2 Kings 21:1-18 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for fifty-five years. His mother's name was Hephzibah.

NSB⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for fifty-five years. His mother's name was Hephzibah. ² He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He copied the disgusting ways of those nations Jehovah sent out before the children of Israel. ³ He built the high places that Hezekiah his father destroyed. He made altars for Baal. Then he made an Asherah as Ahab, king of Israel, had done. Manasseh was a worshipper and servant of all the stars of heaven. ⁴ He built heathen altars in the Temple of Jehovah. The same Temple that Jehovah spoke of when he said: »In Jerusalem will I put my name.« ⁵ And he built altars for all the stars of heaven in the two outer courts of the Temple of Jehovah. ⁶ He made his own son pass through fire. He burned him as an offering to Molech. He practiced reading the future; gave positions to those who had control of spirits and to wonder-workers. He did much evil in the eyes of Jehovah and provoked him to anger. ⁷ He made an image of the goddess Asherah and set it in the Temple of Jehovah. This is the same Temple that Jehovah said to David and to Solomon his son: »In this house, and in Jerusalem, the town which I have made mine out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever (for a very long time). ⁸ »And never again will I send the feet of Israel wandering from the land that I gave to their fathers. If only they will take care to do all my orders, and obey all the law my servant Moses gave them.« ⁹ But they would not listen. Manasseh enticed them to do evil. In fact they committed more evil than the nations whom Jehovah destroyed before the children of Israel. ¹⁰ Jehovah said through his servants the prophets: ¹¹ »Manasseh king of Judah committed detestable sins. He did more evil than all the Amorites before him. He enticed Judah to do evil with his false gods. ¹² »‘Because of this,’ says Jehovah the God of Israel: ‘I will send such evil on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of all who hear of it will burn. ¹³ »‘The line of Samaria and the weight of Ahab will be stretched over Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be washed clean as a plate is washed, and turned over on its face. ¹⁴ »‘I will discard the rest of my heritage. I will give them into the hands of their enemies. They will take their property and their goods for themselves. ¹⁵ »‘Because they have done evil in my eyes. They moved me to anger from the day their fathers came out of Egypt till this day.’« ¹⁶ Even more, Manasseh killed many innocent men. He filled Jerusalem from one end to the other with blood. He also caused Judah to sin and do evil in the eyes of Jehovah. ¹⁷ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all he did, and his sins, are recorded in the book of the history of the kings of Judah. ¹⁸ So Manasseh went to rest with his fathers. He was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza. Amon his son became king in his place.