Manasseh King of Judah

2022-11-10

Manasseh son of Hezekiah became king when his father died. He was a boy of 12 years when he became king and had an unfortunate 55 years of reigning over Judah. “And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel” (2 Kings 21:2). He murdered his own children in child sacrifice and was into seances and magic. He worshipped stars and set up idols in the Temple. He shed much innocent blood. He was more wicked than the Canaanites that preceded the Hebrews, whose evil caused their own demise.

The LORD warned him to no avail. With his severe evil came consequences: “Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle” (2 Kings 21:12).

At some point, the Assyrians seized Manasseh and took him to Babylon. “And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 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 33:12-13). Upon his return, the king did clean up some of the idols and wickedness that he had done. His prayer of repentance was recorded; perhaps the apocryphal Prayer of Manasseh is it? We do not know for sure.

It is a wonderful thing to see such a wayward wicked man turn around like that to serve the Lord. This gives us wicked sinners before the Lord hope as well. However, while repentance to the Lord and trusting in Him wipe away eternal consequences of sin, it does not wipe away the consequences in this life. Millions of people across many generations were affected by his poor, wicked decisions.

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. (2 Kings 23:26)

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; And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon. (2 Kings 24:3-4)

And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 15:4)

This is a part of the Kings of Judah series. To go back to the table of contents, proceed here.