Battle of Megiddo (609 BC)

Battle of Megiddo
A small kneeling bronze statuette, likely Necho II, now residing in the Brooklyn Museum
Date June or July 609 BC Location Megiddo 32°35′N 35°11′E / 32.583°N 35.183°E / 32.583; 35.183Coordinates: 32°35′N 35°11′E / 32.583°N 35.183°E / 32.583; 35.183 Result Decisive Egyptian Victory
Belligerents
Egypt	Kingdom of Judah
Commanders and leaders
Necho II	Josiah†
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	High

This Battle of Megiddo is recorded as having taken place in 609 BC when Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt lead his army to Carchemish (northern Syria) to join with his allies, the fading Neo-Assyrian Empire, against the surging Neo-Babylonian Empire. This required passing through territory controlled by the Kingdom of Judah. Judaean King Josiah refused to let the Egyptians pass, perhaps thinking that the Assyrians and Egyptians were weakened by the death of the pharaoh Psamtik I only a year earlier (610 BCE) and also attempting to help the Babylonians. The Judaean forces battled the Egyptians at Megiddo, resulting in Josiah's death and his Kingdom becoming a vassal state of Egypt. The battle is recorded in the Bible, the Greek 1 Esdras, and the writings of Josephus.

While Necho II gained control of the Kingdom of Judah, the combined Assyrian-Egyptian forces failed to defeat the Babylonians, after which Assyria largely ceased to exist as an independent state.

The basic story is told in 2 Kings 23:29-30.

In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went to meet him; and Pharaoh Neco slew him at Megiddo, when he saw him. 30 And his servants carried him dead in a chariot from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb.

There is a longer account recorded later in II Chronicles 35:20-25.

After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt came up to make war at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to engage him. But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What have we to do with each other, O King of Judah? I am not coming against you today but against the house with which I am at war, and God has ordered me to hurry. Stop for your own sake from interfering with God who is with me, so that He will not destroy you.” However, Josiah would not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to make war with him; nor did he listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to make war on the plain of Megiddo. The archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded.” 24 So his servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in the second chariot which he had, and brought him to Jerusalem where he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. Then Jeremiah chanted a lament for Josiah. And all the male and female singers speak about Josiah in their lamentations to this day. And they made them an ordinance in Israel; behold, they are also written in the Lamentations.

...
Wikipedia