JOSIAH, Sylvester Hassell Josiah the last of the kings of pious Judah . . . . was crowned at the age of eight years, and at sixteen converted to God by his Spirit. He followed in the footsteps of Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Manasseh, and in personal piety excelled them all. Saith the Holy Spirit, “And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him’ (II Kings 23:25).
He made a thorough purification of the temple and city of Jerusalem, of all the cities and high places in his own kingdom; and pushed his reformation into other cities and places where he might be allowed. Israel had been carried away, but there was a people substituted in their place called Samaritans, who offered no resistance, and Josiah purged the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon and a portion of Naphtali; destroying the houses of the high places in the cities of Samaria which the kings of Israel had made, and slaying the priests who sacrificed thereon. He made thorough work of it; and during his reign the people had rest, and departed not from following the Lord God of their fathers.
Near the close of his reign he opposed the march of the king of Egypt through his territories toward the Euphrates. He made battle against him and was wounded. He was brought to Jerusalem and died in peace. All Judah and Jerusalem, especially the prophet Jeremiah, mourned for him. During his pious reign he enjoyed the ministry of the prophets Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Nahum, and Habakkuk (II Chron. 34:35; II Kings 20:21; Lam. 4:20).
God’s threatened wrath and captivity against Judah and Jerusalem were delayed during Josiah’s reign, but, as soon as he was gathered to his fathers, the vials were poured out.” (Hassell’s History pg 131)