Manasseh Reigns in Judah(A)

33 Manasseh (B)was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the (C)abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. For he rebuilt the [a]high places which Hezekiah his father had (D)broken down; he raised up altars for the Baals, and (E)made wooden images; and he worshiped (F)all [b]the host of heaven and served them. He also built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, (G)“In Jerusalem shall My name be forever.” And he built altars for all the host of heaven (H)in the two courts of the house of the Lord. (I)Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced (J)soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and (K)consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. (L)He even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the [c]house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, (M)“In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; (N)and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers—only if they are careful to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.” So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.

Manasseh Restored After Repentance

10 And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not [d]listen. 11 (O)Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with [e]hooks, (P)bound him with [f]bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon. 12 Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and (Q)humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13 and prayed to Him; and He (R)received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh (S)knew that the Lord was God.

14 After this he built a wall outside the City of David on the west side of (T)Gihon, in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate; and it (U)enclosed Ophel, and he raised it to a very great height. Then he put military captains in all the fortified cities of Judah. 15 He took away (V)the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem; and he cast them out of the city. 16 He also repaired the altar of the Lord, sacrificed peace offerings and (W)thank offerings on it, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. 17 (X)Nevertheless the people still sacrificed on the [g]high places, but only to the Lord their God.

Death of Manasseh(Y)

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, his prayer to his God, and the words of (Z)the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, indeed they are written in the [h]book of the kings of Israel. 19 Also his prayer and how God received his entreaty, and all his sin and trespass, and the sites where he built [i]high places and set up wooden images and carved images, before he was humbled, indeed they are written among the sayings of [j]Hozai. 20 (AA)So Manasseh rested with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. Then his son Amon reigned in his place.

Amon’s Reign and Death(AB)

21 (AC)Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22 But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done; for Amon sacrificed to all the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and served them. 23 And he did not humble himself before the Lord, (AD)as his father Manasseh had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.

24 (AE)Then his servants conspired against him, and (AF)killed him in his own house. 25 But the people of the land executed all those who had conspired against King Amon. Then the people of the land made his son Josiah king in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 33:3 Places for pagan worship
  2. 2 Chronicles 33:3 The gods of the Assyrians
  3. 2 Chronicles 33:7 Temple
  4. 2 Chronicles 33:10 obey
  5. 2 Chronicles 33:11 Nose hooks, 2 Kin. 19:28
  6. 2 Chronicles 33:11 chains
  7. 2 Chronicles 33:17 Places for pagan worship
  8. 2 Chronicles 33:18 Lit. words
  9. 2 Chronicles 33:19 Places for pagan worship
  10. 2 Chronicles 33:19 LXX the seers

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

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. 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.” 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.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 33:18 That is, Judah, as frequently in 2 Chronicles
  2. 2 Chronicles 33:19 One Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts of Hozai