2 Kings 21:1-9

Legacy Standard Bible

Manasseh Reigns over Judah

21 ^(A)Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hephzibah. ^2 (B)And he did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, ^(C)according to the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh dispossessed before the sons of Israel. ³ Indeed, ^(D)he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and ^(E)he erected altars for Baal and made an ^[a]Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and ^(F)worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. ^4 (G)And he built altars in the house of Yahweh, of which Yahweh had said, “^(H)In Jerusalem I will put My name.” ⁵ Indeed, he built altars for ^(I)all the host of heaven in ^(J)the two courts of the house of Yahweh. ^6 (K)He even made his son pass through the fire, ^(L)practiced soothsaying and interpreted omens, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much that was evil in the sight of Yahweh provoking Him to anger. ⁷ Then ^(M)he put the graven image of Asherah, which he had made, in the house of which Yahweh had said to David and to Solomon his son, “^(N)In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever. ⁸ And I ^(O)will not make the foot of Israel wander anymore from the land which I gave their fathers, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that My servant Moses commanded them.” ⁹ But they did not listen, and Manasseh ^(P)led them astray in order to do more evil than the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the sons of Israel.