2 Chronicles 33

New International Version

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

⁷He 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. ⁸I 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.” ⁹But 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)

¹⁰The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. ¹¹So 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. ¹²In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled^(S) himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. ¹³And 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.

¹⁴Afterward 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.

¹⁵He 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. ¹⁶Then 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. ¹⁷The people, however, continued to sacrifice at the high places, but only to the Lord their God.

¹⁸The 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] ¹⁹His 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) ²⁰Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried^(AA) in his palace. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.

Amon King of Judah^(AB)

²¹Amon^(AC) was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. ²²He 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. ²³But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble^(AD) himself before the Lord; Amon increased his guilt.

²⁴Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace. ²⁵Then the people^(AE) of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.

Footnotes

2 Chronicles 33:18 That is, Judah, as frequently in 2 Chronicles
2 Chronicles 33:19 One Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts of Hozai

Proverbs 31

New International Version

Sayings of King Lemuel

31 The sayings^(A) of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.

²Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!^(B)
³Do not spend your strength^[a] on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.^(C)

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel—
    it is not for kings to drink wine,^(D)
    not for rulers to crave beer,
⁵lest they drink^(E) and forget what has been decreed,^(F)
    and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
⁶Let beer be for those who are perishing,
    wine^(G) for those who are in anguish!
⁷Let them drink^(H) and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.

⁸Speak^(I) up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
⁹Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.^(J)

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

¹⁰^[b]A wife of noble character^(K) who can find?^(L)
    She is worth far more than rubies.
¹¹Her husband^(M) has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.^(N)
¹²She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
¹³She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.^(O)
¹⁴She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²⁰She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.^(P)
²¹When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
²²She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
²³Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders^(Q) of the land.
²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
²⁵She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
²⁶She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.^(R)
²⁷She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹“Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
³⁰Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise^(S) at the city gate.

Footnotes

Proverbs 31:3 Or wealth
Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.