Midrash su II Re 22:20

Our Rabbis were taught: "Upon the death of R. Ishmael's children, the four senior Rabbis, R. Tarphon, R. Josi the Galilean, R. Elazar b. Azaria, and R. Akiba, entered [to comfort him]. R. Tarphon said to them, [while on their way]: "Remember that R. Ishmael is a great scholar and is familiar with Agada. None should fall in while one will speak." "And I shall be the last," remarked R. Akiba. R. Ishmael himself began the eulogy and said: "His sins were so many, he was therefore surrounded with mourning and had to trouble his teachers, time and again." R. Tarphon responded and said: "(Lev. 10, 6) But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the fire which the Lord hath kindled. Is this not a fortiori reasoning? If concerning Nadab and Abihu, who only performed one meritorious act, as is proved from the following passage (Is. 9, 9) And the sons of Aaron presented the Rabbi, who performed so many good acts be how much more should the children of our Rabbi who performed so many good acts be treated?" R. Josi the Galilean then responded and said: "(I Kings 14, 13) And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him, etc. Is this not a fortiori reasoning? If upon the death of Abiya the son of Jereboam, who only committed one good act, as it is written (Ib.) Because there hath been found in him some good thing, is nevertheless treated so, how much more should the children of our [Rabbi who performed so many acts] be treated?" What is the meaning of some good thing? R. Zera and R. Chanina b. Papa both explain it. One said that he left his position [as patrolman to guard Israel they should not visit Jerusalem], and went himself to Jerusalem; the other says that he suspended the watchmen [who were placed by his father to prevent Israel from visiting Jerusalem on the festival]. R. Elazar b. Azaria responded and said: "(Jer. 34, 5) In peace shalt thou die: and as fires were made, for thy fathers, the former kings, etc. Is this not also a fortiori reasoning? If concerning Zedekiah, king of Juda, who performed only one meritorious act, namely that he took out Jeremiah from the pit of lime, nevertheless shares thus, how much more so should it be the case with the children of our Rabbi?" R. Akiba answered and said: "(Zech. 12, 2) On that day will the lamentation be great in Jerusalem, like the lamentation at Hadadrimon i the valley of Megiddon. And R. Joseph said: 'Were it not for the Targum, I would not have understood the meaning of this passage.' How does the Targum translate it? 'On that day will the lamentation in Jerusalem be as it was over Ahab ben Amri, who was killed by Hedadrimon ben Tabrimon in the city of Ramoth Gilead, as they mourned over Joshia ben Amon, who was killed by Pharaoh, the lame one, in the valley of Megiddon.' Now, is this not a fortiori? If upon the death of Ahab bar Amri, king of Israel who merely performed one good thing, as it is written (I Kings 22, 35) And the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians: but he died in the evening, nevertheless shared thus, how much more so ought the children of our Rabbi be treated?" Rabba said unto Rabba b. Mari: "It is written concerning Zedekiah (Jer. 34, 5) In peace shalt thou die, and again we find a passage (Ib. 39, 7) And the eyes of Zedekiah did he blind. [Do you call this in peace?]" Rabba b. Mari replied: "This [in peace] refers that Nebuchadnezar will die in his days." Another thing asked Raba of Rabba b. Mari: "It is written concerning king Josiah (II Kings 22, 20) Therefore, behold, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy grave in peace. And again it is written (II Chron. 35, 23) And the archers shot at king Josiah; and R. Juda, in the name of Rab, explained this, that they made his body [perforated with arrows] like a sieve." [Do you call this a peaceful death?] Thus explained R. Jochanan. The latter replied: "This means that the Temple was not destroyed in his days."

Rabbi Ẓe'era said: All the souls go forth and are gathered, each man's soul to the generation of his fathers and to his people. The righteous with the righteous, and the wicked with the wicked, for thus spake the Holy One, blessed be He, to Abraham: "But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace" (Gen. 15:15). And when the soul goes forth from the body, then the righteous come to meet them, and say to them: Come unto peace ! One verse says, "Therefore, behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace" (2 Kings 22:20).

"And to his people shall You bring him": This refers to Isaiah, of whom it is written (II Kings 22:20) "Behold, I will gather you in to your forefathers." "His hands will be 'profuse' (rav) for him": This refers to Menasheh, of whom it is written (Ibid. 21:16) "Menasheh also shed very much innocent blood, until he filled Jerusalem from end to end, aside from his sin of causing Judah to sin, to do what was evil in the eyes of the L-rd." In the end, what is written of him? (II Chronicles 33:13) "And he prayed to Him, and He was entreated of him." (Devarim, Ibid.) "And You shall be a help against his foes": This refers to Yehoshafat, viz. (II Chronicles 18:31) "And Yehoshafat cried out, and the L-rd helped him, and G-d turned them from him."