Manasseh King of Judah^(A)(B)

21 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.^{(C) 2} He did evil^(D) in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices^(E) of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. ³ He rebuilt the high places^(F) his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal^(G) and made an Asherah pole,^(H) as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts^(I) and worshiped them. ⁴ He built altars^(J) in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put my Name.”^{(K) 5} In the two courts^(L) of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. ⁶ He sacrificed his own son^(M) in the fire, practiced divination,^(N) sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists.^(O) He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing^(P) his anger.

⁷ He took the carved Asherah pole^(Q) he had made and put it in the temple,^(R) of which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name^(S) forever. ⁸ I will not again^(T) make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I gave their ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them and will keep the whole Law that my servant Moses^(U) gave them.” ⁹ But the people did not listen. Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil^(V) than the nations^(W) the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.

¹⁰ The Lord said through his servants the prophets: ¹¹ “Manasseh king of Judah has committed these detestable sins. He has done more evil^(X) than the Amorites^(Y) who preceded him and has led Judah into sin with his idols.^{(Z) 12} Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster^(AA) on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.^{(AB) 13} I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line^(AC) used against the house of Ahab. I will wipe^(AD) out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. ¹⁴ I will forsake^(AE) the remnant^(AF) of my inheritance and give them into the hands of enemies. They will be looted and plundered by all their enemies; ¹⁵ they have done evil^(AG) in my eyes and have aroused^(AH) my anger from the day their ancestors came out of Egypt until this day.”

¹⁶ Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood^(AI) that he filled Jerusalem from end to end—besides the sin that he had caused Judah^(AJ) to commit, so that they did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

¹⁷ As for the other events of Manasseh’s reign, and all he did, including the sin he committed, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? ¹⁸ Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried in his palace garden,^(AK) the garden of Uzza. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.

Amon King of Judah^(AL)

¹⁹ Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz; she was from Jotbah. ²⁰ He did evil^(AM) in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. ²¹ He followed completely the ways of his father, worshiping the idols his father had worshiped, and bowing down to them. ²² He forsook^(AN) the Lord, the God of his ancestors, and did not walk^(AO) in obedience to him.

²³ Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated^(AP) the king in his palace. ²⁴ Then the people of the land killed^(AQ) all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah^(AR) his son king in his place.

²⁵ As for the other events of Amon’s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? ²⁶ He was buried in his tomb in the garden^(AS) of Uzza. And Josiah his son succeeded him as king.

The Book of the Law Found^(AT)

22 Josiah^(AU) was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.^{(AV) 2} He did what was right^(AW) in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right^(AX) or to the left.

³ In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan^(AY) son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the Lord. He said: ⁴ “Go up to Hilkiah^(AZ) the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the Lord, which the doorkeepers have collected^(BA) from the people. ⁵ Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair^(BB) the temple of the Lord— ⁶ the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple.^{(BC) 7} But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings.”^(BD)

⁸ Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law^(BE) in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. ⁹ Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.” ¹⁰ Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.^(BF)

¹¹ When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law,^(BG) he tore his robes. ¹² He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam^(BH) son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant:^{(BI) 13} “Go and inquire^(BJ) of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger^(BK) that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”

¹⁴ Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet^(BL) Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.

¹⁵ She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, ¹⁶ ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster^(BM) on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book^(BN) the king of Judah has read. ¹⁷ Because they have forsaken^(BO) me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made,^[a] my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’ ¹⁸ Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire^(BP) of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: ¹⁹ Because your heart was responsive and you humbled^(BQ) yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse^[b](BR) and be laid waste^(BS)—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace.^(BT) Your eyes^(BU) will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’”

So they took her answer back to the king.