But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.
But he sent messengers to him, saying, 'What business do I have with you, king of Judah? I'm not coming against you today, but against the kingdom I'm at war with. God has commanded me to hurry, so stop interfering with God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.'
The Egyptian pharaoh is warning King Josiah to stay out of his way because God has commanded him to fight elsewhere, and interfering could lead to Josiah's destruction.
📚 Historical Context
In the 7th century BC, King Josiah of Judah was a devoted reformer who had rediscovered the Book of the Law and was leading his people back to faithful worship of God. When Pharaoh Neco of Egypt marched through the region on his way to fight the Babylonians, Josiah saw this as a potential threat to his kingdom and decided to confront him. Neco sent messengers to warn Josiah that his campaign was directed by God, advising him not to interfere and risk destruction.
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