Day 141 · Part 8: Two Kingdoms
Manasseh
In the Story
In context
Hezekiah’s son Manasseh becomes king at twelve and reigns fifty-five years, longer than any other king of Judah (2 Kings 21:1). He rebuilds the high places his father destroyed and sets up altars for “all the army of the sky” in the courts of the Lord’s house (21:3–5). It is a hard reading: he makes his son pass through the fire and fills Jerusalem with innocent blood (21:6, 16). Through the prophets the Lord says he will “wipe Jerusalem as a man wipes a dish” (21:13).
Only Chronicles tells that Assyria’s commanders took Manasseh to Babylon in chains, and that “When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly”; the Lord brought him home, and “Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh was God” (2 Chronicles 33:11–13). He throws the foreign gods out of the Lord’s house (33:15). His son Amon serves his father’s idols, and his own servants kill him (33:22–24).
Nahum the Elkoshite gives “A revelation about Nineveh,” the city Jonah had warned (Nahum 1:1; Jonah 3:4). “Yahweh is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means leave the guilty unpunished,” he says, echoing what the Lord said of himself to Moses (Nahum 1:3; Exodus 34:6–7), and “Yahweh is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble” (Nahum 1:7).
For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.
Psalms 86:5 · Manasseh humbled himself and prayed, and the Lord heard him; the psalm says the Lord is “ready to forgive, abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.”
In the Bible
World English Bible, as published by eBible.org (public domain).
2 Kings 21
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2 Chronicles 33
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Nahum 1:1
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Nahum 1:3
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Nahum 1:7
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Nahum 3:1
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Nahum 3:7
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A hymn for today
Just As I Am · words by Charlotte Elliott
- Just as I am, without one plea,But that Thy blood was shed for me,And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee,O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
- Just as I am, and waiting notTo rid my soul of one dark blot,To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
- Just as I am, though tossed aboutWith many a conflict, many a doubt,Fightings and fears within, without,O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
- Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;Sight, riches, healing of the mind,Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
- Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;Because Thy promise I believe,O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
- Just as I am, Thy love unknownHath broken every barrier down;Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,O Lamb of God, I come, I come!