Changes

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=Convert>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=34|verses=3|version=KJV}}</ref><ref name=KingsofIsrael1/><ref name=Britannica/><ref name=JewishEn/><ref name=Bratcher/><ref name=Keyway/>

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=Convert>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=34|verses=3|version=KJV}}</ref><ref name=KingsofIsrael1/><ref name=Britannica/><ref name=JewishEn/><ref name=Bratcher/><ref name=Keyway/>

Also at sixteen, he married a woman named [[Pedaiah]] 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/>

== Near Eastern politics ==

== Near Eastern politics ==