2 Chronicles 33:1–9

Manasseh King of Judah

33:1-10^pp — 2Ki 21:1–10 33:18-20^pp — 2Ki 21:17–18

Manasseh^a was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord,^b following the detestable^c practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles.^d He bowed down^e to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “My Name^f will remain in Jerusalem forever.” In both courts of the temple of the Lord,^g he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his children^h in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediumsⁱ and spiritists.^j He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

He took the image he had made and put it in God’s temple,^k of which God 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 Name forever. I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land^l I assigned to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and regulations given through Moses.” But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.^m