The answer is: Necho, King of Egypt

2 Kings 23:29, 2 Chr 35:20-25

Josiah is one of those compelling characters in the Old Testament who truly exemplifies the journey from obscurity to prominence. When Josiah became king, he was just eight years old! Imagine running a kingdom at age eight. But he grew up to be a reformer, cleaning up the country by restoring worship practices and finding the Book of the Law, which led to a major revival in Judah.

His showdown with Pharaoh Necho is particularly dramatic. It's akin to a personal fight between David and Goliath if Goliath was armed with an entire army and a pharaoh's decree. Necho was marching through Judah on his way to battle the Babylonians, and what did Josiah do? He tried to stop him! In that moment, Josiah's passion for the Jewish faith and his desire to protect his kingdom were fierce—but perhaps a bit misguided.

In the end, Josiah’s valiant efforts took a tragic turn; he was wounded and later died from those injuries. This incident wove an enduring lesson into the fabric of biblical history: sometimes the fiercest wish to uphold righteousness meets the hard edges of worldly power. Interestingly, Josiah was prophesied to die like many heroes do in the Old Testament—fulfilling that poignant biblical narrative of fate interwoven with acts of faith.

Josiah's story culminates in deep theological reflections on leadership, destiny, and the results of bold, yet sometimes ill-conceived, decisions. His highlight reign contrasted starkly with the turbulence that would follow after his death, reinforcing the need for spirit-led governance.