2 Kings 21

Manasseh Reigns in Judah

1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2He did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD, according to the detestable practices of the nations whom the LORD had dispossessed before the children of Israel. 3He rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed. He raised altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and bowed down to all the host of the heavens and served them. 4He built altars in the house of the LORD, concerning which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put my name.” 5He built altars for all the host of the heavens in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6He made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying and divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He multiplied doing what was evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger. 7He set the carved image of the Asherah that he had made in the house of which the LORD had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I chose from all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. 8I will no longer make the foot of Israel wander from the land that I gave to their ancestors, if only they are careful to do according to all that I commanded them and according to all the instruction that my servant Moses commanded them.” 9But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.

The LORD Announces Judgment on Jerusalem

10The LORD spoke by the hand of his servants the prophets, saying, 11“Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these detestable things and has done more evil than all that the Amorites did who were before him, and has also caused Judah to sin with his idols, 12therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Look, I am bringing such disaster upon Jerusalem and Judah that both ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. 13I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab. I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14I will abandon the remnant of my inheritance and give them into the hand of their enemies. They will become plunder and spoil to all their enemies, 15because they have done what is evil in my eyes and have been provoking me to anger from the day their ancestors came out from Egypt even to this day.”

Manasseh Sheds Very Much Innocent Blood

16Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to the other, besides his sin by which he caused Judah to sin, doing what was evil in the eyes of the LORD. 17Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and all that he did and his sin that he committed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 18Manasseh lay down with his ancestors and was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza. Amon his son became king in his place.

Amon Reigns in Judah

19Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz from Jotbah. 20He did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD, as Manasseh his father had done. 21He walked in all the way that his father had walked, served the idols that his father had served, and bowed down to them. 22He abandoned the LORD, the God of his ancestors, and did not walk in the way of the LORD.

Amon Is Assassinated

23The servants of Amon conspired against him and put the king to death in his house. 24But the people of the land struck all who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place. 25Now the rest of the acts of Amon that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 26They buried him in his tomb in the garden of Uzza. Josiah his son became king in his place.