Study Desk

Now the Lord spoke through His servants who tell what will happen in the future. He said,

"Manasseh king of Judah has done these sinful things. He has sinned more than all the Amorites who were before him. And he has made Judah sin with his false gods. Because he has done this,

Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and his sins are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.

Manasseh died and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza. And his son Amon became king in his place.

Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king. He ruled for two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.

Amon did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done.

He walked in all the ways that his father had walked. He worshiped false gods like his father had.

So he turned away from the Lord, the God of his fathers. He did not walk in the way of the Lord.

And the servants of Amon made plans against him, and killed the king in his own house.

Then the people of the land killed all those who had made plans against King Amon. And they made Josiah his son king in his place.

He was buried in his grave in the garden of Uzza. And his son Josiah became king in his place.

Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.

Josiah did what is right in the eyes of the Lord. He walked in all the way of his father David. He did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.

Then the king stood by the pillar. There he made an agreement before the Lord. He promised to follow the Lord and keep His Word and His Laws with all his heart and soul. He promised to obey the words of this agreement that were written in this book, and all the people joined him in the agreement.

The king made Topheth unclean, which is in the valley of the sons of Hinnom. He did this so no one might give his son or daughter there as a burnt gift to the false god Molech.

Josiah said, "Let him alone. Let no one move his bones." So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the man of God who came from Samaria.

Before Josiah there was no king like him who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the Law of Moses. And no one like him came after him.

In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went to meet him. And Pharaoh Neco killed him at Megiddo when he saw him.

Josiah's servants carried his body from Megiddo in a war-wagon. They brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own grave. Then the people of the land took his son Jehoahaz and poured oil on him and made him king in his father's place.