The King Who Undid Everything.

בֶּן־שְׁתֵּ֨ים עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה שָׁנָה֙ מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה בְמָלְכ֔וֹ וַחֲמִשִּׁ֤ים וְחָמֵשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֥ם אִמּ֖וֹ חֶפְצִי־בָֽהּ׃

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

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

[2] And he 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.

וַיָּ֗שָׁב וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ אֶת־הַבָּמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִבַּ֖ד חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ אָבִ֑יו וַיָּ֨קֶם מִזְבְּחֹ֜ת לַבַּ֗עַל וַיַּ֤עַשׂ אֲשֵׁרָה֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֗ה אַחְאָב֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ לְכָל־צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ד אֹתָֽם׃

[3] For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.

וּבָנָ֥ה מִזְבְּחֹ֖ת בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם אָשִׂ֥ים אֶת־שְׁמִֽי׃

[4] And he built altars in the house of the Lord , of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem will I put my name.”

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 .

וְהֶעֱבִ֤יר אֶת־בְּנוֹ֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ וְעוֹנֵ֣ן וְנִחֵ֔שׁ וְעָ֥שָׂה א֖וֹב וְיִדְּעֹנִ֑ים הִרְבָּ֗ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לְהַכְעִֽיס׃

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

וַיָּ֕שֶׂם אֶת־פֶּ֥סֶל הָאֲשֵׁרָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה בַּבַּ֗יִת אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־דָּוִד֙ וְאֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בְנ֔וֹ בַּבַּ֨יִת הַזֶּ֜ה וּבִירוּשָׁלִַ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּחַ֙רְתִּי֙ מִכֹּל֙ שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אָשִׂ֥ים אֶת־שְׁמִ֖י לְעוֹלָֽם׃

[7] And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the Lord 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 אֹסִ֗יף לְהָנִיד֙ רֶ֣גֶל יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לַֽאֲבוֹתָ֑ם רַ֣ק׀ אִם־יִשְׁמְר֣וּ לַעֲשׂ֗וֹת כְּכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֔ים וּלְכָל־הַ֨תּוֹרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה אֹתָ֖ם עַבְדִּ֥י מֹשֶֽׁה׃

[8] And I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander anymore out of the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the Law that my servant Moses commanded them.”

וְלֹ֖א שָׁמֵ֑עוּ וַיַּתְעֵ֤ם מְנַשֶּׁה֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת אֶת־הָרָ֔ע מִן־הַ֨גּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הִשְׁמִ֣יד יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[9] But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel.

וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה בְּיַד־עֲבָדָ֥יו הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃

[10] And the Lord said by his servants the prophets,

יַעַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֜ה מְנַשֶּׁ֤ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֙ הַתֹּעֵב֣וֹת הָאֵ֔לֶּה הֵרַ֕ע מִכֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֥וּ הָאֱמֹרִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְפָנָ֑יו וַיַּחֲטִ֥א גַֽם־אֶת־יְהוּדָ֖ה בְּגִלּוּלָֽיו׃ פ

[11] “Because Manasseh king of Judah has committed these abominations and has done things more evil than all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols,

לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הִנְנִי֙ מֵבִ֣יא רָעָ֔ה עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וִֽיהוּדָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ ׳כָּל־שֹׁמְעָיו׳ ״כָּל־שֹׁ֣מְעָ֔הּ״ תִּצַּ֖לְנָה שְׁתֵּ֥י אָזְנָֽיו׃

[12] therefore thus says the Lord , the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.

וְנָטִ֣יתִי עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם אֵ֚ת קָ֣ו שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן וְאֶת־מִשְׁקֹ֖לֶת בֵּ֣ית אַחְאָ֑ב וּמָחִ֨יתִי אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־יִמְחֶ֤ה אֶת־הַצַּלַּ֙חַת֙ מָחָ֔ה וְהָפַ֖ךְ עַל־פָּנֶֽיהָ׃

[13] And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria, and the plumb line of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.

וְנָטַשְׁתִּ֗י אֵ֚ת שְׁאֵרִ֣ית נַחֲלָתִ֔י וּנְתַתִּ֖ים בְּיַ֣ד אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֑ם וְהָי֥וּ לְבַ֛ז וְלִמְשִׁסָּ֖ה לְכָל־אֹיְבֵיהֶֽם׃

[14] And I will forsake the remnant of my heritage and give them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies,

יַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֤וּ אֶת־הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינַ֔י וַיִּהְי֥וּ מַכְעִסִ֖ים אֹתִ֑י מִן־הַיּ֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצְא֤וּ אֲבוֹתָם֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם וְעַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

[15] because they have done what is evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.”

וְגַם֩ דָּ֨ם נָקִ֜י שָׁפַ֤ךְ מְנַשֶּׁה֙ הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֔ד עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁר־מִלֵּ֥א אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם פֶּ֣ה לָפֶ֑ה לְבַ֤ד מֵֽחַטָּאתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶחֱטִ֣יא אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

[16] Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin that he made Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the Lord .

וְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֤י מְנַשֶּׁה֙ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְחַטָּאת֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֑א הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃

[17] Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and all that he did, and the sin that he committed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב מְנַשֶּׁה֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר בְּגַן־בֵּית֖וֹ בְּגַן־עֻזָּ֑א וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אָמ֥וֹן בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ

[18] And Manasseh slept with his fathers and was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza, and Amon his son reigned in his place.

בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וּשְׁתַּ֤יִם שָׁנָה֙ אָמ֣וֹן בְּמָלְכ֔וֹ וּשְׁתַּ֣יִם שָׁנִ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ מְשֻׁלֶּ֥מֶת בַּת־חָר֖וּץ מִן־יָטְבָֽה׃

[19] Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה אָבִֽיו׃

[20] And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord , as Manasseh his father had done.

וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ בְּכָל־הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֣ךְ אָבִ֑יו וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֗ד אֶת־הַגִּלֻּלִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָבַ֣ד אָבִ֔יו וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ לָהֶֽם׃

[21] He walked in all the way in which his father walked and served the idols that his father served and worshiped them.

וַיַּעֲזֹ֕ב אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א הָלַ֖ךְ בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ יְהוָֽה׃

[22] He abandoned the Lord , the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the Lord .

וַיִּקְשְׁר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי־אָמ֖וֹן עָלָ֑יו וַיָּמִ֥יתוּ אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בְּבֵיתֽוֹ׃

[23] And the servants of Amon conspired against him and put the king to death in his house.

וַיַּךְ֙ עַם־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַקֹּשְׁרִ֖ים עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אָמ֑וֹן וַיַּמְלִ֧יכוּ עַם־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֶת־יֹאשִׁיָּ֥הוּ בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

[24] 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.

וְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י אָמ֖וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃

[25] Now the rest of the acts of Amon that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

וַיִּקְבְֹּ֥ר אֹת֛וֹ בִּקְבֻרָת֖וֹ בְּגַן־עֻזָּ֑א וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יֹאשִׁיָּ֥הוּ בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ

[26] And he was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza, and Josiah his son reigned in his place.