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"King Manasseh of Judah has done many detestable things. He is even more wicked than the Amorites, who lived in this land before Israel. He has caused the people of Judah to sin with his idols.

When Manasseh died, he was buried in the palace garden, the garden of Uzza. Then his son Amon became the next king.

Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. His mother was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz from Jotbah.

He did what was evil in the Lord 's sight, just as his father, Manasseh, had done.

He followed the example of his father, worshiping the same idols his father had worshiped.

He abandoned the Lord , the God of his ancestors, and he refused to follow the Lord 's ways.

Then Amon's own officials conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace.

But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah the next king.

He was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza. Then his son Josiah became the next king.

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath.

He did what was pleasing in the Lord 's sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right.

In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, the court secretary, to the Temple of the Lord . He told him,

When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair.

The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the Lord 's presence. He pledged to obey the Lord by keeping all his commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. In this way, he confirmed all the terms of the covenant that were written in the scroll, and all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.

Josiah replied, "Leave it alone. Don't disturb his bones." So they did not burn his bones or those of the old prophet from Samaria.

Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since.

The rest of the events in Josiah's reign and all his deeds are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.

While Josiah was king, Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, went to the Euphrates River to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah and his army marched out to fight him, but King Neco killed him when they met at Megiddo.

Josiah's officers took his body back in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land anointed Josiah's son Jehoahaz and made him the next king.

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah.