The Worst King Who Got a Second Chance.

בֶּן־שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֛ה שָׁנָ֖ה מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה בְמָלְכ֑וֹ וַחֲמִשִּׁ֤ים וְחָמֵשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

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

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כְּתֽוֹעֲבוֹת֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹרִ֣ישׁ יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[2] And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord , according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.

וַיָּ֗שָׁב וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ אֶת־הַבָּמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִתַּ֖ץ יְחִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ אָבִ֑יו וַיָּ֨קֶם מִזְבְּח֤וֹת לַבְּעָלִים֙ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֲשֵׁר֔וֹת וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ לְכָל־צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ד אֹתָֽם׃

[3] For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had broken down, and he erected altars to the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.

וּבָנָ֥ה מִזְבְּח֖וֹת בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֥ם יִֽהְיֶה־שְּׁמִ֖י לְעוֹלָֽם׃

[4] And he built altars in the house of the Lord , of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem shall my name be forever.”

וַיִּ֥בֶן מִזְבְּח֖וֹת לְכָל־צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם בִּשְׁתֵּ֖י חַצְר֥וֹת בֵּית־יְהוָֽה׃

[5] And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord .

וְהוּא֩ הֶעֱבִ֨יר אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו בָּאֵשׁ֙ בְּגֵ֣י בֶן־הִנֹּ֔ם וְעוֹנֵ֤ן וְנִחֵשׁ֙ וְֽכִשֵּׁ֔ף וְעָ֥שָׂה א֖וֹב וְיִדְּעוֹנִ֑י הִרְבָּ֗ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לְהַכְעִיסֽוֹ׃

[6] And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord , provoking him to anger.

וַיָּ֕שֶׂם אֶת־פֶּ֥סֶל הַסֶּ֖מֶל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה בְּבֵ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־דָּוִיד֙ וְאֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בְנ֔וֹ בַּבַּ֨יִת הַזֶּ֜ה וּבִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּחַ֙רְתִּי֙ מִכֹּל֙ שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אָשִׂ֥ים אֶת־שְׁמִ֖י לְעֵילֽוֹם׃

[7] And the carved image of the idol that he had made he set in the house of God, of which God said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever,

וְלֹ֣א אוֹסִ֗יף לְהָסִיר֙ אֶת־רֶ֣גֶל יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵעַל֙ הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶֽעֱמַ֖דְתִּי לַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם רַ֣ק׀ אִם־יִשְׁמְר֣וּ לַעֲשׂ֗וֹת אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֔ים לְכָל־הַתּוֹרָ֛ה וְהַֽחֻקִּ֥ים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֖ים בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃

[8] and I will no more remove the foot of Israel from the land that I appointed for your fathers, if only they will be careful to do all that I have commanded them, all the law, the statutes, and the rules given through Moses.”

וַיֶּ֣תַע מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה אֶת־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת רָ֔ע מִן־הַ֨גּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הִשְׁמִ֣יד יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

[9] Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel.

וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה וְאֶל־עַמּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֥א הִקְשִֽׁיבוּ׃

[10] The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention.

וַיָּבֵ֨א יְהוָ֜ה עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם אֶת־שָׂרֵ֤י הַצָּבָא֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר וַיִּלְכְּד֥וּ אֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה בַּחֹחִ֑ים וַיַּֽאַסְרֻ֙הוּ֙ בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם וַיּוֹלִיכֻ֖הוּ בָּבֶֽלָה׃

[11] Therefore 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.

וּכְהָצֵ֣ר ל֔וֹ חִלָּ֕ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיִּכָּנַ֣ע מְאֹ֔ד מִלִּפְנֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹתָֽיו׃

[12] And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֣ל אֵלָ֗יו וַיֵּעָ֤תֶר לוֹ֙ וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע תְּחִנָּת֔וֹ וַיְשִׁיבֵ֥הוּ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם לְמַלְכוּת֑וֹ וַיֵּ֣דַע מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה ה֥וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים׃

[13] He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.

וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֡ן בָּנָ֣ה חוֹמָ֣ה חִֽיצוֹנָ֣ה׀ לְעִיר־דָּוִ֡יד מַעְרָבָה֩ לְגִיח֨וֹן בַּנַּ֜חַל וְלָב֨וֹא בְשַׁ֤עַר הַדָּגִים֙ וְסָבַ֣ב לָעֹ֔פֶל וַיַּגְבִּיהֶ֖הָ מְאֹ֑ד וַיָּ֧שֶׂם שָֽׂרֵי־חַ֛יִל בְּכָל־הֶעָרִ֥ים הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת בִּיהוּדָֽה׃

[14] Afterward he built an outer wall for the city of David west of Gihon, in the valley, and for the entrance into the Fish Gate, and carried it around Ophel, and raised it to a very great height. He also put commanders of the army in all the fortified cities in Judah.

וַ֠יָּסַר אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֨י הַנֵּכָ֤ר וְאֶת־הַסֶּ֙מֶל֙ מִבֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וְכָל־הַֽמִּזְבְּח֗וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנָ֛ה בְּהַ֥ר בֵּית־יְהוָ֖ה וּבִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַיַּשְׁלֵ֖ךְ ח֥וּצָה לָעִֽיר׃

[15] And he took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord , and all the altars that he had built on the mountain of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside of the city.

׳וַיָּכֶן׳ ״וַיִּ֙בֶן֙״ אֶת־מִזְבַּ֣ח יְהוָ֔ה וַיִּזְבַּ֣ח עָלָ֔יו זִבְחֵ֥י שְׁלָמִ֖ים וְתוֹדָ֑ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לִֽיהוּדָ֔ה לַעֲב֕וֹד אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[16] He also restored the altar of the Lord and offered on it sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and he commanded Judah to serve the Lord , the God of Israel.

אֲבָל֙ ע֣וֹד הָעָ֔ם זֹבְחִ֖ים בַּבָּמ֑וֹת רַ֖ק לַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃

[17] Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the Lord their God.

וְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁה֮ וּתְפִלָּת֣וֹ אֶל־אֱלֹהָיו֒ וְדִבְרֵי֙ הַֽחֹזִ֔ים הַֽמְדַבְּרִ֣ים אֵלָ֔יו בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הִנָּ֕ם עַל־דִּבְרֵ֖י מַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[18] Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord , the God of Israel, behold, they are in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

וּתְפִלָּת֣וֹ וְהֵֽעָתֶר־לוֹ֮ וְכָל־חַטָּאת֣וֹ וּמַעְלוֹ֒ וְהַמְּקֹמ֗וֹת אֲשֶׁר֩ בָּנָ֨ה בָהֶ֤ם בָּמוֹת֙ וְהֶעֱמִיד֙ הָאֲשֵׁרִ֣ים וְהַפְּסִלִ֔ים לִפְנֵ֖י הִכָּנְע֑וֹ הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֔ים עַ֖ל דִּבְרֵ֥י חוֹזָֽי׃

[19] And his prayer, and how God was moved by his entreaty, and all his sin and his faithlessness, and the sites on which he built high places and set up the Asherim and the images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the Chronicles of the Seers.

וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב מְנַשֶּׁה֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֖הוּ בֵּית֑וֹ וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אָמ֥וֹן בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ

[20] So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his house, and Amon his son reigned in his place.

בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֧ים וּשְׁתַּ֛יִם שָׁנָ֖ה אָמ֣וֹן בְּמָלְכ֑וֹ וּשְׁתַּ֣יִם שָׁנִ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ בִּֽירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

[21] Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.

וַיַּ֤עַשׂ הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה אָבִ֑יו וּֽלְכָל־הַפְּסִילִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשָׂה֙ מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה אָבִ֔יו זִבַּ֥ח אָמ֖וֹן וַיַּֽעַבְדֵֽם׃

[22] And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord , as Manasseh his father had done. Amon sacrificed to all the images that Manasseh his father had made, and served them.

וְלֹ֤א נִכְנַע֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה כְּהִכָּנַ֖ע מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה אָבִ֑יו כִּ֛י ה֥וּא אָמ֖וֹן הִרְבָּ֥ה אַשְׁמָֽה׃

[23] And he did not humble himself before the Lord , as Manasseh his father had humbled himself, but this Amon incurred guilt more and more.

וַיִּקְשְׁר֤וּ עָלָיו֙ עֲבָדָ֔יו וַיְמִיתֻ֖הוּ בְּבֵיתֽוֹ׃

[24] And his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his house.

וַיַּכּוּ֙ עַם־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַקֹּֽשְׁרִ֖ים עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אָמ֑וֹן וַיַּמְלִ֧יכוּ עַם־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֶת־יֹאשִׁיָּ֥הוּ בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ

[25] But the people of the land struck down all those who had conspired against King Amon. And the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.