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

2 Josiah always obeyed the LORD, just as his ancestor David had done.

3 After Josiah had been king for eighteen years, he told Shaphan, one of his highest officials: Go to the LORD's temple