Sefer Melachim II is taught by Adele Chabot, Judaic Studies teacher at Barkai Yeshiva; Author of “The Best Secret Revealed”.
A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
King Yoshiyah gathered the elders of the nation and headed for the Temple. He read the rebuke from the Torah to the assembled people of his nation. He and the people committed to uphold the words of the Torah.
The king had the Kohanim remove all vestiges of idolatry from the Temple. He had them (the idols) burned and the ashes carried away. He fired the priests who served those idols and burned the Ashera tree that was planted on Temple grounds. He trashed the rooms used for immorality for these idols and desecrated the altars of the idols. Yoshiyah wrecked the place where children would be passed through fire for Molech and abolished the practice of dawn chariot racing for sun worshippers. Yoshiyah destroyed a lot more places of idolatry, including the altar of Yaravam, first king of the Ten Tribes. He exhumed the bones of the idolaters buried nearby and burned them on the altar, as was prophesized back in I Kings chapter 13, more than three hundred years earlier! |
Spying a nearby tomb, Yoshiyah asked who was buried there. When he was informed that it was the prophet of G-d who had foretold these things, he left that grave undisturbed.
Not only did Yoshiyah purge Judah of idols, he also removed them from territories that had previously been part of the now-exiled Northern Kingdom.
Yoshiyah’s campaign against idolatry culminated in the spring, in time for Pesach (Passover). A Passover such as this had not been celebrated since the time of the Judges, since Yoshiyah removed all taints of idolatry and sorcery.
The Navi tells us that no king returned to G-d with the zeal and enthusiasm that Yoshiyah did. (This suggests that he wasn’t always righteous, but repented because of what was read to him from the Torah.) However, G-d’s decree was not swayed, as Menashe’s evil influence was too deeply ingrained in the people.
Yoshiyah died in battle against the army of Egypt. He had reigned for 31 years and was succeeded by his son Yehoahaz.
Yehoahaz was an evil king and he reigned for only three months. He was imprisoned by the Pharaoh, who imposed a fine on the people of Judah and installed Yehoahaz’ brother Elyakim as kingPharaoh changed Elyakim’s name to Yehoyakim, then took Yehoahaz back to Egypt with him. (Yehoahaz died there.)
Yehoyakim taxed the people to pay the fine imposed by Pharaoh, but he did so fairly; every person was charged according to his means. Despite this, Yehoyakim was another evil king, taking after Menashe and Amon rather than Yoshiyah.
Not only did Yoshiyah purge Judah of idols, he also removed them from territories that had previously been part of the now-exiled Northern Kingdom.
Yoshiyah’s campaign against idolatry culminated in the spring, in time for Pesach (Passover). A Passover such as this had not been celebrated since the time of the Judges, since Yoshiyah removed all taints of idolatry and sorcery.
The Navi tells us that no king returned to G-d with the zeal and enthusiasm that Yoshiyah did. (This suggests that he wasn’t always righteous, but repented because of what was read to him from the Torah.) However, G-d’s decree was not swayed, as Menashe’s evil influence was too deeply ingrained in the people.
Yoshiyah died in battle against the army of Egypt. He had reigned for 31 years and was succeeded by his son Yehoahaz.
Yehoahaz was an evil king and he reigned for only three months. He was imprisoned by the Pharaoh, who imposed a fine on the people of Judah and installed Yehoahaz’ brother Elyakim as kingPharaoh changed Elyakim’s name to Yehoyakim, then took Yehoahaz back to Egypt with him. (Yehoahaz died there.)
Yehoyakim taxed the people to pay the fine imposed by Pharaoh, but he did so fairly; every person was charged according to his means. Despite this, Yehoyakim was another evil king, taking after Menashe and Amon rather than Yoshiyah.
TanachStudy.com
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