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33 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, after the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he raised up altars for the Baals, made Asheroth, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them. He built altars in Yahweh’s house, of which Yahweh said, “My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.” He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts of Yahweh’s house. He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits and with wizards. He did much evil in Yahweh’s sight, to provoke him to anger. He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had made, in God’s house, of which God said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. I will not any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law, the statutes, and the ordinances given by Moses.” Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did more evil than did the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel.

10 Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they didn’t listen. 11 Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

12 When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 He prayed to him; and he was entreated by him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh was God.

14 Now after this, he built an outer wall to David’s city, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate. He encircled Ophel with it, and raised it up to a very great height; and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah. 15 He took away the foreign gods, and the idol out of Yahweh’s house, and all the altars that he had built in the mountain of Yahweh’s house, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. 16 He built up Yahweh’s altar, and offered sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving on it, and commanded Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel. 17 Nevertheless the people sacrificed still in the high places, but only to Yahweh their God.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel. 19 His prayer also, and how God was entreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places in which he built high places, and set up the Asherah poles and the engraved images, before he humbled himself: behold, they are written in the history of Hozai.[a] 20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house; and Amon his son reigned in his place.

21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22 He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, as did Manasseh his father; and Amon sacrificed to all the engraved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them. 23 He didn’t humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more. 24 His servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his own house. 25 But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 33:19 or, the seers

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