2 Kings 21

All 26 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

Read 2 Kings 21 in the Bible reader, with audio →

1. 1Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for 55 years. His mother's name was Hephzibah.
2. 2He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, following the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
3. 3He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed. He set up altars for Baal and made a grove, like Ahab king of Israel had done. He also worshiped and served all the host of heaven.
4. 4He built altars in the house of the LORD, where the LORD had said, 'In Jerusalem I will put my name.'
5. 5In both courtyards of the LORD's temple, he built altars for all the host of heaven.
6. 6He made his son pass through the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards. He committed much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
7. 7He placed the carved image of the grove he had made inside the temple. This was the temple about which the LORD had told David and his son Solomon, 'In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever.'
8. 8I will never again force Israel to wander from the land I gave their ancestors — but only if they carefully obey everything I have commanded them, following the entire law that my servant Moses gave them."
9. 9But the people refused to listen. Manasseh led them to do even more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
10. 10So the LORD spoke through his servants the prophets, saying,
11. 11Because King Manasseh of Judah has committed these abominations, doing more wickedly than even the Amorites who were before him, and has led Judah into sin with his idols,
12. 12this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I am about to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears about it will ring.
13. 13I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria and the plumb line of the house of Ahab. I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.
14. 14I will abandon what remains of my people, my own inheritance, and hand them over to their enemies. They will become prey and be plundered by everyone who attacks them.
15. 15because they have done evil in my sight and have been provoking my anger from the day their ancestors left Egypt right up to this very day.'"
16. 16Moreover, Manasseh shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from one end to the other, in addition to his sin that led Judah to do evil in the sight of the LORD.
17. 17The rest of Manasseh's acts, all that he did, and the sin he committed, are recorded in the chronicles of the kings of Judah.
18. 18Manasseh died and was buried in the garden of his own palace, in the garden of Uzza. His son Amon became king after him.
19. 19Amon was 22 years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for 2 years. His mother was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz from Jotbah.
20. 20He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did.
21. 21He followed the exact same path his father had taken, serving and worshiping the same idols his father had served.
22. 22He turned his back on the LORD, the God of his ancestors, and refused to follow the LORD's ways.
23. 23Amon's own officials plotted against him and assassinated the king inside his own palace.
24. 24But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon. Then they made his son Josiah the next king.
25. 25The rest of Amon's acts, which he did, are recorded in the chronicles of the kings of Judah.
26. 26He was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza, and his son Josiah became king after him.