Amon

18Manasseh died like his fathers before him. He was buried in the garden by his own house, the garden of Uzza. His son Amon became king after him.

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.

Note"Slept with his fathers" is an old way of saying he died. Kings were buried near their family. Uzza was probably the person the garden was named after.

19Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for two years. His mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz. She was from a town called Jotbah.

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.

NoteThe writer names each king's mother. The king's mother had an important place in the palace.

20Amon did what was evil in God's eyes, just like his father Manasseh had done.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did.

21He lived the same way his father had lived. He served the same idols his father served, and he bowed down to them.

And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them:

22He turned away from the LORD, the God of his fathers. He did not live the way God said to live.

And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD.

23Amon's own servants made a secret plan against him. They killed the king in his house.

And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house.

NoteThese servants were men who worked close to the king in his house. They planned the killing in secret.

24But the people of the land killed everyone who had plotted against King Amon. Then they made his son Josiah the new king.

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.

Note"The people of the land" means the ordinary families who owned land in Judah. They stepped in and chose the next king themselves.

25The other things Amon did are written down. You can read them in the record book of the kings of Judah.

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?

26Amon was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza. His son Josiah became king after him.

And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.

NoteA tomb was a room cut into rock. Dead bodies were laid there and the door was closed with a stone.

20Then Manasseh died, like his fathers before him. They buried him at his palace. His son Amon became king after him.

So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

Note"Like his fathers before him" means like the family who lived before him. Kings were often buried near the house where they lived.

21Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for two years.

Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.

22He did what the LORD said was wrong, just as his father Manasseh had done. Amon gave offerings to all the carved statues his father had made, and he served them.

But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them;

NoteAmon copied his father's early years. He gave gifts to statues instead of to God.

23But he did not bow low before the LORD the way his father Manasseh had. Amon only did more and more wrong.

And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.

24Then his own servants made a secret plan against him. They killed him in his palace.

And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.

NoteThese servants were not slaves. They were the men who worked close to the king and helped him rule.

25But the people of the land killed everyone who had planned against King Amon. Then they made his son Josiah king in his place.

But 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.

Note"The people of the land" means the ordinary families of Judah. They chose the next king themselves this time.