Changes

Josiah was probably born in 649 BC, the son of [[Amon]] and Amon's wife [[Jedidah]]. He was six years old when his grandfather [[Manasseh King of Judah|Manasseh]] died. A mere two years later, he suddenly found himself king when his father was murdered by a palace conspiracy. The outraged people of the [[Southern Kingdom]] arrested and killed all the conspirators, and then crowned the eight-year-old Josiah king.<ref name=Ussher/><ref name=Wood/><ref name=Keyway/><ref name=Bratcher/><ref name=JewishEn/><ref name=Britannica/><ref name=KingsofIsrael1/><ref name=Accession>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=22|verses=1|version=KJV}}</ref>

Josiah was probably born in 649 BC, the son of [[Amon]] and Amon's wife [[Jedidah]]. He was six years old when his grandfather [[Manasseh King of Judah|Manasseh]] died. A mere two years later, he suddenly found himself king when his father was murdered by a palace conspiracy. The outraged people of the [[Southern Kingdom]] arrested and killed all the conspirators, and then crowned the eight-year-old Josiah king.<ref name=Ussher/><ref name=Wood/><ref name=Keyway/><ref name=Bratcher/><ref name=JewishEn/><ref name=Britannica/><ref name=KingsofIsrael1/><ref name=Accession>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=22|verses=1|version=KJV}}</ref>

For the first eight years of his life, he seems to have followed the same idolatrous worship that his father followed. But at the age of sixteen, he had a change of heart: he began to seek after [[God]].<ref name=Keyway/><ref name=Bratcher/><ref name=JewishEn/><ref name=Britannica/><ref name=KingsofIsrael1/><ref name=Convert>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=34|verses=3|version=KJV}}</ref>

For the first eight years of his reign, he seems to have followed the same idolatrous worship that his father followed. But at the age of sixteen, he had a change of heart: he began to seek after [[God]].<ref name=Keyway/><ref name=Bratcher/><ref name=JewishEn/><ref name=Britannica/><ref name=KingsofIsrael1/><ref name=Convert>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=34|verses=3|version=KJV}}</ref>

Also at sixteen, he married a woman named [[Zebudah]] and by her had a son named [[Jehoiakim]], called ''Eliakim'' when he was born. Two years later (at eighteen), he married another woman, named [[Hamutal]], and by her had a son named [[Jehoahaz II|Jehoahaz]] (originally named ''Shallum''). He also had another son by this woman, named [[Zedekiah]] (or ''Mattaniah'' at his birth), when he, Josiah, was thirty-one years old.<ref name=Ussher/>

Also at sixteen, he married a woman named [[Zebudah]] and by her had a son named [[Jehoiakim]], called ''Eliakim'' when he was born. Two years later (at eighteen), he married another woman, named [[Hamutal]], and by her had a son named [[Jehoahaz II|Jehoahaz]] (originally named ''Shallum''). He also had another son by this woman, named [[Zedekiah]] (or ''Mattaniah'' at his birth), when he, Josiah, was thirty-one years old.<ref name=Ussher/>