1: Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: |
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2: But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like
unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before
the children of Israel. |
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3:
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father
had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves,
and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. |
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4: Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the
LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. |
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5: And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two
courts of the house of the LORD. |
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6: And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the
valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used
enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and
with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke
him to anger. |
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7: And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the
house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In
this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes
of Israel, will I put my name for ever: |
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8: Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of
the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take
heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law
and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses. |
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9: So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to
err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed
before the children of Israel. |
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10: And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they
would not hearken. |
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11: Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host
of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound
him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. |
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12: And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God,
and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, |
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13: And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard
his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.
Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God. |
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14: Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on
the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the
fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great
height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah. |
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15: And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the
house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of
the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
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16: And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon
peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the
LORD God of Israel. |
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17: Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high
places, yet unto the LORD their God only. |
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18: Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his
God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the
LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of
Israel. |
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19: His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all
his sin, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places,
and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they
are written among the sayings of the seers. |
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20: So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in
his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead. |
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21: Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and
reigned two years in Jerusalem. |
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22: But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as
did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images
which Manasseh his father had made, and served them; |
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23: And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his
father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more. |
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24: And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his
own house. |
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25: But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired
against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king
in his stead. |