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Biography

Manasses -King of Judah (2 Kgs. 20:21–21:18; 23:12, 26; 24:3; 2 Chr. 32:33; 33:1–20, 23; Jer. 15).

Manasseh (/məˈnæsə/)[a] was a king of the Kingdom of Judah. He was the only son of Hezekiah and his wife Hephzibah. He became king at the age of 12 and reigned for 55 years (2 Kings 21:1; 2 Chronicles 33:1). Edwin Thiele has concluded that he commenced his reign as co-regent with his father Hezekiah in 697/696 BC, with his sole reign beginning in 687/686 BC and continuing until his death in 643/642 BC.[1] William F. Albright has dated his reign from 687–642 BC.

The biblical account of Manasseh is found in 2 Kings 21:1–18 and 2 Chronicles 32:33–33:20. He is also mentioned in Jeremiah 15:4.

Manasseh was the first king of Judah who was not contemporary with the Kingdom of Israel (Samaria), which had been destroyed by the Assyrians in c. 720 BC, with much of its population deported. He re-instituted polytheistic worship and reversed the religious changes made by his father Hezekiah, for which he is condemned by several Biblical texts.[2]

He was married to Meshullemeth, daughter of Haruz of Jotbah, and they had a son Amon, who succeeded him as king of Judah upon his death. Hezekiah, Manasseh and Amon are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew's gospel.[3]

After a reign of 55 years (for 10 of which he was co-regent with his father), the longest in the history of Judah, he died in c. 643 BC and was buried in the garden of Uzza, the "garden of his own house" (2 Kings 21:17–18; 2 Chronicles 33:20), and not in the City of David, among his ancestors.


Marriage and Family


Siblings


Offspring of Hezekiah of Judah and Hephzi-bah
Name Birth Death Joined with
Manasses of Judah 709 Israel (Land of Canaan) 642 Land of Canaan Meshullemeth, daughter of Haruz of Jotbah


Children


Offspring of Mannasses and Meshullemeth, daughter of Haruz of Jotbah
Name Birth Death Joined with
Amon of Judah (c664 BC-c641 BC) 664 640 Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath


Manasses of Judah
44th Biblical Patriarch
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Hezekiah
13th King of Judah
Coregent: 696 – 686 BC
Sole reign: 686 – 642 BC
Succeeded by
Amon

References



Footnotes (including sources)

Some information in this article or section has not been verified and may not be reliable.
Please check for any inaccuracies, and modify and cite sources as needed.
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