1 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 sin,
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.
