2 Chronicles

Covers Solomon's reign and the kingdom of Judah's history, emphasizing faithfulness to God.

Chapter 33

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:

*Manasseh started ruling at age 12 and ruled for 55 years in Jerusalem.

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.

*But they did what was bad in God's eyes, just like the disgusting acts of other nations, which God had kicked out before the Israelites.

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.

*He rebuilt the tall places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed. He set up altars for Baal gods, created sacred spaces, and worshiped the stars and their armies, serving them.

4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

*He also built altars inside God's special house, which God said should be in Jerusalem, where God's name will always be remembered.

5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

*He made altars for many heavenly beings in the two courts of God's home.

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.

*He made his kids go through fire in a valley called the son of Hinnom. He also followed special times, used magic, practiced witchcraft, worked with spirits, and dealt with people who had magical powers. He did many bad things that made God very angry.

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:

*He placed a carved statue, the idol he created, inside the God's house. This is the place God told David and Solomon, his son, "In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen more than any other part of Israel, I will always keep my name."

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.

*I won't make Israel leave the land I gave to their ancestors. They will follow my rules carefully, just like Moses wrote them.

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.

*Manasseh led Judah and Jerusalem's people astray, causing them to act more wickedly than the non-believers that the LORD had previously punished, before the Israelites.

10 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.

*And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they did not listen.

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.

*So, the LORD sent the leaders of the Assyrian army to capture Manasseh. They caught him in a place full of thorns, put chains on him, and took him to Babylon.

12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,

*And when he faced hardship, he prayed to the LORD his God and showed deep respect to the God of his ancestors.

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.

*Manasseh prayed to him for help, and he was granted his request, hearing his prayer and returning him to his kingdom in Jerusalem. It was then that Manasseh understood that the LORD was truly God.

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.

*Now, after that, he built a wall outside the city of David on the west side towards Gihon, in the valley, up to the fish gate, and surrounded Ophel, making it very tall. He also put war leaders in all the fortified cities of Judah.

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.

*He removed foreign gods and idols from the LORD's house, as well as all altars he built on the hill and in Jerusalem, then threw them out of the city.

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.

*He fixed the LORD's altar, offered peace and thanksgiving sacrifices, and told Judah to worship the God of Israel.

17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only.

*However, the people continued to offer sacrifices at the high places, but only to the LORD their God.

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.

*Now, the remaining events of Manasseh's life, along with his prayer to God and the messages from the prophets sent by the Lord God of Israel, can be found in the book about the kings of Israel.

19 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, 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.

*His prayer, how God responded to him, all his sins and mistakes, the places where he built altars, set up trees, and carved statues before he was humbled - these are recorded with the words of the prophets.

20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

*Manasseh passed away and was buried in his home; his son Amon then took over the rule.

21 Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.

*Amon became king at age 22 and ruled for 2 years in Jerusalem.

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;

*But he did something bad that God didn't like, just like Manasseh his dad. Amon also offered gifts to the statues Manasseh made and worshipped them.

23 And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.

*And he didn't show respect to God like his dad Manasseh did; instead, Amon sinned even more.

24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.

*His helpers betrayed him and killed him in his own home.

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.

*But the people killed everyone who plotted against King Amon, then they made Josiah, Amon's son, their new king.

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