21
1 Manasseh was
twelve years old
when he began to
reign, and he
reigned fifty-five
years in Jerusalem.
His mother’s name
was Hephzibah.
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 destroyed;
and he raised
up altars for
Baal, and made
an Asherah, as Ahab
king of Israel
did, 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, “I will
put my name
in Jerusalem.”
5 He
built altars for
all the army
of the sky
in the two
courts of the
LORD’s house.
6 He
made his son
to pass through
the fire, practiced sorcery,
used enchantments,
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 Asherah
that he had
made in the
house of which
the LORD 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 cause
the feet of
Israel to wander
any more out
of the land which
I gave
their fathers, if only
they will observe
to do according
to all that
I have commanded
them, and
according to all
the law that
my servant Moses
commanded them.”
9 But
they didn’t listen,
and Manasseh
seduced them to
do that which
is evil more
than the nations
did whom the
LORD destroyed
before the
children of Israel.
10 The
LORD spoke by
his servants the
prophets, saying,
11 “Because
Manasseh king of
Judah has done
these abominations,
and has done
wickedly above all
that the Amorites
did, who were
before him, and
has also made
Judah to sin
with his idols;
12 therefore
the LORD the
God of Israel
says, ‘Behold, I
will bring such
evil on Jerusalem
and Judah that
whoever hears of
it, both his ears
will tingle.
13 I
will stretch over
Jerusalem the line
of Samaria, and
the plumb line
of Ahab’s house;
and I will
wipe Jerusalem as
a man wipes
a dish, wiping
it and turning
it upside down.
14 I
will cast off
the remnant of
my inheritance and
deliver them into
the hands of
their enemies.
They will become
a prey and a
plunder to all
their enemies,
15 because
they have done
that which is
evil in my
sight, and have
provoked me to
anger since the
day their fathers
came out of
Egypt, even to
this day.’ ”
16 Moreover
Manasseh shed
innocent blood
very much, until
he had filled
Jerusalem from one
end to another;
in addition to
his sin with
which he made
Judah to sin,
in doing that
which was evil
in the LORD’s
sight.
17 Now
the rest of
the acts of
Manasseh, and all
that he did,
and his sin
that he sinned,
aren’t they written
in the book
of the chronicles
of the kings
of Judah?
18 Manasseh
slept with
his fathers, and
was buried in
the garden of
his own house,
in the garden
of Uzza; and Amon
his son reigned
in his place.
19 Amon was
twenty-two years
old when he began
to reign; and
he reigned two
years in Jerusalem.
His mother’s name
was Meshullemeth
the daughter of
Haruz of Jotbah.
20 He
did that which
was evil in
the LORD’s sight,
as Manasseh
his father did.
21 He
walked in all
the ways that
his father walked
in, and served
the idols that
his father served,
and worshiped them;
22 and
he abandoned the
LORD, the God
of his fathers,
and didn’t walk in
the way of
the LORD.
23 The
servants of Amon
conspired against
him, and put
the king to
death in his own
house.
24 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.
25 Now
the rest of
the acts of Amon
which he did,
aren’t they written
in the book
of the chronicles
of the kings
of Judah?
26 He
was buried in
his tomb in
the garden of
Uzza, and Josiah
his son reigned
in his place.