犹大王玛拿西

33 玛拿西十二岁登基,在耶路撒冷执政五十五年。 他做耶和华视为恶的事,效法耶和华在以色列人面前赶走的外族人的可憎行径。 他重建他父亲希西迦拆毁的丘坛,为巴力筑造祭坛,制造亚舍拉神像,并祭拜和供奉天上的万象。 耶和华曾指着祂的殿说:“我的名必永远在耶路撒冷。”他却在耶和华的殿内建造异教的祭坛。 他在耶和华殿的两个院子里建造祭拜天上万象的祭坛。 他还在欣嫩子谷把自己的儿子烧死,献作祭物。他行巫术、占卜、观兆,求问灵媒和巫师。他做了许多耶和华视为恶的事,惹耶和华发怒。 他雕刻偶像,放在上帝的殿中。关于这殿,上帝曾经对大卫和他儿子所罗门说:“我从以色列众支派中选择了这殿和耶路撒冷,我的名要在这里永远受尊崇。 只要以色列人谨遵我借着摩西颁给他们的一切法度、律例和典章,我就不再把他们从我赐给他们祖先的土地上赶走。” 玛拿西诱使犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民作恶,比耶和华在以色列人面前所毁灭的各族更严重。

玛拿西悔改

10 耶和华警告玛拿西和他的百姓,他们却不肯听从。 11 所以,耶和华就差遣亚述王的将领来攻击他们,他们捉住玛拿西,用钩子钩着他,用铜链锁着他押往巴比伦。 12 在困苦中,玛拿西祈求他的上帝耶和华的帮助,并且在他祖先的上帝面前极其谦卑。 13 耶和华应允他的祷告,垂听他的恳求,使他返回耶路撒冷继续做王。玛拿西这才明白耶和华是上帝。

14 这事以后,玛拿西重建大卫城的外墙,从谷中基训泉的西边直到鱼门口,环绕俄斐勒,筑高城墙。他又派将领驻扎犹大各坚城。 15 玛拿西将偶像和外族人的神像从耶和华的殿中除去,又把他在圣殿山和耶路撒冷筑造的一切祭坛全部拆掉,扔在城外。 16 他重建耶和华的祭坛,在上面献平安祭和感恩祭,又吩咐犹大人事奉以色列的上帝耶和华。 17 然而,众人仍然在丘坛献祭,只是献给他们的上帝耶和华。

玛拿西逝世

18 玛拿西其他的事、他向上帝的祷告以及先见奉以色列的上帝耶和华的名对他说的话,都记在以色列的列王史上。 19 他的祷告,上帝的答复,他在谦卑下来之前的罪恶和不忠,他在哪里修筑丘坛以及设立亚舍拉神像和其他偶像的事,都记在《先知书》[a]上。 20 玛拿西与祖先同眠后,葬在宫内,他儿子亚们继位。

亚们做犹大王

21 亚们二十二岁登基,在耶路撒冷执政两年。 22 亚们效法他父亲玛拿西,做耶和华视为恶的事。他祭拜和供奉他父亲玛拿西制造的一切偶像。 23 可是,亚们没有像他父亲玛拿西一样在耶和华面前谦卑下来。相反,他犯的罪日益增加。 24 他的臣仆谋反,在王宫里杀了他。 25 民众杀死那些背叛亚们王的人,立他儿子约西亚为王。

Footnotes

  1. 33:19 《先知书》或译《何赛的书》。

33 Manasseh an idolater. 9 He causeth Judah to err. 11 He is led away prisoner into Babylon. 12 He prayeth to the Lord, and is delivered. 14 He abolisheth idolatry, 16 and setteth up true religion. 20 He dieth, and Amon his son succeedeth. 24 Whom his own servants slay.

Manasseh was twelve years old, (A)when he began to reign, and he reigned five and fifty years in Jerusalem:

And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, like the abominations of the heathen, (B)whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.

For he went back and built the high places, (C)which Hezekiah his father had broken down: (D)and he set up altars for Baal, and made groves and worshipped all the host of the heaven, and served them.

Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, (E)In Jerusalem shall my Name be forever.

And he built altars for all the host of the heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.

And he caused his sons to [a]pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom: he gave himself to witchcraft and to charming, and to sorcery, and he used them that had familiar spirits, and soothsayers: he did very much evil in the sight of the Lord to anger him.

He put also the carved image, which he had made, in the house of God: whereof God had said to David and to Solomon his son, (F)In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my Name forever.

Neither will I (G)make the foot of Israel to remove anymore out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers, so that they take heed, and do all that I have commanded them, according to the Law and statutes and judgments by the [b]hand of Moses.

So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.

10 ¶ And the Lord spake to [c]Manasseh and to his people, but they would not regard.

11 Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh and put him in fetters, and bound him in chains, and carried him to Babel.

12 And when he was in tribulation, he prayed to the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,

13 And prayed unto him: and God was [d]entreated of him, and heard his prayer, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom: then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.

14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the West side of [e]Gihon in the valley, even at the entry of the fish gate, and compassed about [f]Ophel, and raised it very high, and put captains of war in all the strong cities of Judah.

15 And he took away the strange gods and the image out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

16 Also he prepared the [g]altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings, and of thanks, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.

17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, but unto the [h]Lord their God.

18 ¶ Concerning the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his [i]prayer unto his God, and the words of the Seers, that spake to him in the Name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the Kings of Israel.

19 And his prayer and how God was entreated of him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set groves and images (before he was humbled) behold, they are written in the book of the [j]Seers.

20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own [k]house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

21 ¶Amon was two and twenty years old, when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.

22 But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed to all the images, which Manasseh his father had made, and served them.

23 And he humbled not himself before the Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself: but this Amon trespassed more and more.

24 And his servants (H)conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.

25 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against King Amon: and the people of the land made Josiah his son King in his stead.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 33:6 Read 2 Kings 16:3.
  2. 2 Chronicles 33:8 By the charge given to Moses.
  3. 2 Chronicles 33:10 Meaning by his Prophets, but their hearts were not touched to believe and repent, without the which the preaching of the word taketh no place.
  4. 2 Chronicles 33:13 Thus affliction giveth understanding: for he that hated God in his prosperity, now in his misery he seeketh unto him.
  5. 2 Chronicles 33:14 Read 2 Chron. 32:30.
  6. 2 Chronicles 33:14 Read 2 Chron. 27:3.
  7. 2 Chronicles 33:16 Which Solomon had caused to be made.
  8. 2 Chronicles 33:17 Thus by ignorance they were deceived, thinking it nothing to keep the altars, so that they worshipped God: but it is idolatry to worship God any otherwise than he hath appointed.
  9. 2 Chronicles 33:18 Which albeit that it is not contained in the Hebrew, yet because it is here mentioned and is written in the Greek, we have placed it in the end of this book.
  10. 2 Chronicles 33:19 Or, Hozai.
  11. 2 Chronicles 33:20 Because he had so horribly offended against the Lord, they did not bury him in the sepulchers of the Kings, but in the garden of the King’s house.

Manasseh King of Judah(A)(B)

33 Manasseh(C) was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord,(D) following the detestable(E) practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles.(F) He bowed down(G) to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “My Name(H) will remain in Jerusalem forever.” In both courts of the temple of the Lord,(I) he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his children(J) in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums(K) and spiritists.(L) He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

He took the image he had made and put it in God’s temple,(M) of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land(N) I assigned to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and regulations given through Moses.” But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.(O)

10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. 11 So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner,(P) put a hook(Q) in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles(R) and took him to Babylon. 12 In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled(S) himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. 13 And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.

14 Afterward he rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David, west of the Gihon(T) spring in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate(U) and encircling the hill of Ophel;(V) he also made it much higher. He stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah.

15 He got rid of the foreign gods and removed(W) the image from the temple of the Lord, as well as all the altars he had built on the temple hill and in Jerusalem; and he threw them out of the city. 16 Then he restored the altar of the Lord and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thank offerings(X) on it, and told Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel. 17 The people, however, continued to sacrifice at the high places, but only to the Lord their God.

18 The other events of Manasseh’s reign, including his prayer to his God and the words the seers spoke to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, are written in the annals of the kings of Israel.[a] 19 His prayer and how God was moved by his entreaty, as well as all his sins and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled(Y) himself—all these are written in the records of the seers.[b](Z) 20 Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried(AA) in his palace. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.

Amon King of Judah(AB)

21 Amon(AC) was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. 22 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made. 23 But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble(AD) himself before the Lord; Amon increased his guilt.

24 Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace. 25 Then the people(AE) of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 33:18 That is, Judah, as frequently in 2 Chronicles
  2. 2 Chronicles 33:19 One Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts of Hozai

Manasseh King of Judah

33 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he was king for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. He did what the Lord said was wrong. He did the hateful things the nations had done—the nations that the Lord had forced out of the land ahead of the Israelites. Manasseh’s father, Hezekiah, had torn down the places where gods were worshiped, but Manasseh rebuilt them. He also built altars for the Baal gods, and he made Asherah idols and worshiped all the stars of the sky and served them. The Lord had said about the Temple, “I will be worshiped in Jerusalem forever,” but Manasseh built altars in the Temple of the Lord. He built altars to worship the stars in the two courtyards of the Temple of the Lord. He made his children pass through fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom. He practiced magic and witchcraft and told the future by explaining signs and dreams. He got advice from mediums and fortune-tellers. He did many things the Lord said were wrong, which made the Lord angry.

Manasseh carved an idol and put it in the Temple of God. God had said to David and his son Solomon about the Temple, “I will be worshiped forever in this Temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel. I will never again make the Israelites leave the land I gave to their ancestors. But they must obey everything I have commanded them in all the teachings, rules, and commands I gave them through Moses.” But Manasseh led the people of Judah and Jerusalem to do wrong. They did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed ahead of the Israelites.

10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they did not listen. 11 So the Lord brought the king of Assyria’s army commanders to attack Judah. They captured Manasseh, put hooks in him, placed bronze chains on his hands, and took him to Babylon. 12 As Manasseh suffered, he begged the Lord his God for help and humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. 13 When Manasseh prayed, the Lord heard him and had pity on him. So the Lord let him return to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is the true God.

14 After that happened, Manasseh rebuilt the outer wall of Jerusalem and made it higher. It was in the valley on the west side of the Gihon spring and went to the entrance of the Fish Gate and around the hill of Ophel. Then he put commanders in all the strong, walled cities in Judah.

15 Manasseh removed the idols of other nations, including the idol in the Temple of the Lord. He removed all the altars he had built on the Temple hill and in Jerusalem and threw them out of the city. 16 Then he set up the Lord’s altar and sacrificed on it fellowship offerings and offerings to show thanks to God. Manasseh commanded all the people of Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel. 17 The people continued to offer sacrifices at the places of worship, but their sacrifices were only to the Lord their God. 18 The other things Manasseh did as king, his prayer to his God, and what the seers said to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel—all are recorded in the book of the history of the kings of Israel. 19 Manasseh’s prayer and God’s pity for him, his sins, his unfaithfulness, the places he built for worshiping gods and the Asherah idols before he humbled himself—all are written in the book of the seers. 20 Manasseh died and was buried in his palace. Then Manasseh’s son Amon became king in his place.

Amon King of Judah

21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he was king for two years in Jerusalem. 22 He did what the Lord said was wrong, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the carved idols Manasseh had made. 23 Amon did not humble himself before the Lord as his father Manasseh had done. Instead, Amon sinned even more.

24 King Amon’s officers made plans against him and killed him in his palace. 25 Then the people of the land killed all those who had made plans to kill King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.