INTRODUCTION: Two evil reigns follow the good reign of Hezekiah. We see the dangers of idolatry in these two reigns. We also see the influence a leader of the people has on those people. In both cases, the people follow their king. What kind of influence do you have on others?

1. THE EVIL OF MANASSEH’S REIGN (2 Kings 21:1-9 [1] Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah. [2] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. [3] For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. [4] And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. [5] And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. [6] And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. [7] And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: [8] Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them. [9] But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.
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1. A Summary of His Reign (2 Kings 21:1Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.
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1. Began to reign at the age of twelve; Note: Unless Manasseh co-reigned with his father for a period of time (and we have no proof of that in scripture), he was born after Hezekiah was given fifteen extra years of life (2 Kings 20:5-6 [5] Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. [6] And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
   See All...). We are not told how the line would have continued if Hezekiah had died, but perhaps he would have been a more godly king than Manasseh.
2. Reigned 55 years in Jerusalem – longest reign of any king in Judah or Israel
3. His mother’s name was Hephzibah – means delight (Isaiah 62:4Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
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2. His Return to Pagan Gods (2 Kings 21:2-3 [2] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. [3] For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
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1. He did evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 21:2And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
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2. He went after the abominations of the heathen (2 Kings 21:2And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
   See All...; Leviticus 18:25-29 [25] And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. [26] Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: [27] (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) [28] That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. [29] For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.
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3. He rebuilt high places Hezekiah had destroyed (2 Kings 21:3For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
   See All...; 2 Kings 18:4He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
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4. He reared up altars for Baal (2 Kings 21:3For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
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5. He made a grove after the pattern of Ahab (2 Kings 21:3For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
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6. He worshipped and served all the host of heaven (2 Kings 21:3For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
   See All...; Deuteronomy 4:19And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.
   See All...; Deuteronomy 17:2-3 [2] If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant, [3] And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;
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3. His Perversion of True Worship (2 Kings 21:4-5 [4] And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. [5] And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
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1. He built pagan altars in the house of the Lord (2 Kings 21:4And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.
   See All...) – in the place where the LORD chose to put His name (Jeremiah 32:34But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it.
   See All...).He built other altars (2 Kings 21:5And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
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2. He built other altars (2 Kings 21:5And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
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1. For all the host of heaven
2. In the two courts of the house of the Lord
4. His Provoking of the Lord to Anger (2 Kings 21:6And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
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1. He made his sons pass through the fire (Leviticus 18:21And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
   See All...; Leviticus 20:2-3 [2] Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones. [3] And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
   See All...; 2 Kings 16:3But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.
   See All...; 2 Kings 17:17And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
   See All...; 2 Chronicles 28:3Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
   See All...; 2 Chronicles 33:6And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
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2. He observed times – astrology (Leviticus 19:26Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
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3. He used enchantments – he cast spells.
4. He dealt with familiar spirits – he practiced channeling (Leviticus 19:31Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
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5. He used wizards – male witches (Deuteronomy 18:10-14 [10] There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. [11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. [12] For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. [13] Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. [14] For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.
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6. He did it in the sight of the Lord to provoke the Lord to anger.
5. His Leading of the People into Sin (2 Kings 21:7-9 [7] And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: [8] Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them. [9] But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.
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1. He set a graven image of the grove in the house of the Lord (2 Kings 21:7And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
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2. This is the house where God chose to place His name (2 Kings 21:7And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
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3. This is the place God promised to bless Israel’s obedience (2 Kings 21:8Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.
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4. This was the final cause of judgment on the land of Judah (2 Kings 21:9But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.
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1. They were seduced by Manasseh.
2. They did more evil than the heathen nations God had destroyed.
2. THE JUDGMENT OF MANASSEH’S SIN (2 Kings 21:10-16 [10] And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying, [11] Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: [12] Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. [13] And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. [14] And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies; [15] Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day. [16] Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
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1. The Cause of Judgment (2 Kings 21:10-11 [10] And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying, [11] Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:
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1. The word of the Lord (2 Kings 21:10And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying,
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2. The wickedness of Manasseh (2 Kings 21:11Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:
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1. In doing these abominations
2. In doing wickedly above the Amorites
3. In making Judah to sin with his idols
2. The Extent of the Judgment (2 Kings 21:12-14 [12] Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. [13] And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. [14] And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;
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1. Such evil to cause ears to tingle (2 Kings 21:12Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.
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2. Done with the efficiency of a carpenter (2 Kings 21:13And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.
   See All...; Isaiah 28:17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
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1. With the line of Samaria
2. With the plummet of the house of Ahab (Zechariah 4:10For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
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3. Done as a man would wipe a dish (2 Kings 21:13And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.
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1. Wiping it clean
2. Turning it upside down
4. The judgment of God on the remnant (2 Kings 21:14And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;
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1. Forsaken by the Lord
2. Delivered to their enemies
3. Becoming a prey and a spoil
3. The Provoking of the Lord to Anger (2 Kings 21:15-16 [15] Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day. [16] Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
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1. They have provoked God to anger (2 Kings 21:15Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.
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1. By all the evil they have done
2. From the time they came forth from Egypt
2. The major sins of Manasseh (2 Kings 21:16Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
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1. In filling Jerusalem with innocent blood
2. In making Judah to sin
3. THE END OF MANASSEH’S REIGN (2 Kings 21:17-18 [17] Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? [18] And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
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1. The Completion of His Reign (2 Kings 21:17Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
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1. All that he did
2. The sin that he sinned
3. In the chronicles of the kings of Judah
4. Note: 2 Chronicles records a captivity of Manasseh and a prayer of repentance that is not recorded in 2 Kings (2 Chronicles 33:11-20 [11] Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. [12] And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, [13] And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God. [14] Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah. [15] And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. [16] And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. [17] Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only. [18] Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel. [19] His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers. [20] So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
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2. The Death of Manasseh (2 Kings 21:18And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
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1. Slept with his fathers
2. Buried in the garden of his own house
4. THE EVIL OF AMON’S REIGN (2 Kings 21:19-26 [19] Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. [20] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did. [21] And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them: [22] And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD. [23] And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house. [24] And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead. [25] Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? [26] And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.
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1. A Summary of His Reign (2 Kings 21:19Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
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1. Began at age of 22
2. Reigned for two years in Jerusalem
2. The Character of His Reign (2 Kings 21:20-22 [20] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did. [21] And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them: [22] And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD.
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1. Did evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 21:20And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did.
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2. Walked in the way of his father (2 Kings 21:21And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them:
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3. Served the idols of his father (2 Kings 21:21And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them:
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4. Forsook the Lord God of his fathers (2 Kings 21:22And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD.
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5. Walked not in the way of the Lord (2 Kings 21:22And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD.
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3. The End of His Reign (2 Kings 21:23-26 [23] And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house. [24] And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead. [25] Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? [26] And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.
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1. Conspired against and killed by his servants (2 Kings 21:23And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house.
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2. The people slew the conspirators and made Josiah king (2 Kings 21:24And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
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3. The record of the chronicles of the kings of Judah (2 Kings 21:25Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
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4. The burial of Amon in the garden of Uzza (2 Kings 21:26And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.
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5. The reign of Josiah in the place of Amon (2 Kings 21:26And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.
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CONCLUSION: Judah has turned their back on the Lord to the point that they are worse than the nations God destroyed in order to bring Israel and Judah into the land.