Manasseh
Summary
The longest-reigning king of Judah, fifty-five years, and the most wicked, who practiced child sacrifice and sorcery and built altars to Baal throughout Jerusalem. Assyria took him captive, he repented, and God restored him, and he removed the idols.
- Among the passages here, Manasseh is first named in 2 Kings 21:1: “Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem…”
- The record places Manasseh in Divided Kingdom.
- 143 verses name Manasseh, in 16 books.
- 6 moments stand in order on this page, each with its verse.
On this page
Start here
And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers.
2 Chronicles 33:12-13→- 6 key events in order
- 143 verses name Manasseh, across 16 books
In Scripture
- Verses
- 143
- Books
- 16
Manasseh
- Role
- 14th King of Judah
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
- Dates
- 697–642 BC
- Tribe
- Judah
- Father
- Hezekiah
- Children
- Amon
The life in order
from the events the row records, with the first and last verse that names the person among the passages this page stands on
1Where the passages this page records open
2What the record holds, in its own order
- Rebuilt the high places2 Kings 21:3For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.
- Child sacrifice2 Kings 21:6He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
- Idol in the Temple2 Kings 21:7Manasseh even took the carved Asherah pole he had made and set it up in the temple, of which the LORD 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.
- Captured by Assyria2 Chronicles 33:11So 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.
- Genuine repentance in captivity2 Chronicles 33:12-13And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers.
- Restored and reformed2 Chronicles 33:14-16After 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.
3Where the passages this page records close
Biography
Manasseh reigned an extraordinary 55 years — the longest of any king of Judah — and for most of that reign led the nation into depths of evil that surpassed even the Canaanites. He rebuilt the high places Hezekiah had destroyed, erected altars to Baal, made an Asherah pole, worshipped the host of heaven, practiced sorcery and divination, consulted mediums and spiritists, and sacrificed his own sons in the Valley of Ben Hinnom.
He placed an Asherah idol in the Temple itself. Tradition holds he had the prophet Isaiah sawn in two. However, in a remarkable turn, the Assyrians captured him, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon. There, in his distress, Manasseh humbled himself before God with genuine repentance.
God heard him, brought him back to Jerusalem, and Manasseh then removed the foreign gods, repaired the Temple altar, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD — though the people continued sacrificing at the high places.
And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers.
What they got right, and what they got wrong
Strengths
Longest reign in Judah's history, genuine repentance and restoration, administrative skill
Weaknesses
Child sacrifice, sorcery, multiple forms of idolatry, probable martyrdom of prophets, worst spiritual corruption in Judah's history
Lessons
God's grace can reach anyone in any state of wickedness. Manasseh's repentance was genuine and God responded. But sin's consequences ripple beyond the sinner — the damage Manasseh did to Judah's culture could not be fully undone even by his own repentance or by Josiah's reforms.
Spiritual significance
Manasseh's story is one of the most remarkable in Scripture: the most wicked king of Judah became a repentant worshipper. It demonstrates that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace — but also that national sin has consequences that outlast personal repentance.
Manasseh in Scripture
Open a book to read its mentions here. Text: Berean Standard Bible. Names repeat in Scripture, so some of these verses may speak of another person called Manasseh. The two marks are drawn from the chapters this page's own references stand in.
Old TestamentNew Testamentsegment width = share of mentions
Old Testament14 books · 141 mentions
Genesis9 mentions
- Genesis 41:51Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.”
- Genesis 46:20Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
- Genesis 48:1Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
- Genesis 48:5And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.
- Genesis 48:13And Joseph took both of them—with Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand—and brought them close to him.
4 further mentions in Genesis, read them in the book.
Numbers18 mentions
- Numbers 1:10from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;
- Numbers 1:34And from the sons of Manasseh, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,
- Numbers 1:35those registered to the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200.
- Numbers 2:20The tribe of Manasseh will be next to it. The leader of the Manassites is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur,
- Numbers 10:23Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,
13 further mentions in Numbers, read them in the book.
Deuteronomy5 mentions
- Deuteronomy 3:13To the half-tribe of Manasseh I gave the rest of Gilead and all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og. (The entire region of Argob, the whole territory of Bashan, used to be called the land of the Rephaim.)
- Deuteronomy 3:14Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites. He renamed Bashan after himself, Havvoth-jair, by which it is called to this day.
- Deuteronomy 29:8We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
- Deuteronomy 33:17His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like those of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even to the ends of the earth. Such are the myriads of Ephraim, and such are the thousands of Manasseh.”
- Deuteronomy 34:2all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea,
Joshua38 mentions
- Joshua 1:12But to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said,
- Joshua 4:12The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over before the Israelites, armed for battle as Moses had instructed them.
- Joshua 12:6Moses, the servant of the LORD, and the Israelites had struck them down and given their land as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
- Joshua 13:7Now therefore divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
- Joshua 13:8The other half of Manasseh, along with the Reubenites and Gadites, had received the inheritance Moses had given them beyond the Jordan to the east, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had assigned to them:
33 further mentions in Joshua, read them in the book.
Judges6 mentions
- Judges 1:27At that time Manasseh failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and their villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land.
- Judges 6:15“Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I save Israel? Indeed, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”
- Judges 6:35Calling them to arms, Gideon sent messengers throughout Manasseh, as well as Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, so that they came up to meet him.
- Judges 7:23Then the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh, and they pursued the Midianites.
- Judges 11:29Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, then through Mizpah of Gilead. And from there he advanced against the Ammonites.
1 further mention in Judges, read them in the book.
1 Kings1 mention
2 Kings14 mentions
- 2 Kings 10:33from the Jordan eastward through all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh), and from Aroer by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.
- 2 Kings 20:21And Hezekiah rested with his fathers, and his son Manasseh reigned in his place.
- 2 Kings 21:1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.
- 2 Kings 21:4Manasseh also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My Name.”
- 2 Kings 21:7Manasseh even took the carved Asherah pole he had made and set it up in the temple, of which the LORD 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.
9 further mentions in 2 Kings, read them in the book.
1 Chronicles19 mentions
- 1 Chronicles 3:13Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son,
- 1 Chronicles 5:18The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors—valiant men who carried the shield and sword, drew the bow, and were trained for battle.
- 1 Chronicles 5:23Now the people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous. They settled in the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon (that is, Senir, also known as Mount Hermon).
- 1 Chronicles 5:26So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria) to take the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. And he brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this day.
- 1 Chronicles 6:61To the rest of the Kohathites, ten cities were allotted from the half-tribe of Manasseh.
14 further mentions in 1 Chronicles, read them in the book.
2 Chronicles22 mentions
- 2 Chronicles 15:9And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, along with those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for great numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.
- 2 Chronicles 30:1Then Hezekiah sent word throughout all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh inviting them to come to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 30:10And the couriers traveled from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun; but the people scorned and mocked them.
- 2 Chronicles 30:11Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
- 2 Chronicles 30:18A large number of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah interceded for them, saying, “May the LORD, who is good, provide atonement for everyone
17 further mentions in 2 Chronicles, read them in the book.
Ezra2 mentions
Psalms3 mentions
Isaiah1 mention
Jeremiah1 mention
New Testament2 books · 2 mentions
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