2 דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים 33

1 בֶּן־שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֛ה שָׁנָ֖ה מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה בְמָלְכֹ֑ו וַחֲמִשִּׁ֤ים וְחָמֵשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

Manasseh was twelve when he became king, and he reigned in for Jerusalem fifty-five years.

2 וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כְּתֹֽועֲבֹות֙ הַגֹּויִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הֹורִ֣ישׁ יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

He did evil in the Lord's sight by following the disgusting religious practices of the nations that the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.

3 וַיָּ֗שָׁב וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ אֶת־הַבָּמֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִתַּ֖ץ יְחִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ אָבִ֑יו וַיָּ֨קֶם מִזְבְּחֹ֤ות לַבְּעָלִים֙ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֲשֵׁרֹ֔ות וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ לְכָל־צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ד אֹתָֽם׃

He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he made altars for the Baals and set up Asherah poles. He worshiped the sun, moon, and stars and served them.

4 וּבָנָ֥ה מִזְבְּחֹ֖ות בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בִּירוּשָׁלַ֥͏ִם יִֽהְיֶה־שְּׁמִ֖י לְעֹולָֽם׃

He built altars in the Lord's Temple, about which the Lord had said, “I shall be honored in Jerusalem forever.”

5 וַיִּ֥בֶן מִזְבְּחֹ֖ות לְכָל־צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם בִּשְׁתֵּ֖י חַצְרֹ֥ות בֵּית־יְהוָֽה׃

He built these altars to worship the sun, moon, and stars in both courtyards of the Lord's Temple.

6 וְהוּא֩ הֶעֱבִ֨יר אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו בָּאֵשׁ֙ בְּגֵ֣י בֶן־הִנֹּ֔ם וְעֹונֵ֤ן וְנִחֵשׁ֙ וְֽכִשֵּׁ֔ף וְעָ֥שָׂה אֹ֖וב וְיִדְּעֹונִ֑י הִרְבָּ֗ה לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לְהַכְעִיסֹֽו׃

He sacrificed his children by burning them to death in the Valley of Ben-hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and visited mediums and spiritists. He did a great deal of evil in the Lord's sight, making him angry.

7 וַיָּ֕שֶׂם אֶת־פֶּ֥סֶל הַסֶּ֖מֶל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה בְּבֵ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־דָּוִיד֙ וְאֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בְנֹ֔ו בַּבַּ֨יִת הַזֶּ֜ה וּבִֽירוּשָׁלַ֗͏ִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּחַ֙רְתִּי֙ מִכֹּל֙ שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אָשִׂ֥ים אֶת־שְׁמִ֖י לְעֵילֹֽום׃

He took a pagan idol he had made and set it up in God's Temple, about which God had told David and his son Solomon, “I will be honored forever in this Temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel.

8 וְלֹ֣א אֹוסִ֗יף לְהָסִיר֙ אֶת־רֶ֣גֶל יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵעַל֙ הֽ͏ָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶֽעֱמַ֖דְתִּי לַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם רַ֣ק ׀ אִם־יִשְׁמְר֣וּ לַעֲשֹׂ֗ות אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֔ים לְכָל־הַתֹּורָ֛ה וְהַֽחֻקִּ֥ים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֖ים בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃

If the Israelites are careful to follow everything I have instructed them to do—all the laws, commandments, and regulations, given through Moses—then I will not make them leave the land I granted your forefathers.”

9 וַיֶּ֣תַע מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה אֶת־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם לַעֲשֹׂ֣ות רָ֔ע מִן־הַ֨גֹּויִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הִשְׁמִ֣יד יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

But Manasseh seduced Judah and the people of Jerusalem, leading them to commit even worse sins than the nations the Lord had destroyed before Israelites.

10 וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה וְאֶל־עַמֹּ֖ו וְלֹ֥א הִקְשִֽׁיבוּ׃

The Lord warned Manasseh and his people, but they ignored him.

11 וַיָּבֵ֨א יְהוָ֜ה עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם אֶת־שָׂרֵ֤י הַצָּבָא֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר וַיִּלְכְּד֥וּ אֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה בַּחֹחִ֑ים וַיַּֽאַסְרֻ֙הוּ֙ בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם וַיֹּולִיכֻ֖הוּ בָּבֶֽלָה׃

So the Lord sent the armies of Assyria with their commanders to attack them. The Assyrians captured Manasseh, put a hook through his nose, put bronze shackles on him, and took him away to Babylon.

12 וּכְהָצֵ֣ר לֹ֔ו חִלָּ֕ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיִּכָּנַ֣ע מְאֹ֔ד מִלִּפְנֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹתָֽיו׃

In his misery, asked the Lord God for help, repenting for his arrogance before the God of his forefathers.

13 וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֣ל אֵלָ֗יו וַיֵּעָ֤תֶר לֹו֙ וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע תְּחִנָּתֹ֔ו וַיְשִׁיבֵ֥הוּ יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לְמַלְכוּתֹ֑ו וַיֵּ֣דַע מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה ה֥וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים׃

He prayed and prayed, and the Lord listened to his pleadings, so the Lord brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh was convinced that the Lord is God.

14 וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֡ן בָּנָ֣ה חֹומָ֣ה חִֽיצֹונָ֣ה ׀ לְעִיר־דָּוִ֡יד מַעְרָבָה֩ לְגִיחֹ֨ון בַּנַּ֜חַל וְלָבֹ֨וא בְשַׁ֤עַר הַדָּגִים֙ וְסָבַ֣ב לָעֹ֔פֶל וַיַּגְבִּיהֶ֖הָ מְאֹ֑ד וַיָּ֧שֶׂם שָֽׂרֵי־חַ֛יִל בְּכָל־הֶעָרִ֥ים הַבְּצֻרֹ֖ות בִּיהוּדָֽה׃

After this, Manasseh rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David from west of Gihon in the valley to the Fish Gate, and around the hill of Ophel, and made it much higher. He also assigned army commanders to all the fortified towns of Judah.

15 וַ֠יָּסַר אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֨י הַנֵּכָ֤ר וְאֶת־הַסֶּ֙מֶל֙ מִבֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וְכָל־הַֽמִּזְבְּחֹ֗ות אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנָ֛ה בְּהַ֥ר בֵּית־יְהוָ֖ה וּבִירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַיַּשְׁלֵ֖ךְ ח֥וּצָה לָעִֽיר׃

He disposed of the foreign gods and the idol from the Lord's Temple, together with all the altars he had built on the Temple hill and in Jerusalem, throwing all of them outside the city.

16 וַיָּכֶן (וַיִּ֙בֶן֙) אֶת־מִזְבַּ֣ח יְהוָ֔ה וַיִּזְבַּ֣ח עָלָ֔יו זִבְחֵ֥י שְׁלָמִ֖ים וְתֹודָ֑ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לִֽיהוּדָ֔ה לַעֲבֹ֕וד אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Then he restored the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed friendship offerings and thank offerings on it, and he instructed Judah to worship the Lord, the God of Israel.

17 אֲבָל֙ עֹ֣וד הָעָ֔ם זֹבְחִ֖ים בַּבָּמֹ֑ות רַ֖ק לַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃

But the people still sacrificed on the high places, but only to the Lord their God.

18 וְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁה֮ וּתְפִלָּתֹ֣ו אֶל־אֱלֹהָיו֒ וְדִבְרֵי֙ הַֽחֹזִ֔ים הַֽמְדַבְּרִ֣ים אֵלָ֔יו בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הִנָּ֕ם עַל־דִּבְרֵ֖י מַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

The rest of what Manasseh did, along with his prayer to his God and what he was told by the seers who spoke on the Lord's behalf are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

19 וּתְפִלָּתֹ֣ו וְהֵֽעָתֶר־לֹו֮ וְכָל־חַטָּאתֹ֣ו וּמַעְלֹו֒ וְהַמְּקֹמֹ֗ות אֲשֶׁר֩ בָּנָ֨ה בָהֶ֤ם בָּמֹות֙ וְהֶעֱמִיד֙ הָאֲשֵׁרִ֣ים וְהַפְּסִלִ֔ים לִפְנֵ֖י הִכָּנְעֹ֑ו הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֔ים עַ֖ל דִּבְרֵ֥י חֹוזָֽי׃

His prayer and how God answered him, as well as all his sins and unfaithfulness, and where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he admitted he was wrong, are recorded in the Records of the Seers.

20 וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב מְנַשֶּׁה֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֖הוּ בֵּיתֹ֑ו וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אָמֹ֥ון בְּנֹ֖ו תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ

Manasseh died and was buried at his palace. His son Amon took over as king.

21 בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֧ים וּשְׁתַּ֛יִם שָׁנָ֖ה אָמֹ֣ון בְּמָלְכֹ֑ו וּשְׁתַּ֣יִם שָׁנִ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ בִּֽירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

Amon was twenty-two when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for two years.

22 וַיַּ֤עַשׂ הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה אָבִ֑יו וּֽלְכָל־הַפְּסִילִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשָׂה֙ מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה אָבִ֔יו זִבַּ֥ח אָמֹ֖ון וַיַּֽעַבְדֵֽם׃

He did evil in the Lord's sight just as his father Manasseh had. Amon worshiped and sacrificed to all the idols his father Manasseh had made.

23 וְלֹ֤א נִכְנַע֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה כְּהִכָּנַ֖ע מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה אָבִ֑יו כִּ֛י ה֥וּא אָמֹ֖ון הִרְבָּ֥ה אַשְׁמָֽה׃

However, he did not admit his pride before the Lord as his father Manasseh had done—in fact Amon made his guilt even worse.

24 וַיִּקְשְׁר֤וּ עָלָיו֙ עֲבָדָ֔יו וַיְמִיתֻ֖הוּ בְּבֵיתֹֽו׃

Then Amon's officials plotted against him and killed him in his palace.

25 וַיַּכּוּ֙ עַם־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַקֹּֽשְׁרִ֖ים עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אָמֹ֑ון וַיַּמְלִ֧יכוּ עַם־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֶת־יֹאשִׁיָּ֥הוּ בְנֹ֖ו תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ

But the people of the land killed everyone who had plotted against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king.