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Reign of Manasseh

33 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.(A) He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominable practices of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the people of Israel.(B) For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had pulled down and erected altars to the Baals, made sacred poles,[a] worshiped all the host of heaven, and served them.(C) He built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem shall my name be forever.”(D) He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.(E) He made his son pass through fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom, practiced soothsaying and augury and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with wizards. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.(F) The carved image of the idol that he had made he set in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever;(G) I will never again remove the feet of Israel from the land that I appointed for your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do all that I have commanded them, all the law, the statutes, and the ordinances given through Moses.”(H) Manasseh misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the people of Israel.

Manasseh Restored after Repentance

10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they gave no heed. 11 Therefore the Lord brought against them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh captive in manacles, bound him with fetters, and brought him to Babylon.(I) 12 While he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors.(J) 13 He prayed to him, and God received his entreaty, heard his plea, and restored him again to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord indeed was God.(K)

14 Afterward he built an outer wall for the city of David west of Gihon, in the valley, reaching the entrance at the Fish Gate; he carried it around Ophel and raised it to a very great height. He also put commanders of the army in all the fortified cities in Judah.(L) 15 He took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord and all the altars that he had built on the mountain of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem, and he threw them out of the city.(M) 16 He also restored the altar of the Lord and offered on it sacrifices of well-being and of thanksgiving, and he commanded Judah to serve the Lord the God of Israel. 17 The people, however, still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the Lord their God.(N)

Death of Manasseh

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, these are in the Annals of the Kings of Israel.(O) 19 His prayer, and how God received his entreaty, all his sin and his faithlessness, the sites on which he built high places and set up the sacred poles[b] and the images, before he humbled himself, these are written in the records of the seers.[c](P) 20 So Manasseh slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in his house. His son Amon succeeded him.(Q)

Amon’s Reign and Death

21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned two years in Jerusalem.(R) 22 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon sacrificed to all the images that his father Manasseh had made and served them.(S) 23 He did not humble himself before the Lord, as his father Manasseh had humbled himself, but this Amon incurred more and more guilt.(T) 24 His servants conspired against him and killed him in his house.(U) 25 But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made his son Josiah king to succeed him.

Footnotes

  1. 33.3 Or Asherahs
  2. 33.19 Or Asherahs
  3. 33.19 Heb ms Gk: MT of Hozai

Manasseh Succeeds Hezekiah in Judah

33 (A)Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. (B)He did evil in the sight of the Lord according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel. For (C)he rebuilt the high places which his father Hezekiah had torn down; (D)he also set up altars for the Baals and made [a]Asherim, and he worshiped all the heavenly [b]lights and served them. (E)He built altars in the house of the Lord of which the Lord had said, “My name shall be (F)in Jerusalem forever.” He built altars for all the heavenly [c]lights in (G)the two courtyards of the house of the Lord. (H)He also made his sons pass through the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery, and (I)dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger. Then he put (J)the carved image of the idol which he had made in the house of God, of which God had said to David and his son Solomon, “(K)In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; and I will not remove the foot of Israel again from the land (L)which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will take care to do everything that I have commanded them according to all the Law, the statutes, and the ordinances given through Moses.” So Manasseh encouraged Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the sons of Israel.

Manasseh’s Idolatry Rebuked

10 So the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but (M)they paid no attention. 11 (N)Therefore the Lord brought the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria against them, and they captured Manasseh with hooks, (O)bound him with bronze chains, and led him to Babylon. 12 When (P)he was in distress, he appeased the Lord his God and (Q)humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 When he prayed to Him, (R)He was moved by him and heard his pleading, and brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh (S)knew that the Lord alone is God.

14 Now after this he built the outer wall of the city of David on the west side of (T)Gihon, in the valley, up to the entrance of the (U)Fish Gate; and he encircled the (V)Ophel with it and made it very high. Then he put army commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah. 15 He also (W)removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord, as well as all the altars which he had built on the mountain of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside the city. 16 He set up the altar of the Lord and sacrificed (X)peace offerings and thanksgiving offerings on it; and he ordered Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. 17 However, (Y)the people still sacrificed on the high places, although only to the Lord their God.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and (Z)his prayer to his God, and the words of (AA)the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are among the records of the kings of (AB)Israel. 19 His prayer also and (AC)how God was moved by him, and all his sin, his unfaithfulness, and (AD)the sites on which he built high places and erected the [d]Asherim and the carved images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the records of [e]Hozai. 20 So Manasseh [f]lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. And his son Amon became king in his place.

Amon Becomes King in Judah

21 (AE)Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned for two years in Jerusalem. 22 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, just as his father Manasseh (AF)had done, and Amon sacrificed to all (AG)the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and he served them. 23 Furthermore, he did not humble himself before the Lord (AH)as his father Manasseh had [g]done, but Amon multiplied his guilt. 24 Finally, (AI)his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his own house. 25 But the people of the land [h]killed all the conspirators against King Amon, and the people of the land made his son Josiah king in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 33:3 I.e., wooden symbols of a female deity (Asherah)
  2. 2 Chronicles 33:3 Lit host
  3. 2 Chronicles 33:5 Lit host
  4. 2 Chronicles 33:19 I.e., wooden symbols of a female deity (Asherah)
  5. 2 Chronicles 33:19 LXX seers
  6. 2 Chronicles 33:20 I.e., died
  7. 2 Chronicles 33:23 Lit humbled himself
  8. 2 Chronicles 33:25 Lit struck