| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. | 1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. |
| 2He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. | 2And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. |
| 3He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. | 3For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he raised up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. And he worshiped and served all the host of heaven. |
| 4He built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, "My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever." | 4Manasseh also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” |
| 5In both courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts. | 5In both courtyards of the house of the LORD, he built altars to all the host of heaven. |
| 6He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger. | 6He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. |
| 7He took the image he had made and put it in God's temple, of which God 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 forever. | 7Manasseh even took the carved image he had made and set it up in the house of God, of which God had said to David and his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever. |
| 8I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land I assigned to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and regulations given through Moses." | 8I will never again cause the feet of the Israelites to leave the land that I assigned to your fathers, if only they are careful to do all that I have commanded them through Moses—all the laws, statutes, and judgments.” |
| 9But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites. | 9So Manasseh led the people of Judah and Jerusalem astray, so that they did greater evil than the nations that the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites. |
| 10The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. | 10And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they did not listen. |
| 11So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. | 11So the LORD brought against them the military commanders of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon. |
| 12In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. | 12And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers. |
| 13And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God. | 13And when he prayed to Him, the LORD received his plea and heard his petition; so He brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God. |
| 14Afterward he rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David, west of the Gihon spring in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate and encircling the hill of Ophel; he also made it much higher. He stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah. | 14After this, Manasseh rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David from west of Gihon in the valley to the entrance of the Fish Gate, and he brought it around the hill of Ophel and heightened it considerably. He also stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah. |
| 15He got rid of the foreign gods and removed the image from the temple of the LORD, as well as all the altars he had built on the temple hill and in Jerusalem; and he threw them out of the city. | 15He removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, along with all the altars he had built on the temple mount and in Jerusalem, and he dumped them outside the city. |
| 16Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thank offerings on it, and told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel. | 16Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and he told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel. |
| 17The people, however, continued to sacrifice at the high places, but only to the LORD their God. | 17Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God. |
| 18The other events of Manasseh's reign, including his prayer to his God and the words the seers spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, are written in the annals of the kings of Israel. | 18As for the rest of the acts of Manasseh, along with his prayer to his God and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. |
| 19His prayer and how God was moved by his entreaty, as well as all his sins and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself--all these are written in the records of the seers. | 19His prayer and how God received his plea, as well as all his sin and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself, they are indeed written in the Records of the Seers. |
| 20Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried in his palace. And Amon his son succeeded him as king. | 20And Manasseh rested with his fathers and was buried at his palace. And his son Amon reigned in his place. |
| 21Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. | 21Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. |
| 22He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made. | 22And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon served and sacrificed to all the idols that his father Manasseh had made, |
| 23But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble himself before the LORD; Amon increased his guilt. | 23but he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done; instead, Amon increased his guilt. |
| 24Amon's officials conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace. | 24Then the servants of Amon conspired against him and killed him in his palace. |
| 25Then the people of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place. | 25But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place. |
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