צַדִּ֥יק ה֛וּא יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֣י פִ֣יהוּ מָרִ֑יתִי שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א כָל־עמים [הָֽעַמִּ֗ים] וּרְאוּ֙ מַכְאֹבִ֔י בְּתוּלֹתַ֥י וּבַחוּרַ֖י הָלְכ֥וּ בַשֶּֽׁבִי׃ (ס)
Matuwid ang Walang-Hanggan, sapagkat naghimagsik ako laban sa Kanyang salita. Pakinggan ninyo ngayon, kayong lahat ng mga bayan, at tingnan ninyo ang aking sakit: ang aking mga dalaga at ang aking mga binata ay nabihag.
From David to Destruction
Why does Yoshiyahu not consult Yirmiyahu as to whether he should confront Paroh Necho? We suggest that Yoshiyahu does not consult with Yirmiyahu because he is afraid that he will receive an unfavorable answer. Yirmiyahu (see Yirmiyahu 2:18) follows in the footsteps of Yeshayahu (Yeshayahu 30:1-5) by disseminating a national policy of neutrality towards foreign superpowers (such as Assyria and Babylon). Instead of becoming entangled in foreign affairs, the Bnei Yisrael should be satisfied, as Yeshayahu metaphorically expresses, with “the waters of the Shilo’ach (a stream outside of Yerushalayim) that moves along slowly” (Yeshayahu 8:6). Despite his mistake of confronting the Egyptians, Chazal (Ta’anit ad. loc.) identify Yoshiyahu’s dying words as “Tzaddik Hu Hashem, Ki Pihu Mariti,” “Hashem is righteous, as I have rebelled against His word” (Eichah 1:18). Thus, Yoshiyahu performs Teshuvah at the end of his life.