דברי הימים ב, פרק ל״ו, פסוק א׳

Following the death of a monarch, the transition of power can sometimes take unexpected turns. After the passing of King Josiah, the general populace steps forward to take matters into their own hands, actively choosing the nation's next leader. The historical account of how the people seized this initiative and directed the succession is a direct reflection of the events previously recorded in the Book of Second Kings [מלבי״ם].

The citizens' decision to crown Jehoahaz was highly unusual. In typical royal successions, the eldest son inherits the throne, but Jehoahaz was not the late king's firstborn [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. His brother Jehoiakim was actually older than him by twenty-one months. Despite this significant age difference, the people of the land bypassed the older sibling and deliberately placed Jehoahaz on the throne in his father's stead [רש״י].