Phonecia comes under Egyptian

Map of the reforms

control as Assyria withdraws The collapse of Assyrian power created a power
vacuum in the provinces comprising the former
territories of Israel. Many Bible atlases and

I A
commentaries suggest Josiah expanded his

and reign of Josiah

Kingdom into most of this area, potentially via
Route of conquest. The more likely scenario is a limited
Pharoah expansion of Judah’s borders into the hill
TYRE

C
to join country of Ephraim, with Josiah exerting a level
Assyrian
2 Ki 22:23, 2 Ch 34-35

E
of religious influence and varying degrees of
alliance control over the remnant Jewish populations
Fortified Cities

l i
against

E N
throughout Israel. Egypt continued to claim
Capital City Babylon
formal authority over the region and asserted

t a
Towns and Cities military control over key trade routes perhaps
with some competition from Josiah in certain

H O
Archeological discoveries dated to Josiah’s reign places leading to the clash at Megiddo. There are

p h
some archeological and scriptural indications
Birthplaces of Josiah’s wives that prior to this Josiah may have even collected
Egyptian allies taxes (2 Ch 34:9), perhaps with the consent of,

P
Elkosh?
and nominally on behalf of Egypt. Later this was

N a
Territory under Egyptian Control/Influence increased (2 Ch 36:3).
Jerusalem and Benjamin
Kingdom of Judah
Rumah Karnaim

M
T
Territory taxed under Josiah

CA
Areas of Josiah’s religious influence

RM
Altars broken down, Asherim and images

EL
Maximum possible area of influence beaten into powder and incense altars cut down
throughout cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Naphtali
Dor Megiddo and all the land of Israel.
Archeological surveys show that a fortress was built Josiah defeated by
and destroyed during the reign of Josiah. It cannot Pharoah at Megiddo Ramoth-gilead
be determined whether the fortress was Egyptian, or (2 Ch 35:20-26)
Judean.
G I L E A D
Shrines of the high places removed from the cities M a n a s s e h Josiah removes abominations from all the ruined
cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon & the
of Samaria, with the false priests of the Northern
Kingdom treated more severly then those in territory of Israel (2 Ch 34:33). This may have
Judah—most were executed and their bones Sythians devastate included Gilead if Josiah’s actions in the cities of
burned on their former altars. coastlands bypassing
Judah (Zeph 1:10-18) S A M A R I A Manesseh includes East Manasseh.

Samaria Taxes for temple construction

The altar at Bethel was pulled down, burned and reduced collected from Judah,
to dust. The Asherah was also burned and the bones of Movements Shechem Ephraim, Manasseh and the Hometowns of the Prophets
those buried there burned on the altar (2 Ki 23:15-18). of Josiah remnant in Israel (2 Ch 34:10) Jerusalem Huldah the Prophetess
Zephaniah
E p h r a i Habakkuk
Josiah purges Judah and Jerusalem of the
high places (2 Ch 34:3). Priests of Baal and Zered
m Inhabitants of Jerusalem Anathoth Jeremiah
Ashteroth were executed and burnt on and Benjamin join the Moresheth Micah
their altars. Priests who offered sacrifices E X PA N D covenant (2 Ch 34:32) Elkosh Nahum
ED
to God on the high places were deposed, Aphek B O RDER
but not executed. They were permitted to
worship in the temple and fellowship with Mesad Hashavyahu Bethel
the other priests, but forbidden from ever Mizpah TEMPLE REFORMS
offering sacrifices and carrying out the Gezer FO Jericho The Asherah removed from the Temple & beaten to dust
R M E R BO
public duties of a priest again (2 Ki 23:9). R by the brook Kidron. The houses of the cult prostitutes
Geba D ER
I A

torn down. The vessels of Baal removed from the

Anathoth temple and burned in fields of Kidron. The horses and
Ashodod chariots dedicated to the sun removed from the temple,
Ekron with the chariots burnt (2 Ki 23:4-11). Later, the Ark of
Jerusalem
T

Gath the Covenant was restored to the temple, new priests

(individuals not associated with false worship) were
I S

Tekoa appointed to office, with the divisions of service

Sea

restored according to the system

Ashkelon Libnah Elders of Judah & Jerusalem established by David.
gathered to the temple (2 Ki 23:1)
L

Ashdod conquered by Lachish

Egypt with the rest of
Hebron Broke down the high places of
Moresheth
Dead
I

Philistia submitting to the gates at the entrance of

Gaza the gate of Joshua the city
H

their influence &

governor (2 Ki 23:8). JERUSALEM
becoming allies.
J U D A H
P

Removed the altars

Priests removed from En-gedi from the roof of the T EM PLE
cities and high places palace (2 Ki 23:12)
defiled from Geba to e o n
Beersheba (2 Ki 23:8). i m M O UNT O F
S Beer-Sheba
CO RRUPT I O N

Destruction of a temple in Arad

EY

Judah controls the trade PALACE

potentially dated to this period.
route into the Negev
LL

Archeological surveys show a decline

A

Arad
RON V

in use of stars, sun and moon as artistic

motifs on seals in Judah during this
period.
ID
K
HI

Defiled the high places of

E G Y P T
NO
N

Growing migration of Edomites M VA LL E Y

Kedesh into Southern Judah Ashteroth, Chemosh and
Milcom, breaking down
the pillars of and cutting
Archeological surveys appear to down the Asherim, filling
indicate Kedesh was a fortress under Defiles Topheth of Molech
Tamar their places with bones
Egyptian control to prevent the burning of (2 Ki 23:13-14).
children (2 Ki 23:10)