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Manasseh

maleDivided Monarchy

Meaning: “Causing to forget

The longest-reigning and most wicked king of Judah, who filled Jerusalem with idolatry and blood — yet humbled himself and repented in Babylonian captivity.

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Biography

Manasseh, son of the godly Hezekiah, became king at twelve and reigned fifty-five years — the longest of any king of Judah, and the most wicked. He rebuilt the high places his father had destroyed, raised altars to Baal, practiced sorcery, sacrificed his son in the fire, and set a carved idol in the very temple of God (2 Kings 21:1–9). He also "shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another" (2 Kings 21:16).

Captivity and repentance

Because of his sins, the LORD brought the Assyrians, who took Manasseh with hooks and bound him to Babylon. There, in his affliction, "he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly" — and God, remarkably, restored him to his throne. Manasseh then removed the idols and repaired the altar of the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:11–16).

A picture of grace

The repentance of Judah's worst king became one of Scripture's most striking testimonies that no sinner is beyond the reach of God's mercy. He is named "Manasses" in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:10).

Life Timeline

697 BC

Fills Jerusalem with idolatry and innocent blood

2 Kings 21:16
670 BC

Taken captive to Babylon, humbles himself, and repents

2 Chronicles 33:12

On the Bible timeline

Manasseh belongs to the The Divided Monarchy era (c. 930 – 586 BC).

  1. c. 930 BCThe Kingdom Divides
  2. 722 BCThe Fall of Samaria
  3. 586 BCThe Fall of Jerusalem

Family Tree

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Themes & lessons from Manasseh

Biblical themes that run through the passages where Manasseh appears.

Kings13×Manasseh13×Amon4×Long-Suffering of God, the3×Zebulun, the Tribe Of3×Pardon2×Proclamation2×Simeon, the Tribe Of2×Temple, the First2×Aliens1×Altar1×Altars1×Book1×Feast of the Passover, the1×Form1×Genealogies1×Genealogy1×Human Nature of Christ, the1×

People they appear with

Hezekiah5×
Ahaz1×
David1×
Josiah1×

Scripture Appearances

30 verses in 3 books
2 Kings11 verses

2 Kings 20:21

And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

2 Kings 21:1

Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.

2 Kings 21:9

But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.

2 Kings 21:11

Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:

2 Kings 21:16

Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. from: Heb. from mouth to mouth

2 Kings 21:17

Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

2 Kings 21:18

And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

2 Kings 21:20

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did.

2 Kings 23:12

And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron. brake: or, ran from thence

2 Kings 23:26

Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. provocations: Heb. angers

2 Kings 24:3

Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did;

2 Chronicles18 verses

2 Chronicles 15:9

And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

2 Chronicles 30:1

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

2 Chronicles 30:10

So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

2 Chronicles 30:11

Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 30:18

For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one

2 Chronicles 31:1

Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities. present: Heb. found images: Heb. statues until: Heb. until to make an end

2 Chronicles 32:33

And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. chiefest: or, highest

2 Chronicles 33:1

Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:

2 Chronicles 33:9

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.

2 Chronicles 33:10

And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.

2 Chronicles 33:11

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. of the king: Heb. which were the king's fetters: or, chains

2 Chronicles 33:13

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.

2 Chronicles 33:18

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.

2 Chronicles 33:20

So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 33:22

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;

2 Chronicles 33:23

And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more. trespassed more and more: Heb. multiplied trespass

2 Chronicles 34:6

And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. mattocks: or, mauls

2 Chronicles 34:9

And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.

Matthew1 verse

Matthew 1:10

And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;

Frequently asked about Manasseh

Who was Manasseh in the Bible?

The longest-reigning and most wicked king of Judah, who filled Jerusalem with idolatry and blood — yet humbled himself and repented in Babylonian captivity.

What does the name Manasseh mean?

The name Manasseh means “Causing to forget”.

What did Manasseh do in the Bible?

Manasseh served as king of judah, of the tribe of Judah.

Who were Manasseh's parents?

Manasseh was the child of Hezekiah.

Where does Manasseh appear in the Bible?

Manasseh is mentioned 30 times across 3 books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Matthew.

What can we learn from Manasseh?

The story of Manasseh touches on themes of kings, manasseh, amon, long-suffering of god, the — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Manasseh's life.

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