Who was King Manasseh in the Bible?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Manasseh ruled over Judah for fifty-five years around 697–642 B.C., as documented in 2 Kings 21:1–18 and 2 Chronicles 33:1–20, also mentioned in Jeremiah 15:4. Despite being the son of the righteous King Hezekiah, Manasseh led Judah into deep idolatry and wickedness. His evil practices included child sacrifice, erecting altars to foreign gods, and promoting occult practices. God warned of impending disaster due to Judah's sins. Manasseh was captured by the Assyrians but repented during his captivity, leading to his restoration by God. Despite his repentance, his legacy of evil persisted, and his son, Amon, followed in his footsteps. Although not mentioned in the New Testament, Manasseh's story demonstrates God's forgiveness and mercy, even to the most sinful.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Manasseh was king of the southern kingdom, Judah, for fifty-five years from approximately 697 B.C. to 642 B.C. The details of his life are recorded in 2 Kings 21:1–18 and 2 Chronicles 33:1–20. He is also mentioned in Jeremiah 15:4.
• Manasseh was the son of one of Judah's few good kings, Hezekiah. Despite this relation, Manasseh "did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel" (2 Kings 21:2).
• Manasseh's actions impacted the rest of the kingdom. "Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray" (2 Chronicles 33:9). "He made Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the LORD" (2 Kings 21:16). These evil practices included child sacrifice; building altars to foreign gods in high places; erecting Asherah poles within the temple; worshiping the stars and heavenly bodies; and using fortune telling, omens, mediums, sorcery, and necromancers.
• Due to this turn away from the Lord, God warned that He would be "bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle… and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies" (2 Kings 21:12, 14). Despite these dire warnings, neither King Manasseh nor the people of Judah took heed, so God brought judgment. Second Chronicles 33:11 records that "the LORD brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon."
• During his imprisonment, Manasseh "entreated the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers" (2 Chronicles 33:12). God was moved by Manasseh's repentance and restored him to his role as king of Judah in Jerusalem. Upon his return, Manasseh built up the fortified cities, took down the altars to foreign gods, and even "commanded Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel" (2 Chronicles 33:16). "Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God" (2 Chronicles 33:17).
• King Manasseh had a true change of heart and tried to rectify the evil he had done. Unfortunately, his previous actions and leadership had consequences that could not be undone. His twenty-two-year-old son, Amon, inherited the throne upon Manasseh's death, and "he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as Manasseh his father had done" (2 Chronicles 33:22). Even with his repentance, Manasseh is remembered as a bad king who left an evil legacy.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• King Manasseh is not mentioned in the New Testament.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Despite his legacy, there is great hope in the story of Manasseh. The evil he committed is almost unfathomable. Second Kings 21:16 records that "Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another." The consistency and volume of violence he carried out in Jerusalem literally filled the streets with blood. He sacrificed his own sons on fiery altars in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom. He desecrated God's holy temple with foreign idols and caused an entire nation to turn away from God. And yet, when Manasseh cried out to God with a humble and repentant heart from the distress he rightfully deserved to suffer, God not only forgave him, but also restored him to power.

God is, indeed, "good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon [Him]" (Psalm 86:5). May each person feel encouraged to call upon the LORD to seek forgiveness, knowing "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

UNDERSTAND

• Manasseh ruled Judah for fifty-five years, leading the nation into deep idolatry and wickedness.
• King Manasseh's evil practices influenced widespread sin throughout Judah, leading to God's warnings of judgment.
• Captured by Assyrians, Manasseh repented and was restored, but his legacy of evil persisted through his son Amon.

REFLECT

• Are there areas in your own life where you've seen the consequences of your actions affecting others?
• How do you resonate with Manasseh's journey of repentance and restoration? How does his story inspire you to seek forgiveness and change in your own life?
• How does King Manasseh’s story shape your understanding of forgiveness and consequences?

ENGAGE

• How did Manasseh's reign influence the nation of Judah, and what does that teach us about the significance of leadership?
• Manasseh's story shows a dramatic change from evil to repentance. How did his repentance impact the people of Judah? Can people truly change?
• Despite Manasseh's repentance, his legacy of evil continued through his son, Amon. What lessons can we draw from this regarding the influence of parents on their children and the continuity of consequences?