God's Judgment Regarding King Manasseh

King Manasseh dedicated himself tirelessly to evil. He traveled the land destroying the good work of his father Hezekiah and erecting shrines to idols. He energetically participated in the worship of these false gods, including sacrificing his own children to them. He was a ruthless ruler, guilty of many murders. God's judgment against him is summed up this way:

2 Kings 21:1   Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

King Manasseh had a conversion experience in his old age, recorded in 2 Chronicles 33:10-13, and so one might argue that in our chart we should label him “did evil in youth, right in old age.” However, we follow the Bible's record in classifying his reign as evil.

In spite of his repentance and the excellent reforms that followed it, Manasseh is remembered in the Bible record as the most evil of all the kings — and there were some very evil kings. In fact, as these scriptures show, the LORD blamed the downfall of Judah on the sinful legacy of Manasseh:

2 Kings 23:26-27   Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.

2 Kings 24:3-4   Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.

Jeremiah 15:4   And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.