Manasseh King of Judah^(A)(B)

21 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.^{(C) 2} He did evil^(D) in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices^(E) of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. ³ He rebuilt the high places^(F) his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal^(G) and made an Asherah pole,^(H) as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts^(I) and worshiped them. ⁴ He built altars^(J) in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put my Name.”^{(K) 5} In the two courts^(L) of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. ⁶ He sacrificed his own son^(M) in the fire, practiced divination,^(N) sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists.^(O) He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing^(P) his anger.

⁷ He took the carved Asherah pole^(Q) he had made and put it in the temple,^(R) of which the Lord 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^(S) forever. ⁸ I will not again^(T) make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I gave their ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them and will keep the whole Law that my servant Moses^(U) gave them.” ⁹ But the people did not listen. Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil^(V) than the nations^(W) the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.

¹⁰ The Lord said through his servants the prophets: ¹¹ “Manasseh king of Judah has committed these detestable sins. He has done more evil^(X) than the Amorites^(Y) who preceded him and has led Judah into sin with his idols.^{(Z) 12} Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster^(AA) on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.^{(AB) 13} I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line^(AC) used against the house of Ahab. I will wipe^(AD) out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. ¹⁴ I will forsake^(AE) the remnant^(AF) of my inheritance and give them into the hands of enemies. They will be looted and plundered by all their enemies; ¹⁵ they have done evil^(AG) in my eyes and have aroused^(AH) my anger from the day their ancestors came out of Egypt until this day.”

¹⁶ Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood^(AI) that he filled Jerusalem from end to end—besides the sin that he had caused Judah^(AJ) to commit, so that they did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

¹⁷ As for the other events of Manasseh’s reign, and all he did, including the sin he committed, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? ¹⁸ Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried in his palace garden,^(AK) the garden of Uzza. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.

Amon King of Judah^(AL)

¹⁹ Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz; she was from Jotbah. ²⁰ He did evil^(AM) in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. ²¹ He followed completely the ways of his father, worshiping the idols his father had worshiped, and bowing down to them. ²² He forsook^(AN) the Lord, the God of his ancestors, and did not walk^(AO) in obedience to him.

²³ Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated^(AP) the king in his palace. ²⁴ Then the people of the land killed^(AQ) all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah^(AR) his son king in his place.

²⁵ As for the other events of Amon’s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? ²⁶ He was buried in his tomb in the garden^(AS) of Uzza. And Josiah his son succeeded him as king.

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. ² 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. ³ 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. ⁴ He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “My Name^(H) will remain in Jerusalem forever.” ⁵ In both courts of the temple of the Lord,^(I) he built altars to all the starry hosts. ⁶ 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.

⁷ 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. ⁸ 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.” ⁹ 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.

Psalm 71^(A)

3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves^(A) again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation^(B) to you or from you? ² You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.^{(C) 3} You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God,^(D) not on tablets of stone^(E) but on tablets of human hearts.^(F)

⁴ Such confidence^(G) we have through Christ before God. ⁵ Not that we are competent in ourselves^(H) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.^{(I) 6} He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant^(J)—not of the letter^(K) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.^(L)

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

⁷ Now if the ministry that brought death,^(M) which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory,^(N) transitory though it was, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? ⁹ If the ministry that brought condemnation^(O) was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!^{(P) 10} For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. ¹¹ And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

¹² Therefore, since we have such a hope,^(Q) we are very bold.^{(R) 13} We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face^(S) to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were made dull,^(T) for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant^(U) is read.^(V) It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵ Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶ But whenever anyone turns to the Lord,^(W) the veil is taken away.^{(X) 17} Now the Lord is the Spirit,^(Y) and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.^{(Z) 18} And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate^[a](AA) the Lord’s glory,^(AB) are being transformed into his image^(AC) with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.