33 Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king. He ruled as king in Jerusalem for 55 years. 2 Manasseh did things that the Lord said were evil. He did the same terrible sins that the other nations in Canaan had done. Those were the nations that the Lord had chased out so that the Israelites could live there. 3 Manasseh built again the altars on the hills that his father Hezekiah had knocked down. He built altars for people to worship idols of Baal. He also made Asherah poles. He bent down low to worship all the stars in the sky. 4 He built altars in the Lord 's temple. [ a ] The Lord had said about his temple, ‘That is my home in Jerusalem where people will worship me for ever.’ 5 Manasseh built altars to give honour to the stars in both yards of the Lord 's temple. 6 He burnt his own sons with fire as a sacrifice in Ben Hinnom valley. He used magic and false gods to find out what would happen in the future. He took advice from magicians and people who talked to the spirits of dead people. He did many things that the Lord said were very evil. This made the Lord very angry.
7 Manasseh made an image of a false god. He put this idol in God's temple. God had said this about his temple to King David and to his son King Solomon: ‘My people will worship me in my temple here in Jerusalem. That is the place that I have chosen to be my home for ever. I have chosen it from among all the tribes of Israel. 8 I will never cause the Israelite people to leave this land that I gave to their ancestors. But they must be careful to obey all my commands, my laws and the rules that I gave to my servant Moses for them.’
9 But Manasseh caused Judah's people and the people of Jerusalem to turn away from God. So they did more evil things than the people who lived in Canaan before them. The Lord had destroyed those nations so that the Israelites could live there.
10 The Lord warned Manasseh and his people. But they would not listen to him. 11 So the Lord brought the officers of the king of Assyria's army to attack them. They took hold of Manasseh. They put metal hooks in his nose and they tied bronze chains around him. Then they took him away to Babylon. 12 This gave Manasseh a lot of pain. He asked the Lord his God to be kind to him. He made himself humble and he prayed for help to the Lord , the God of his ancestors.
13 When Manasseh prayed to the Lord , the Lord answered him. He was kind to Manasseh, as Manasseh had asked him to be. So the Lord brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem again, to rule there as king. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is the true God.
14 After that, Manasseh repaired the outside wall of the City of David. He built it higher, from the west side of Gihon stream, as far as the Fish Gate. Then he continued around Ophel hill. He built the wall up higher than it had been. He also put army officers with their soldiers in all the strong cities of Judah.
15 Manasseh removed from the Lord 's temple the foreign gods and the idol that he had put there. He also removed the altars that he had built on the hill of the temple and in other places in Jerusalem. He threw them away, outside the city. 16 Then he repaired the Lord 's altar in the temple. He brought friendship offerings and thank offerings as sacrifices on the altar. He told Judah's people to worship the Lord , Israel's God. 17 The people still offered sacrifices at the other altars in the country. But they only offered those sacrifices to the Lord their God.
18 The other things that happened while Manasseh was king are written in a book. The book is called ‘The history of Israel's kings’. It includes Manasseh's prayer to God. It also includes the messages that the Lord , Israel's God, told his prophets to speak to Manasseh. 19 The book of the prophets' messages also includes Manasseh's prayer and how God answered him. It tells about all Manasseh's sins and how he turned away from God. It includes a list of all the places where he built altars and where he put Asherah poles and idols. He did those things before he made himself humble and he turned back to God.
20 Manasseh died and his people buried him in his palace. His son Amon became king after him.
21 Amon was 22 years old when he became king. [ b ] He ruled as king in Jerusalem for two years. 22 Amon did things that the Lord said were evil, as his father Manasseh had done. He offered sacrifices to all the idols that his father Manasseh had made. He worshipped those idols. 23 But he did not make himself humble and turn back to the Lord , as his father Manasseh had done. Instead, Amon became guilty of even more sins.
24 Amon's own officers decided to kill him. They killed him in his palace. 25 Then the people of Judah punished all Amon's murderers with death. They chose his son Josiah to be king after him.
33 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king of Judah. He was king for 55 years in Jerusalem. 2 Manasseh did what the Lord said was wrong. He followed the terrible and sinful ways of the nations that the Lord had forced out of the land before the Israelites. 3 Manasseh rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had broken down. Manasseh built altars for the Baal gods and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to the constellations [ a ] and worshiped those groups of stars. 4 Manasseh built altars for false gods in the Lord ’s Temple. The Lord said about the Temple, “My name will be in Jerusalem forever.” 5 He built altars for all the groups of stars in the two yards of the Lord ’s Temple. 6 He also burned his own children for a sacrifice in the Valley of Ben Hinnom. [ b ] He also used magic by doing soothsaying, divination, and sorcery. [ c ] He talked with mediums and wizards. He did many things that the Lord said were evil and made him angry. 7 Manasseh also made a statue of an idol and put it in God’s Temple—the very same Temple that God had talked about to David and his son Solomon. God had said, “I will put my name in this house and in Jerusalem—the city that I chose from all the cities in all the tribes—and my name will be there forever! 8 I will not continue to keep the Israelites off the land that I chose to give to their ancestors. But they must obey everything I commanded them. The Israelites must obey all the laws, rules, and commands that I gave Moses to give to them.”
9 Manasseh encouraged the people of Judah and the people living in Jerusalem to do wrong. They were worse than the nations that were in the land before the Israelites—and the Lord destroyed those people.
10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they refused to listen. 11 So the Lord brought commanders from the king of Assyria’s army to attack Judah. These commanders captured Manasseh and made him their prisoner. They put hooks in him and brass chains on his hands and took him to the country of Babylon.
12 When these troubles came to him, Manasseh begged for help from the Lord his God. He humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. 13 Manasseh prayed to God and begged him for help. God heard his begging and felt sorry for him, so he let Manasseh return to Jerusalem and to his throne. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was the true God.
14 After that happened, Manasseh built an outer wall for the City of David. This wall went to the west of Gihon Spring in Kidron Valley, to the entrance of the Fish Gate, and around the hill of Ophel. [ d ] He made the wall very tall. Then he put officers in all the fortresses in Judah. 15 Manasseh took away the strange idol gods, and he took the idol out of the Lord ’s Temple. He took away all the altars he had built on the Temple hill, and in Jerusalem. Manasseh threw all the altars out of the city of Jerusalem. 16 Then he set up the Lord ’s altar and offered fellowship offerings and thank offerings on it. He gave a command for all the people of Judah to serve the Lord , the God of Israel. 17 The people continued to offer sacrifices at the high places, but their sacrifices were only to the Lord their God.
18 Everything else Manasseh did, his prayer to his God and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord , the God of Israel, are all written in the book, The Official Records of the Kings of Israel . 19 Manasseh’s prayer and how God listened and felt sorry for him are written in The Book of the Seers . Also all his sins, the wrongs he did before he humbled himself, and the places where he built high places and set up the Asherah poles are written in The Book of the Seers . 20 So Manasseh died and was buried with his ancestors. The people buried Manasseh in his own palace. Manasseh’s son Amon became the new king in his place.
21 Amon was 22 years old when he became king of Judah. He was king for two years in Jerusalem. 22 Amon did evil before the Lord , just as his father Manasseh had done. Amon offered sacrifices for all the carved idols and statues that Manasseh his father made. Amon worshiped those idols. 23 Amon did not humble himself in front of the Lord like Manasseh his father humbled himself. But Amon sinned more and more. 24 His servants made plans against him. They killed Amon in his own house. 25 But the people of Judah killed all the servants who planned against King Amon. Then the people chose Amon’s son Josiah to be the new king.
33 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:
2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord , like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
4 Also he built altars in the house of the Lord , whereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord .
6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord , to provoke him to anger.
7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.
9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.
10 And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
11 Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.
14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.
15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of 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 cast them out of the city.
16 And he repaired the altar of the Lord , and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.
17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the Lord their God only.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.
19 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.
20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
21 Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.
22 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord , as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them;
23 And humbled not himself before the Lord , as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.
24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.
25 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
33 ( A ) Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2 ( B ) He did evil in the sight of the Lord according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel. 3 For ( C ) he rebuilt the high places which his father Hezekiah had torn down; ( D ) he also set up altars for the Baals and made [ a ] Asherim, and he worshiped all the heavenly [ b ] lights and served them. 4 ( E ) He built altars in the house of the Lord of which the Lord had said, “My name shall be ( F ) in Jerusalem forever.” 5 He built altars for all the heavenly [ c ] lights in ( G ) the two courtyards of the house of the Lord . 6 ( H ) He also made his sons pass through the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery, and ( I ) dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord , provoking Him to anger. 7 Then he put ( J ) the carved image of the idol which he had made in the house of God, of which God had said to David and his son Solomon, “ ( K ) 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 will not remove the foot of Israel again from the land ( L ) which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will take care to do everything that I have commanded them according to all the Law, the statutes, and the ordinances given through Moses.” 9 So Manasseh encouraged Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the sons of Israel.
10 So the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but ( M ) they paid no attention. 11 ( N ) Therefore the Lord brought the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria against them, and they captured Manasseh with hooks, ( O ) bound him with bronze chains , and led him to Babylon. 12 When ( P ) he was in distress, he appeased the Lord his God and ( Q ) humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 When he prayed to Him, ( R ) He was moved by him and heard his pleading, and brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh ( S ) knew that the Lord alone is God.
14 Now after this he built the outer wall of the city of David on the west side of ( T ) Gihon, in the valley, up to the entrance of the ( U ) Fish Gate; and he encircled the ( V ) Ophel with it and made it very high. Then he put army commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah. 15 He also ( W ) removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord , as well as all the altars which he had built on the mountain of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside the city. 16 He set up the altar of the Lord and sacrificed ( X ) peace offerings and thanksgiving offerings on it; and he ordered Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. 17 However, ( Y ) the people still sacrificed on the high places, although only to the Lord their God.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and ( Z ) his prayer to his God, and the words of ( AA ) the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are among the records of the kings of ( AB ) Israel. 19 His prayer also and ( AC ) how God was moved by him, and all his sin, his unfaithfulness, and ( AD ) the sites on which he built high places and erected the [ d ] Asherim and the carved images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the records of [ e ] Hozai. 20 So Manasseh [ f ] lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. And his son Amon became king in his place.
21 ( AE ) Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned for two years in Jerusalem. 22 He did evil in the sight of the Lord , just as his father Manasseh ( AF ) had done, and Amon sacrificed to all ( AG ) the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and he served them. 23 Furthermore, he did not humble himself before the Lord ( AH ) as his father Manasseh had [ g ] done, but Amon multiplied his guilt. 24 Finally, ( AI ) his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his own house. 25 But the people of the land [ h ] killed all the conspirators against King Amon, and the people of the land made his son Josiah king in his place.
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.
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.
