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Josiah’s Death and 2 Chronicles 36

Mi-Sook Lee 1

1장로회신학대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The Israelite people expected Josiah as Judah’s reformer to be the king who could revive their dying nation and save it from it's doom. However, he was suddenly killed because he had been involved in an international dispute. As a result of his death the kingdom of Judah declined rapidly and ceased to exist after about 20 years. The Chronicler broke the silence found in Kings (2 Kings 23:29) and explained that Josiah was killed because he did not listen to God's words that were spoken by Necho. Since 19th century, the Chronicler's report of Josiah’s death has primarily been studied by using retribution theology or a historical approach, but some questions still remain. This study provides another explanation for the Chronicler's report. As such, it uses a synchronic reading to examine the story, which gives a new perspective to the interpretation. What new theological meaning can be ascribed to the Chronicler’s depiction of Josiah's death? An answer to this controversial question can be found when the Chronicler's report is read not as an appendix of Josiah's story or as an isolate report, but as an interpretation of the passage presented in 2 Chronicles 36. After examining the macro-structure and rhetorical elements of the Chronicler’s report of Josiah’s death, that story can be seen to be closely related to the last chapter of 2 Chronicles and it functions as its opening. If so, what new theological meaning can this provide? First, the Chronicler saw Josiah’s death as a turning point, launching a new future for the exile and post-exilic generations after the kingdom of Judah had ended. Second, the Chronicler supported the Levites as the new leadership and suggested that the exiled and post-exilic people should root their hopes in the Temple and its cult. Third, the report of Josiah’s death was a signal announcing God’s judgement against Judah and an ultimate restoration of it. Josiah’s death which had caused a sensation in Judah, demanded that a new historical, religious, and theological paradigm be implemented by the exile and post-exilic generations, and thus the Chronicler properly recognized its significance.

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