1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for fifty-five years. His mother's name was Hephzibah. 2He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He copied the disgusting ways of those nations Jehovah sent out before the children of Israel. 3He built the high places that Hezekiah his father destroyed. He made altars for Baal. Then he made an Asherah as Ahab, king of Israel, had done. Manasseh was a worshipper and servant of all the stars of heaven. 4He built heathen altars in the Temple of Jehovah. The same Temple that Jehovah spoke of when he said: »In Jerusalem will I put my name.« 5And he built altars for all the stars of heaven in the two outer courts of the Temple of Jehovah. 6He made his own son pass through fire. He burned him as an offering to Molech. He practiced reading the future; gave positions to those who had control of spirits and to wonder-workers. He did much evil in the eyes of Jehovah and provoked him to anger. 7He made an image of the goddess Asherah and set it in the Temple of Jehovah. This is the same Temple that Jehovah said to David and to Solomon his son: »In this house, and in Jerusalem, the town which I have made mine out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever for a very long time. 8»And never again will I send the feet of Israel wandering from the land that I gave to their fathers. If only they will take care to do all my orders, and obey all the law my servant Moses gave them.« 9But they would not listen. Manasseh enticed them to do evil. In fact they committed more evil than the nations whom Jehovah destroyed before the children of Israel. 10Jehovah said through his servants the prophets: 11»Manasseh king of Judah committed detestable sins. He did more evil than all the Amorites before him. He enticed Judah to do evil with his false gods. 12»‘Because of this,’ says Jehovah the God of Israel: ‘I will send such evil on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of all who hear of it will burn. 13»‘The line of Samaria and the weight of Ahab will be stretched over Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be washed clean as a plate is washed, and turned over on its face. 14»‘I will discard the rest of my heritage. I will give them into the hands of their enemies. They will take their property and their goods for themselves. 15»‘Because they have done evil in my eyes. They moved me to anger from the day their fathers came out of Egypt till this day.’« 16Even more, Manasseh killed many innocent men. He filled Jerusalem from one end to the other with blood. He also caused Judah to sin and do evil in the eyes of Jehovah. 17Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all he did, and his sins, are recorded in the book of the history of the kings of Judah. 18So Manasseh went to rest with his fathers. He was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza. Amon his son became king in his place. 19Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for two years. His mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 20He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah as Manasseh his father had done. 21He followed all the practices of his father. He was a servant and worshipper of the false gods to which his father had been a servant. 22Amon turned away from Jehovah the God of his fathers. He did not walk in his ways. 23The servants of Amon conspired against him. They killed the king in his house. 24But the people of the land put to death all those who had taken part in the design against the king. Then they made Josiah his son king in his place. 25Now the rest of the acts which Amon did, are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. 26He was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza. Josiah his son became king in his place.