2 Kings 21:1–9

Manasseh King of Judah

21:1–10pp—2Ch 33:1–10 21:17–18pp—2Ch 33:18–20

21Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.^{s 2}He did evil^t in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices^u of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. ³He rebuilt the high places^v his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal^w and made an Asherah pole,^x as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts^y and worshiped them. ⁴He built altars^z in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put my Name.”^{a 5}In the two courts^b of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. ⁶He sacrificed his own son^c in the fire, practiced divination,^d sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists.^e He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing^f his anger.

⁷He took the carved Asherah pole^g he had made and put it in the temple,^h of which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Nameⁱ forever. ⁸I will not again^j make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I gave their ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them and will keep the whole Law that my servant Moses^k gave them.” ⁹But the people did not listen. Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil^l than the nations^m the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.