(1) King of Judah, 641-610 B.C. (see 1 Kgs. 13; 2 Kgs. 22 - 24; 2 Chr. 34 - 35). Over 300 years before his birth, Josiah was prophesied to come forth as the King of Judah in the days of Lehi's youth, and to thwart the worship of Baalim and restore Jerusalem and the remaining remnants of Joseph within Jerusalem, (namely Lehi and Ishmael) to the proper worship of Jehovah. (1 Kgs. 13 ) While still young, he made, under the guidance of Hilkiah, a thorough religious reformation, which extended to the northern tribes. He restored the temple, destroyed idolatrous images and the high places, put down the idolatrous priests, and celebrated a great Passover (2 Kgs. 23: 21-23). During this reformation a book of the law was found by Hilkiah (2 Kgs. 22: 8 f.; 2 Chr. 34: 15 f.). It made at once a great impression, and led to the centralizing of all sacrificial worship at Jerusalem and the abolition of local idolatrous sanctuaries in the war between Assyria and Egypt, and, though Pharaoh-Neco disclaimed enmity, Josiah met him in battle at Megiddo and was defeated and slain (2 Chr. 35: 20-25; see also 2 Kgs. 23: 29-30; Jer. 22: 10-12, 18; Zech. 12: 11).

(2) Son of Zephaniah (Zech. 6: 10).