1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began his reign, and he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah.
2 He treated Yahweh very badly, imitating the wretched practices of the people Yahweh had driven out from the land in order to give it to the Israelites.
3 He rebuilt the sanctuaries on the hills, which had been destroyed by Hezekiah his father. He built altars to the god Baal and made a sacred pillar similar to the one Ahab, king of Israel, had made. He knelt before all the stars of heaven and worshiped them.
4 He built altars in the courtyard of the House of Yahweh, about which Yahweh had said, "Jerusalem shall be the dwelling place of my Name."
5 He built altars for all the stars of heaven in the two courtyards of the House of Yahweh.
6 He sacrificed his son by fire. He practiced soothsaying and magic, he brought in seers and wizards, doing without ceasing what Yahweh condemned, and thus provoking his anger.
7 He even put up the sacred pillar of the goddess Asherah in the House of Yahweh in spite of what Yahweh had said to David and to his son, Solomon: "I shall let my Name rest forever in this House, for I have chosen Jerusalem from among all the tribes of Israel.
8 I shall no longer let Israel wander out of the land I gave to their fathers, provided that you try to live according to all the Law I gave you through my servant Moses."
9 But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them into doing things worse than those nations had done whom Yahweh had expelled before the Israelites.
10 So Yahweh spoke through the mouth of his servants, the prophets, saying,
11 "Manasseh, king of Judah, has multiplied the wretched practices and has acted worse than the Amorites. He has made the people of Judah sin with his repugnant images.
12 Therefore, I shall bring upon Jerusalem and upon Judah an evil so great that the ears of those who hear of it shall buzz.
13 Jerusalem and its kings shall suffer the fate of Samaria and of the family of Ahab. I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a plate to clean it, and then turns it upside down.
14 I shall drive away the rest of my people and give them over into the hands of their enemies so that they shall become their prey and booty.
15 For they did what displeased me and made me angry from the day when their fathers came out of Egypt to this day."
16 Manasseh also shed innocent blood in such quantity that it filled up Jerusalem from one end to the other, besides the sins which he made Judah commit, doing what is wrong in the sight of Yahweh.
17 The rest regarding Manasseh, all that he did and the sins he committed, is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.
18 When Manasseh died, they buried him in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza, and his son Amon reigned in his place.
19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began his reign, and he reigned for two years in Jerusalem; his mother's name was Meshullemeth, daughter of Haruz, of the city of Jotbah.
20 He treated Yahweh badly, as his father Manasseh had done.
21 He completely followed in the footsteps of his father - he served the idols his father had served and bowed down before them.
22 He abandoned Yahweh, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of Yahweh.
23 The officials of Amon conspired against him, and murdered him in his house.
24 But the citizens killed all who had plotted against the king, and they proclaimed his son Josiah king in his place.
25 The rest regarding Amon and all that he did is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.
26 They buried him in his tomb, in the garden of Uzza, and his son Josiah reigned in his place.
Versículos relacionados com 2 Kings, 21:
Chapter 21 of 2 kings describes the reign of King Manasseh, who was one of the worst kings of Judah. He practiced idolatry and did bad things in the eyes of the Lord, leading Judah to sin. Manasseh also built pagan altars inside the temple in Jerusalem and even sacrificed his own son in one of these altars. Below are five verses from other Bible books that relate to the topics addressed in 2 Kings 21:
Deuteronomy 18:10-12: "It will not be found among you who makes fire to your son or daughter, neither guessor, nor prognizing, nor a sorcerer; nor charming, nor who to consult a guessor spirit, nor magic nor who to consult the dead; for everyone who does these things is abominable to the Lord. " This verse highlights the prohibition of pagan and superstitious practices, such as sacrificing children, consulting grounds or doing witchcraft, which were committed by King Manasseh.
2 Chronicles 33:11-13: "From what the Lord brought upon them the chiefs of the Army of the King of Assyria, who arrested Manasseh with hooks, and tied him with bronze chains, and took him to Babylon. He in anguish, begged his God to the Lord, and humid Himself very much before the God of his parents; and he addressed his prayers, and the Lord has placated with Him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem, to his kingdom. " This verse describes the punishment that God sent upon Manasseh for His sins, but also highlights the mercy and forgiveness of God when the king repented and cried to him.
Proverbs 22:6: "Instructs the boy on the way he should walk, and even when he gets old, he will not deviate from him." This verse highlights the importance of children's education and formation in the faith and in the right values from an early age, something that Manasseh has failed to sacrifice his own son and allow idolatry in Judah.
Exodus 34:14: "For thou shalt not lean before another God; for the Lord, whose name is zealous, is the zealous God." This verse highlights the exclusivity of the worship of the true God, and the prohibition of worshiping other gods, something that Manasseh violated by adopting idolatry.
Isaiah 55:7: "Leave the wicked to his way, and the evil man his thoughts, and convert to the Lord, to be sympathized with him; and return to our God, for he is rich in forgiving." This verse highlights the possibility of repentance and conversion, something that King Manasseh has not done in 2 kings 21. The message is clear: even those who are considered wicked or evil can turn to God and be forgiven.
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