History · Chapter 33 of 36

2 Chronicles 33

Manasseh reigns fifty-five years and does great evil, rebuilding high places, worshiping the host of heaven, sacrificing his children, and setting an idol in the temple. God warns but he ignores it, so Assyria takes him captive to Babylon. In affliction he humbles himself and prays, and God restores him. He removes the idols. His son Amon does evil but refuses to repent and is killed.

What happens in 2 Chronicles 33

Manasseh becomes king at twelve and reigns fifty-five years, doing evil like the nations God cast out. He rebuilds the high places, raises altars to Baal, worships the host of heaven, builds altars in the LORD's house, passes his children through fire, practices sorcery, and sets a carved idol in God's house. He leads Judah to do worse than the heathen. God speaks, but they will not listen, so He brings the Assyrian captains, who take Manasseh with hooks, bind him, and carry him to Babylon.

In his distress Manasseh humbles himself greatly and prays. God is entreated, hears, and brings him back to Jerusalem. Then Manasseh knows the LORD is God. He removes the foreign gods and the idol, repairs the altar, and commands Judah to serve the LORD. He dies, and his son Amon reigns two years doing evil, but unlike his father does not humble himself; his servants kill him, and Josiah is made king.

2 Chronicles 33 in context

Manasseh was Judah's longest-reigning and most notorious king, ruling about 697 to 643 BC. Kings records his evil without his repentance; Chronicles alone preserves his humbling and restoration, likely from other court records, to make him the supreme example that no sinner is beyond God's mercy when he truly repents.

His captivity fits the Assyrian practice of summoning rebellious vassal kings.

Main themes of 2 Chronicles 33

2 Chronicles 33 (KJV)

1Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: 2But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. 4Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. 5And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 7And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: 8Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses. 9So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. 10And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. 11Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 12And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13And 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. 14Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah. 15And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. 16And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. 17Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only. 18Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel. 19His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers. 20So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead. 21Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them; 23And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more. 24And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house. 25But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.

Verses to carry from 2 Chronicles 33

“And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.”2 Chronicles 33:6

“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

“And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.”2 Chronicles 33:23

Reflection

If Manasseh could be forgiven, no one is beyond God's mercy, not you, and not the person you have given up on. Yet his son's hard end warns that mercy delayed can become mercy refused. Where has God been speaking that you have not heard? Do not wait for captivity to humble you.

A prayer from 2 Chronicles 33