33
1 Manasseh was
twelve years old
when he began to
reign, and he
reigned fifty-five
years in Jerusalem.
2 He
did that which
was evil in
the LORD’s sight,
after the abominations
of the nations
whom the LORD
cast out before
the children of
Israel.
3 For
he built again
the high places
which Hezekiah
his father had
broken down; and
he raised up
altars for the
Baals, made Asheroth,
and worshiped all
the army of
the sky, and
served them.
4 He
built altars in
the LORD’s house,
of which the
LORD said, “My
name shall be
in Jerusalem
forever.”
5 He
built altars for
all the army
of the sky
in the two
courts of the
LORD’s house.
6 He
also made his
children to pass
through the fire
in the valley
of the son
of Hinnom. He
practiced sorcery,
divination, and
witchcraft, and
dealt with those
who had familiar spirits
and with wizards.
He did much
evil in the
LORD’s sight, to
provoke him to
anger.
7 He
set the engraved
image of the
idol, which he
had made, in God’s
house, of which God
said to David and
to Solomon his
son, “In this
house, and in
Jerusalem, which I
have chosen out of
all the tribes
of Israel, I
will put my
name forever.
8 I
will not any
more remove the
foot of Israel
from off the land
which I have
appointed for
your fathers, if only
they will observe
to do all
that I have
commanded them,
even all the
law, the statutes,
and the ordinances
given by Moses.”
9 Manasseh
seduced Judah and
the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, so that
they did more
evil than did
the nations whom
the LORD destroyed
before the
children of Israel.
10 The
LORD spoke to
Manasseh and to
his people, but
they didn’t listen.
11 Therefore
the LORD brought
on them the
captains of the
army of the
king of Assyria,
who took Manasseh
in chains, bound
him with fetters,
and carried him
to Babylon.
12 When
he was in
distress, he begged
the LORD his
God, and humbled
himself greatly
before the God
of his fathers.
13 He
prayed to him;
and he was
entreated by him,
and heard his
supplication, and
brought him again
to Jerusalem into
his kingdom. Then
Manasseh knew that
the LORD was
God.
14 Now after
this, he built
an outer wall
to David’s city
on the west
side of Gihon,
in the valley,
even to the
entrance at the
fish gate. He
encircled Ophel
with it, and
raised it up
to a very
great height; and
he put valiant
captains in all
the fortified
cities of Judah.
15 He
took away the
foreign gods and
the idol out
of the LORD’s
house, and all
the altars that
he had built
in the mountain
of the LORD’s
house and in
Jerusalem, and
cast them out
of the city.
16 He built
up the LORD’s
altar, and offered
sacrifices of
peace offerings
and of
thanksgiving on it,
and commanded Judah
to serve the
LORD, the God
of Israel.
17 Nevertheless the
people still
sacrificed in the
high places, but
only to the
LORD their God.
18 Now
the rest of
the acts of
Manasseh, and 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,
behold, they
are written among
the acts of
the kings of
Israel.
19 His
prayer also,
and how God listened
to his request,
and all his
sin and his
trespass, and the
places in which
he built high
places and set
up the Asherah poles
and the engraved
images before he
humbled himself:
behold, they are
written in
the history of
Hozai.
20 So Manasseh
slept with
his fathers, and
they buried him
in his own
house; and Amon
his son reigned
in his place.
21 Amon was
twenty-two years
old when he began
to reign; and
he reigned two
years in Jerusalem.
22 He
did that which
was evil in
the LORD’s sight,
as did Manasseh
his father; and Amon
sacrificed to all
the engraved
images which
Manasseh his father
had made, and
served them.
23 He didn’t
humble himself
before the LORD,
as Manasseh
his father had
humbled himself;
but this same Amon
trespassed more and
more.
24 His
servants conspired
against him, and
put him to
death in his own
house.
25 But
the people of
the land killed
all those who
had conspired
against King Amon;
and the people
of the land made
Josiah his son
king in his
place.