Manasseh (2 Kings 20:21; 2 Kings 21:1–9; 2 Kings 21:10–16; 2 Kings 21:17–18; 2 Kings 23:12; 2 Kings 23:26–27; 2 Kings 24:3–4; 1 Chronicles 3:13–14; 2 Chronicles 33:1–9; 2 Chronicles 33:10–13; 2 Chronicles 33:14–20; Jeremiah 15:4; Matthew 1:10)

Son of Hezekiah, King of Judah

The son of Hezekiah who began to reign in Jerusalem at twelve years old and reigned fifty-five years; 2 Kings tells how he built altars in the house of the LORD, shed innocent blood, and seduced Judah, and 2 Chronicles adds that he was carried in chains to Babylon, humbled himself, and knew that the LORD was God.

“Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned five and fifty years in Jerusalem” (2 Kings 21:1). Both 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles say that he “did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, after the abominations of the nations whom Jehovah cast out before the children of Israel” (2 Kings 21:2). He built again the high places his father had destroyed, built altars in the house of the LORD, made his son (2 Chronicles: his children) pass through the fire, and set a graven image in the house of which the LORD had said, “will I put my name for ever” (2 Kings 21:7). “Manasseh seduced them to do that which is evil more than did the nations whom Jehovah destroyed” (2 Kings 21:9), and 2 Kings adds, “Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much” (2 Kings 21:16).

The two books then tell the rest of his reign each in its own way. 2 Kings records the word of the LORD by his servants the prophets against Jerusalem and Judah, and goes on to his death and burial. 2 Chronicles says that “Jehovah spake to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed” (2 Chronicles 33:10); the captains of the king of Assyria then took him in chains to Babylon, and “when he was in distress, he besought Jehovah his God, and humbled himself greatly” (2 Chronicles 33:12). The LORD “was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Jehovah he was God” (2 Chronicles 33:13). After this he took away the foreign gods and the idol and built up the altar of the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:15-16). 2 Kings does not mention the captivity, the prayer or these acts; Chronicles adds what Kings leaves out, and the two accounts do not conflict.

2 Kings looks back on him more than once. Judah's removal came “for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did, and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood: and Jehovah would not pardon” (2 Kings 24:3-4). In Jeremiah the LORD says that the people will be tossed to and fro among the kingdoms of the earth, “because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem” (Jeremiah 15:4). Manasseh is named in the genealogy at the opening of the New Testament: “Hezekiah begat Manasseh; and Manasseh begat Amon; and Amon begat Josiah” (Matthew 1:10).

Strengths

• Besought the LORD in distress
• Humbled himself greatly
• Removed the foreign gods and the idol
• Commanded Judah to serve the LORD

Weaknesses

• Evil in the sight of the LORD
• Rebuilt the high places
• Altars in the house of the LORD
• Made his son pass through the fire
• Seduced Judah
• Shed innocent blood very much

Themes

• Hearkened not
• Evil in the LORD's house
• Innocent blood
• Humbled in distress
• Two accounts of one reign

Succeeds Hezekiah at twelve (2 Kings 20:21; 2 Kings 21:1–2; 2 Chronicles 32:33; 2 Chronicles 33:1–2)

Manasseh reigns in Hezekiah his father's stead at twelve years old, for fifty-five years in Jerusalem, and does evil after the abominations of the nations.

Rebuilds the high places and builds altars in the LORD's house (2 Kings 21:3–6; 2 Chronicles 33:3–6)

He builds again the high places, rears up altars for Baal, builds altars in the house of the LORD and for all the host of heaven in its two courts, and makes his son (2 Chronicles: his children) pass through the fire.

Rebuilds the high places and builds altars in the LORD's house

“For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them” (2 Kings 21:3). 2 Chronicles says his father “had broken down” (2 Chronicles 33:3) the high places, and that he reared up altars “for the Baalim, and made Asheroth” (2 Chronicles 33:3).

“And he built altars in the house of Jehovah, whereof Jehovah said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of Jehovah” (2 Kings 21:4-5).

“And he made his son to pass through the fire, and practised augury, and used enchantments, and dealt with them that had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger” (2 Kings 21:6). 2 Chronicles reads, “He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom” (2 Chronicles 33:6).

Sets the graven image in the house and seduces the people (2 Kings 21:7–9; 2 Chronicles 33:7–9)

He sets the graven image he had made in the house where the LORD said to David and to Solomon he would put his name for ever; the people hearken not, and Manasseh seduces them to do more evil than the nations.

The LORD speaks, and innocent blood fills Jerusalem (2 Kings 21:10–16; 2 Chronicles 33:10)

2 Kings records the word of the LORD by his servants the prophets against Jerusalem and Judah, and that Manasseh shed innocent blood very much; 2 Chronicles says that the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people and they gave no heed.

The LORD speaks, and innocent blood fills Jerusalem

In 2 Kings, “Jehovah spake by his servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, that were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols; therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I bring such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle” (2 Kings 21:10-12).

“Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; besides his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah” (2 Kings 21:16).

2 Chronicles does not record these words or the innocent blood. It says, “And Jehovah spake to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed” (2 Chronicles 33:10), and later mentions “the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of Jehovah” (2 Chronicles 33:18).

Taken in chains to Babylon (2 Chronicles 33:11)

In 2 Chronicles the LORD brings the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who take Manasseh in chains, bind him with fetters, and carry him to Babylon.

Humbles himself and prays (2 Chronicles 33:12–13)

In 2 Chronicles, in distress he beseeches the LORD and humbles himself greatly; the LORD is entreated of him, hears his supplication, and brings him again to Jerusalem, and Manasseh knows that the LORD is God.

Humbles himself and prays

“Wherefore Jehovah brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon” (2 Chronicles 33:11).

“And when he was in distress, he besought Jehovah his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And he prayed unto him; and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Jehovah he was God” (2 Chronicles 33:12-13).

The words of his prayer are not given in this passage; the chronicler says that “his prayer also, and how God was entreated of him” (2 Chronicles 33:19) are “written in the history of Hozai” (2 Chronicles 33:19). 2 Kings has no account of the captivity or the prayer.

Takes away the foreign gods (2 Chronicles 33:14–17)

In 2 Chronicles, after this he builds an outer wall, puts captains in the fortified cities, takes the foreign gods and the idol out of the house of the LORD, builds up the altar of the LORD, and commands Judah to serve the LORD; the people still sacrifice in the high places, but only to the LORD their God.

Death, and what 2 Kings says afterward (2 Kings 21:17–18; 2 Chronicles 33:18–20; 2 Kings 23:12; 2 Kings 23:26–27; 2 Kings 24:3–4)

Manasseh sleeps with his fathers and Amon his son reigns; 2 Kings later says the LORD turned not from his wrath against Judah because of Manasseh's provocations, and that Judah's removal came for his sins and the innocent blood he shed.

Death, and what 2 Kings says afterward

“And 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 stead” (2 Kings 21:18). 2 Chronicles says, “they buried him in his own house” (2 Chronicles 33:20).

Amon was then put to death, and the people of the land made “Josiah his son king in his stead” (2 Kings 21:24), so Josiah was Manasseh's grandson. When Josiah broke down the altars, they included “the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of Jehovah” (2 Kings 23:12). Yet after Josiah's reform 2 Kings says, “Notwithstanding, Jehovah turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations wherewith Manasseh had provoked him” (2 Kings 23:26).

“Surely at the commandment of Jehovah came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did, and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood: and Jehovah would not pardon” (2 Kings 24:3-4).

Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:21; 2 Kings 21:3; Matthew 1:10)

His father; when Hezekiah slept with his fathers, Manasseh his son reigned in his stead and built again the high places Hezekiah had destroyed.

Hephzibah (2 Kings 21:1)

2 Kings names her as his mother.

Amon (2 Kings 21:18–22; 2 Chronicles 33:21–23; Matthew 1:10)

His son, who reigned in his stead and did evil as Manasseh his father did; 2 Chronicles adds that he humbled not himself as Manasseh had humbled himself.

Josiah (2 Kings 21:18; 2 Kings 21:24; 2 Kings 23:12; Matthew 1:10)

His grandson, the son of Amon, whom the people of the land made king; he broke down the altars Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

The LORD (2 Kings 21:10–12; 2 Chronicles 33:10–13)

In 2 Kings he spoke by his prophets against Manasseh's abominations; in 2 Chronicles he spoke to Manasseh, brought the Assyrian captains upon him, and was entreated of him.

The prophets and the seers (2 Kings 21:10; 2 Chronicles 33:18)

2 Kings has the LORD speaking by his servants the prophets; 2 Chronicles mentions the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD.

The king of Assyria's captains (2 Chronicles 33:11)

They took Manasseh in chains, bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

Major sections

• 2 Kings 21:1–18
• 2 Kings 23:26–27
• 2 Kings 24:3–4
• 2 Chronicles 33:1–20

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