2 Kings 21
International Standard Version
Manasseh Succeeds Hezekiah
21 Manasseh began to reign at the age of twelve, and he reigned for 55 years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Hephzibah. 2 He did what the Lord considered to be evil, following the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord had expelled in full view of the people of Israel. 3 He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed. He erected altars for Baal, crafted an Asherah, just as King Ahab of Israel had done, and worshipped and served the stars of heaven. 4 He also built altars in the Lord’s Temple, about which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will place my Name.” 5 He built two altars to every star in the heavens in the two courts of the Lord’s Temple. 6 He made his son into a burnt offering, practiced witchcraft, used divination, and consorted with mediums and spirit-channelers.[a] He practiced many things that the Lord considered to be evil and provoked him.
7 He also erected the carved image of Asherah that he had made inside the Temple about which the Lord had spoken to David and to his son Solomon, “I will put my Name forever in this Temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all of the tribes of Israel. 8 And I will not make Israel’s feet to wander anymore from the land that I have given to their ancestors, if they will only be careful to do everything that I have commanded them according to the entire Law that my servant Moses commanded them.” 9 But they would not listen. Manasseh led them astray to practice more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed in the presence of the Israelis.
The Lord Rebukes Manasseh’s Idolatry
10 So the Lord announced through his prophets, 11 “Because King Manasseh of Judah has committed these despicable things, acting more sinfully than did all of the Amorites who preceded him, including making Judah sin with its idols, 12 therefore this is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Look! I’m going to bring such a[b] disaster to Jerusalem and Judah that both ears of those who hear about it will ring. 13 I’ll stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line that is Samaria and the plumb line that is Ahab’s dynasty. Then I’ll wipe Jerusalem like one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down! 14 I will abandon the survivors of my heritage and hand them over to their enemies. They will become war booty and spoil to all of their enemies, 15 because they have done what I consider to be evil and they have provoked me from the day their ancestors left Egypt right up to this day!’”
16 In addition to this, Manasseh shed lots of innocent blood—until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another—besides his sin by which he caused Judah to sin by practicing what the Lord considered to be evil. 17 The rest of Manasseh’s deeds, including everything that he accomplished and the sin that he practiced, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not? 18 Manasseh died, as did[c] his ancestors, and he was buried in the garden at his home in the Garden of Uzza. His son Amon became king in his place.
Amon Reigns in Judah
19 Amon began to reign at the age of 22, and ruled for two years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 20 He practiced what the Lord considered to be evil, just as his father Manasseh had done, 21 because he completely adopted his father’s lifestyle, serving the same idols his father had served and worshipped. 22 As a result, he abandoned the Lord God of his ancestors and did not walk in the Lord’s way. 23 Later on, Amon’s staff conspired against him and killed the king inside his own home. 24 But afterward, the people of the land executed everyone who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land installed his son Josiah to be king in his place.
25 Now the rest of Amon’s activities that he undertook are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not? 26 He was buried in his own grave in the Garden of Uzza, and his son Josiah became king in his place.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 21:6 Or wizards
- 2 Kings 21:12 The Heb. lacks such a
- 2 Kings 21:18 Lit. Manasseh slept with
2 Kings 21
Lexham English Bible
Evil Manasseh Reigns after Godly Hezekiah
21 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Hephzibah. 2 He did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, according to the detestable things of the nations that Yahweh had driven out from the presence of the Israelites.[a] 3 He returned and rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed. He erected altars for Baal and made a pole of Asherah worship just as Ahab king of Israel had made, and he bowed down to all of the host of heaven and served them. 4 He built altars in the temple of Yahweh about which Yahweh had said, “I will put my name in Jerusalem.” 5 He built an altar to all of the host of heaven in the two courtyards of the temple of Yahweh. 6 He made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying and divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He increased the doing of evil in the eyes of Yahweh to provoke him. 7 He put the image of the Asherah that he had made in the temple which Yahweh had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this temple and in Jerusalem which I have chosen from all of the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. 8 I will not again make the feet of Israel wander from the land which I have given to their ancestors,[b] if they only observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, as far as the law that Moses my servant commanded them.” 9 But Manasseh did not listen and tempted them to do evil more than the nations that Yahweh destroyed before the presence of the Israelites.[c]
Yahweh Sends a Rebuke to Manasseh
10 So Yahweh spoke by the hand of his servants the prophets, saying, 11 “Because Manasseh the king of Judah committed these detestable things and did evil more than the Amorites did who were before him and caused even Judah to sin with his idols, 12 therefore, thus says Yahweh the God of Israel, ‘Look, I am bringing disaster upon Jerusalem and Judah about which the two ears of all who hear it will tingle. 13 I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria and the plumb line of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes the dish; he wipes it and turns it on its face. 14 I will give up the remainder of my inheritance, and I will give them into the hand of their enemies. They shall become as prey and as spoil for all their enemies, 15 because they have done evil in my eyes and were provoking me from the day that their ancestors[d] came out from Egypt up to this day.’”
16 Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he filled Jerusalem from one end to another,[e] apart from his sin which he caused Judah to sin by doing evil in the eyes of Yahweh. 17 The remainder of the acts of Manasseh and all that he did and his sin that he committed, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah? 18 Then Manasseh slept with his ancestors[f] and was buried in the garden of his palace, in the garden of Uzza. Amon his son became king in his place.
Amon Reigns in Judah Only Two Years
19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz from Jotbah. 20 He did evil in the eyes of Yahweh as Manasseh his father had done. 21 He walked in all of the way which his father had walked, and he served the idols which his father had served and bowed down to them. 22 He abandoned Yahweh the God of his ancestors[g] and did not walk in the way of Yahweh. 23 The servants of Amon conspired against him and killed the king in his palace. 24 But the people of the land killed all who conspired against the king and made Josiah his son king in his place. 25 The remainder of the acts of Amon that he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah? 26 They buried him in his tomb in the garden of Uzza, and Josiah his son became king in place of him.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 21:2 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- 2 Kings 21:8 Or “fathers”
- 2 Kings 21:9 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- 2 Kings 21:15 Or “fathers”
- 2 Kings 21:16 Literally “end to end”
- 2 Kings 21:18 Or “fathers”
- 2 Kings 21:22 Or “fathers”
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