Reading the Bible in Historical Sequence Part 8Sampl

A psalmist remembers God’s miraculous rescue from Egypt. Jeremiah urges an indifferent Judah to obey God. He foresees Philistia conquered. But in 610 BC Josiah is killed challenging Pharaoh Neco. Judah anoints Jehoahaz (Joahaz) to replace Josiah. Through Jeremiah God tells king Jehoahaz to rule justly but after three months Neco replaces him with Jehoiakim (Eliakim).

Note: Pharaoh Neco II had marched his army up the coastal route through Philistia to join with Assyria against Babylonia. Josiah must have regarded Babylonia as a lesser threat than Assyria or Egypt and tried to stop Neco II’s army. Judah’s defeat brought it under Egyptian control. Neco II considered that Jehoahaz/Shallum (Josiah’s second son and the people’s choice) was not a reliable vassal, so imprisoned him and sent him to Egypt and instead placed the older brother Jehoiakim (also called Eliakim) on the throne of Judah.