Who Was the Youngest King to Reign in Judah?

Imagine being crowned king before you're old enough to lose your first tooth. That's exactly what happened to Joash, and the fact that he was alive at all was nothing short of a miracle. When Joash was still a baby, his grandmother Athaliah seized the throne of Judah and ordered the death of every royal heir— including him. In the chaos, a woman named Jehoshabeath slipped into the palace, grabbed the infant, and hid him away in the house of God. For six years, the boy lived there in secret while his grandmother ruled, never knowing he was alive (2 Chronicles 22:10–12). When Joash was seven, a priest named Jehoiada finally made his move. He rallied the people, overthrew Athaliah, and placed the boy on the throne as the rightful king of Judah. For forty years, Joash reigned. With Jehoiada beside him, he was a good king. He restored the temple and kept his heart toward God. But when Jehoiada died, something shifted. The princes of Judah came with other ideas, other gods. And Joash listened. God sent prophets to warn him. He didn't listen to them either. The king who had been miraculously hidden, preserved, and crowned chose a different path. His reign ended in tragedy. Joash didn't collapse overnight. He drifted, slowly, once the steadiest voice in his life was gone. When the voice that kept you grounded goes quiet, what—or who—steps in?