Question 1

Who was Jeremiah in this passage and what did he do for Josiah?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah here is the prophet who lived during Josiah’s time. When Josiah died in battle, Jeremiah did not stay silent. He wrote and spoke a lament for the king, a kind of formal funeral poem or song. This showed how deeply he felt the loss of a ruler who had tried to follow God and lead the people back to God’s ways. Jeremiah’s lament helped the nation grieve and also warned them that losing such a king would affect their future.

Question 2

What does it mean that the singing men and women made an ordinance in Israel?

Accepted Answer

The singing men and women were people who were skilled in mourning songs. When Josiah died, they did more than just cry for a day. They made their lament for him an “ordinance,” meaning it became a set custom or practice in Israel. People were taught these songs and used them again, so the nation would not forget Josiah or the sorrow of losing him. Their grief became part of the community’s shared memory and worship life.

Question 3

What are the “lamentations” mentioned in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The passage speaks of written “lamentations,” which were collected writings of mourning and sorrow, probably a group of poems or songs used in times of grief. The laments for Josiah were included in this collection. These were not just casual words but carefully written pieces that could be read or sung later. They helped people remember what had happened, and they gave them words to express their sadness when they faced loss and trouble.

Question 4

Why did all of Judah and Jerusalem mourn so deeply for Josiah?

Accepted Answer

The people mourned Josiah so deeply because he had been a good and faithful king who tried to clean up worship and lead the nation back to God’s law. Even though many did not fully follow his reforms from the heart, they still knew he was a righteous ruler. When he died, they lost a leader who had been like a shield to them. The grief also came from a sense of danger, as people feared what might happen to the nation without such a king.

Question 5

What does this passage show about Josiah’s character and “goodness”?

Accepted Answer

The passage says Josiah’s “goodness” was according to what was written in the law of the Lord. That means his goodness was not just general kindness, but a life measured by God’s commands. He worked to bring worship and daily life in line with God’s word. His deeds, from the start of his reign to the end, showed this pattern. By pointing to official records that told more of his story, the writer reminds us that Josiah’s life had a steady, faithful direction.

Question 6

What were the “book of the kings of Israel and Judah” mentioned here?

Accepted Answer

The “book of the kings of Israel and Judah” refers to royal records that listed the events of each king’s reign. These were official histories kept by the nation, not just private notes. When the writer says Josiah’s deeds, first and last, are written there, it means that what is told in this short section is only part of a much larger story. His reforms, leadership, and choices were well known in those records, even if not all of them are repeated here.

Question 7

How did turning Josiah’s death into songs affect the people of Israel?

Accepted Answer

By turning Josiah’s death into songs and laments, the people were taught to feel the weight of losing a godly leader. The songs kept his memory alive and reminded each new generation of what a faithful king looked like and what it cost when he was gone. At the same time, it showed that God’s people are allowed to grieve deeply and honestly. Their worship life made room for sorrow, not just for joy, so their faith could face hard events without pretending they were small.

Question 8

What does this passage teach about how God’s people handle grief and loss?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that God’s people do not have to hide their grief. Jeremiah and the singers led open mourning. It was not rushed or brushed aside but given words, music, and even an ongoing custom. They cried over both the person they lost and the troubles that might follow. For readers today, this can encourage honest sorrow when someone faithful dies. It also points us to remember and thank God for faithful lives instead of only noticing them after they are gone.

2 Chronicles 35:25

¶ And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.

Laments over Josiah

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2 Chronicles 35:25

¶ And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.

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Laments over Josiah

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