Josiah was the 16th king of Judah (c.?640-609 BC). Described as "one of Judah's most important kings", his reign likely marked a turning point in the development of Yahwism.
According to the Hebrew Bible, Josiah ascended to the throne of the southern Kingdom of Judah at the age of eight following the assassination of his father, King Amon. He reigned for 31 years, during which he expanded Judah and initiated major religious reforms, centralizing worship in Jerusalem and eliminating the worship of foreign gods.