the Egyptians shot
an arrow at him, and put an end to his eagerness of fighting; for being
sorely wounded, he command a retreat to be sounded for his army, and
returned to Jerusalem, and died of that wound; and was magnificently
buried in the sepulcher of his fathers, when he had lived thirty-nine
years, and of them had reigned thirty-one. But all the people mourned
greatly for him, lamenting and grieving on his account many days; and
Jeremiah the prophet composed an elegy to lament him, 10 which is extant
till this time also. Moreover, this prophet denounced beforehand the sad
calamities that were coming upon the city. He also left behind him in
writing a description of that destruction of our nation which has lately
happened in our days, and the taking of Babylon; nor was he the only
prophet who delivered such predictions beforehand to the multitude, but
so did Ezekiel also, who was the first person that wrote, and left
behind him in writing two books concerning these events. Now these two
prophets were priests by birth, but of them Jeremiah dwelt in Jerusalem,
from the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, until the city and
temple were utterly destroyed. However, as to what befell this prophet,
we will relate it in its proper place.
2. Upon the death of Josiah, which we have already mentioned, his son,
Jehoahaz by name, took the kingdom, being about twenty-three years old.
He reigned in Jerusalem; and his mother was Hamutal, of the city Libhah.
He was an impious man, and impure in his course of life; but as the king
of Egypt returned from the battle, he sent for Jehoahaz to come to him,
to the city called Hamath 11 which belongs to Syria; and when he was
come, he put him in bands, and delivered the kingdom to a brother of
his, by the father's side, whose name was Eliakim, and changed his name
to Jehoiakim and laid a tribute upon the land of a hundred talents of
silver, and a talent of gold; and this sum of money Jehoiakim paid by
way of tribute; but Neco carried away Jehoahaz into Egypt, where he died
when he had reigned three months and ten days. Now Jehoiakim's mother
was called Zebudah, of the city Rumah. He was of a wicked disposition,
and ready to do mischief; nor was he either religious towards God, or
good-natured towards men.