2 Kings 21

1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem; his mother's name was Hephzi-bah.

2He did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, like the abominations of the nations that Yahweh had driven out before the sons of Israel.

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

4He built altars in the house of Yahweh, which Yahweh said, "In Jerusalem I will place my name."

5He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of Yahweh.

6He passed his son through the fire, practiced augury and divination, and consulted familiar spirits and wizards; he multiplied evil in the sight of Yahweh to anger him.

7He set the carved image of Asherah, which he had made, in the house about which Yahweh said to David and to Solomon his son, "In this house and in Jerusalem, which I chose from all the tribes of Israel, I will place my name forever."

8I will not again cause Israel's feet to wander from the land I gave their fathers, only if they take care to do everything I commanded them and everything in the law that my servant Moses commanded them.

9But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do evil worse than the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the sons of Israel.

10Yahweh spoke through his servants the prophets, saying,

11Because Manasseh, king of Judah, committed these abominations and did more evil than all that the Amorites—who preceded him—did, he also caused Judah to sin with his idols.

12Therefore thus says Yahweh, God of Israel: “Behold, I am bringing calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah, such that whoever hears it, both his ears will tingle.”

13I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of Ahab's house, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it over onto its face.

14I will cast off the remnant of my inheritance and give them into the hand of their enemies, and they will become prey and spoil to all their enemies.

15Because they have done evil in my eyes and have been provoking me since the day their fathers came out of Egypt until this day.

16Moreover, Manasseh poured innocent blood abundantly and exceedingly until he filled Jerusalem from end to end, apart from his sin by which he caused Judah to sin, in doing evil in the eyes of Yahweh.

17The rest of Manasseh's deeds, all that he did, and his sin that he committed—are they not recorded in the book of the daily events of Judah's kings?

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

19Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he ruled two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Meshullemeth, daughter of Haruz from Jotbah.

20He did evil in Yahweh's sight, as his father Manasseh had done.

21He walked in every way his father had walked, served the idols his father had served, and bowed down to them.

22He forsook Yahweh, God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of Yahweh.

23Amon's servants conspired against him and killed the king in his house.

24The people of the land struck down all the conspirators against King Amon, and the people of the land made his son Josiah king in his place.

25The rest of Amon's deeds that he accomplished—are they not recorded in the book of the daily events of the kings of Judah?

26He was buried in his grave in the garden of Uzza, and Josiah his son reigned after him.