The Reform of King Josiah and the Composition of the Deuteronomistic History defends the thesis that 1 and 2 Kings arose in three redactional phases. The first author described the history of Judah and Israel from Solomon to Hezekiah (1 Kgs 3-2 Kgs 20). A second redactor, inspired by Deuteronomy, completed the history up to King Josiah and altered the work of his predecessor. The work of these two redactors was limited to Kings.

A third redactor, also inspired by Deuteronomy, completed the history up to the exile. Unlike the preceding authors he reworked the whole of the deuteronomistic history.

. The first part of this study subjects the regnal formulae to a critical analysis. The second part studies 2 Kings 23:1-30 as a text case in detecting the redactional structure of Kings.