וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ אִ֣ישׁ אֱלֹהִ֗ים בָּ֧א מִיהוּדָ֛ה בִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְיָרָבְעָ֛ם עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לְהַקְטִֽיר׃
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Beth-el; and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to offer.
From David to Destruction
Before we explore the life of Yoshiyahu, we should note some important pieces of information that help place this great man into his proper historical context. Yoshiyahu stands out as an individual whose actions are foretold approximately three hundred years before his birth. In Melachim I 13:1-2, we read of an anonymous prophet (whom Chazal identify as Iddo, see Sanhedrin 89b) who visits the wicked Yarav’am ben Nevat, after the latter constructs illegitimate altars in Beit El and Dan. The Navi informs the wicked king that a descendant of David HaMelech, named Yoshiyahu, will one day be born, and will kill many priests who will serve on Yarav’am’s illicit altars.