Manasseh Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 21:1–9)
1 CPDV Manasseh was twelve years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years.
2 CPDV But he did evil before the Lord, in accord with all the abominations of the nations which the Lord overturned before the sons of Israel. BSB BSB: And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
3 CPDV And turning away, he repaired the high places, which had been demolished by his father, Hezekiah. And he constructed altars to the Baals, and made sacred groves. And he adored the entire army of heaven, and he served them. BSB BSB: For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he raised up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. And he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.
4 CPDV Also, he built altars in the house of the Lord, about which the Lord had said, “My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.” BSB BSB: Manasseh also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.”
5 CPDV But he built these for the entire army of heaven, in the two courts of the house of the Lord. BSB BSB: In both courtyards of the house of the LORD, he built altars to all the host of heaven.
6 CPDV And he caused his sons to pass through fire in the Valley of the son of Hinnom. He observed dreams, followed divinations, served the occult arts, had with him magicians and enchanters, and worked many evils before the Lord, so that he provoked him. BSB BSB: He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
7 CPDV Also, he set up a graven image and molten statue in the house of God, about which God said to David, and to his son Solomon: “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will place my name forever. BSB BSB: Manasseh even took the carved image he had made and set it up in the house of God, of which God had said to David and his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever.
8 CPDV And I will not cause the foot of Israel to be moved from the land which I delivered to their fathers. Yet this is so, only if they will take care to do what I have instructed them, by the hand of Moses, with the entire law and the ceremonies and the judgments.” BSB BSB: I will never again cause the feet of the Israelites to leave the land that I assigned to your fathers, if only they are careful to do all that I have commanded them through Moses—all the laws, statutes, and judgments.”
9 CPDV And so Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did evil, more so than all the nations which the Lord had overturned before the face of the sons of Israel. BSB BSB: So Manasseh led the people of Judah and Jerusalem astray, so that they did greater evil than the nations that the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.
Manasseh’s Repentance and Restoration (2 Kings 21:10–18)
10 CPDV And the Lord spoke to him and to his people, but they were not willing to pay attention. BSB BSB: And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they did not listen.
12 CPDV And after this, being in great anguish, he prayed to the Lord his God. And he did penance greatly before the God of his fathers. BSB BSB: And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers.
13 CPDV And he petitioned and begged him intently. And he heeded his prayer, and led him back to Jerusalem, into his kingdom. And Manasseh realized that the Lord himself was God. BSB BSB: And when he prayed to Him, the LORD received his plea and heard his petition. So He brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.
14 CPDV After these things, he built a wall outside the City of David, to the west of Gihon, at the steep valley, from the entrance to the fish gate, circling around as far as Ophel. And he raised it up greatly. And he appointed leaders of the army in all the fortified cities of Judah. BSB BSB: After this, Manasseh rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David from west of Gihon in the valley to the entrance of the Fish Gate, and he brought it around the hill of Ophel and heightened it considerably. He also stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah.
15 CPDV And he took away the foreign gods, and the idol from the house of the Lord, and also the altars which he had made on the mount of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem. And he cast all these things outside the city. BSB BSB: He removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, along with all the altars he had built on the temple mount and in Jerusalem, and he dumped them outside the city.
16 CPDV Then he repaired the altar of the Lord, and he immolated upon it victims, and peace offerings, with praise. And he instructed Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel. BSB BSB: Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and he told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel.
17 CPDV Yet still the people were immolating on the high places, to the Lord their God. BSB BSB: Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God.
18 CPDV But the rest of the deeds of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and also the words of the seers who were speaking to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, are contained in the words of the kings of Israel. BSB BSB: As for the rest of the acts of Manasseh, along with 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, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
19 CPDV Also, his prayer and its heeding, and all his sins and contempt, and the sites on which he built high places and made sacred groves and statues, before he repented, have been written in the words of Hozai. BSB BSB: His prayer and how God received his plea, as well as all his sin and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself, they are indeed written in the Records of the Seers.
20 CPDV Then Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. And his son, Amon, reigned in his place. BSB BSB: And Manasseh rested with his fathers and was buried at his palace. And his son Amon reigned in his place.
Amon Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 21:19–26)
21 CPDV Amon was twenty-two years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for two years in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years.
22 CPDV And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, just as his father Manasseh had done. And he immolated to all the idols that Manasseh had fabricated, and he served them. BSB BSB: And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon served and sacrificed to all the idols that his father Manasseh had made,
23 CPDV But he did not turn his face to the Lord, as his father Manasseh had turned himself. And he sinned much more grievously. BSB BSB: but he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done; instead, Amon increased his guilt.
24 CPDV And when his servants had conspired against him, they killed him in his own house. BSB BSB: Then the servants of Amon conspired against him and killed him in his palace.
25 CPDV But the rest of the multitude of the people, having slain those who had struck down Amon, appointed his son, Josiah, as king in his place. BSB BSB: But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.
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