Amon
Summary
The fifteenth king of Judah, who reigned two years. He followed the wicked ways of his father Manasseh's early reign, never repented as Manasseh had, and was killed by his own servants.
- Among the passages here, Amon is first named in 2 Kings 21:18: “And Manasseh rested with his fathers and was buried in his palace garden…”
- The record places Amon in Divided Kingdom.
- 20 verses name Amon, in 8 books.
- 4 moments stand in order on this page, each with its verse.
On this page
Start here
but he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done; instead, Amon increased his guilt.
2 Chronicles 33:23→- 4 key events in order
- 20 verses name Amon, across 8 books
In Scripture
- Verses
- 20
- Books
- 8
Amon
- Role
- 15th King of Judah
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
- Dates
- 642–640 BC
- Tribe
- Judah
- Father
- Manasseh
- Children
- Josiah
The life in order
from the events the row records, with the first and last verse that names the person among the passages this page stands on
1Where the passages this page records open
2What the record holds, in its own order
- Followed Manasseh's early sins2 Kings 21:20-21And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done.
- Did not humble himself2 Chronicles 33:23but he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done; instead, Amon increased his guilt.
- Assassinated2 Kings 21:23Then the servants of Amon conspired against him and killed the king in his palace.
- People executed the conspirators2 Kings 21:24But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.
Biography
Amon became king at twenty-two and did evil in the sight of the LORD, worshipping and serving the idols his father Manasseh had made. Critically, Scripture notes that "he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had humbled himself, but this Amon incurred more and more guilt." He continued in all the sins of his father's early reign without following his father's repentance or his father's restoration.
After two years his servants conspired and killed him in his own house. The people of the land then killed the conspirators and made his eight-year-old son Josiah king in his place. Amon's brief, corrupt reign serves as a hinge between his repentant father and his reforming son — a generation that simply passed through without spiritual transformation.
but he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done; instead, Amon increased his guilt.
What they got right, and what they got wrong
Strengths
None recorded
Weaknesses
Idolatry, failure to humble himself, increasing guilt, spiritually inherited corruption without repentance
Lessons
We must personalize what others have learned. Amon saw his father's devastating fall and miraculous restoration but drew no personal lesson from it. Each person must humble themselves — the faith of others cannot substitute for personal surrender to God.
Spiritual significance
Amon is a warning that knowing the story of someone else's repentance does not constitute repentance itself. He had the most powerful testimony of restoration before him in his own father, yet chose the sin without the repentance. Privilege of example can be wasted.
Amon in Scripture
Open a book to read its mentions here. Text: Berean Standard Bible. Names repeat in Scripture, so some of these verses may speak of another person called Amon. The two marks are drawn from the chapters this page's own references stand in.
Old TestamentNew Testamentsegment width = share of mentions
Old Testament7 books · 19 mentions
1 Kings1 mention
2 Kings5 mentions
- 2 Kings 21:18And Manasseh rested with his fathers and was buried in his palace garden, the garden of Uzza. And his son Amon reigned in his place.
- 2 Kings 21:19Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz; she was from Jotbah.
- 2 Kings 21:23Then the servants of Amon conspired against him and killed the king in his palace.
- 2 Kings 21:24But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.
- 2 Kings 21:25As for the rest of the acts of Amon, along with his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
1 Chronicles1 mention
2 Chronicles7 mentions
- 2 Chronicles 18:25And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,
- 2 Chronicles 33:20And Manasseh rested with his fathers and was buried at his palace. And his son Amon reigned in his place.
- 2 Chronicles 33:21Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years.
- 2 Chronicles 33:22And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon served and sacrificed to all the idols that his father Manasseh had made,
- 2 Chronicles 33:23but he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done; instead, Amon increased his guilt.
2 further mentions in 2 Chronicles, read them in the book.
Nehemiah1 mention
Jeremiah3 mentions
- Jeremiah 1:2The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah,
- Jeremiah 25:3“From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—twenty-three years—the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.
- Jeremiah 46:25The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh.
New Testament1 book · 1 mention
Keep studying
On this page
Keep this page