Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 21
It is Manasseh’s crimes against God that the author of 2 Kings mainly records. Manasseh was completely against the true God, whom his father Hezekiah served so loyally. So, of course Manasseh refused to obey God’s law. That attitude caused Manasseh to act with great cruelty. The result was that his crimes against other people were very terrible.
Those crimes, against both God and other people, continued until God handed Manasseh over to his enemies. The astonishing account of what happened to him after that, is in 2 Chronicles 33:10-19.
Manasseh’s enemy was the army of Assyria. That army attacked Judah and its commanders took Manasseh as their prisoner. They dealt with him in a very cruel manner, as if they had caught a fierce wild animal. Then they put him in prison in Babylon, which the king of Assyria then ruled over.
In that desperate situation, Manasseh turned to the true God. He became humble and he confessed his evil acts to God. God heard his prayer and he permitted Manasseh to return to Jerusalem as its king again.
From that time, Manasseh knew that the true God, Israel’s God, is the only real God. He had seen God’s power when God allowed him to return to Jerusalem. So, Manasseh decided that now, he must serve only the true God. He also urged the people in Judah to serve only the one true God. He removed the images of false gods that he had made.
Manasseh ruled for 55 years, which was longer than any other king of Israel or Judah. His grave was not with the other royal graves, but rather in the garden of his palace. His son Amon, who ruled briefly after him, would also receive a grave in that garden.
Next part: King Amon of Judah (2 Kings 21:19-22)
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