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Manasseh
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Boyd’s Bible Dictionary
:
(forgetting). (1) First
son
of
Joseph
(
Gen. 41:51
51
And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. (Genesis 41:51)
). The tribe divided and occupied both sides of
Jordan
(Josh. 16; 17). (2) Son and successor of
Hezekiah
on the
throne
of
Judah
, B. C. 698-643. Idolatrous (
2 Kings 21:1-18
1
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzi-bah.
2
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.
3
For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
4
And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.
5
And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.
6
And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
7
And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
8
Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.
9
But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.
10
And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets, saying,
11
Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:
12
Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.
13
And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.
14
And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;
15
Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.
16
Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.
17
Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
18
And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead. (2 Kings 21:1‑18)
). Captive in
Babylon
; repented; restored (
2 Chron. 33:1-20
1
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five 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.
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.
4
Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
5
And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.
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.
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:
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.
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.
10
And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
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.
12
And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13
And prayed unto him: and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was 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.
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.
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.
17
Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the Lord their God only.
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.
19
His prayer also, and how God was entreated of him, and all his sin, 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.
20
So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead. (2 Chronicles 33:1‑20)
). (3) Returned captives (
Ezra 10:30,33
30
And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh. (Ezra 10:30)
33
Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. (Ezra 10:33)
).
Concise Bible Dictionary
:
1.
Eldest
son
of
Joseph
and
Asenath
, and
head
of one of the tribes of
Israel
. When
Jacob
blessed the two sons of Joseph he crossed his hands so that
Ephraim
the younger son should have the chief
blessing
. And when
Moses
blessed
the
twelve
tribes he spoke of the
ten
thousands of Ephraim, but the thousands of Manasseh. Nothing personally is recorded of Manasseh (
Gen. 41:51
51
And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. (Genesis 41:51)
;
Gen. 48:1-20
1
And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2
And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
3
And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
4
And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
5
And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
6
And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
7
And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.
8
And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?
9
And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.
10
Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
11
And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath showed me also thy seed.
12
And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
13
And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.
14
And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
15
And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
16
The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
17
And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.
18
And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
19
And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
20
And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. (Genesis 48:1‑20)
;
Gen. 50:23
23
And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees. (Genesis 50:23)
).
The tribe numbered at the first
census
32,200 and forty years later they were 52,700. Being a numerous tribe they had a large possession in the
north
on the
east
of the upper
Jordan
and of the
Sea
of
Galilee
. They conquered the mountaineers of
Gilead
,
Bashan
, and
Argob
; but with the Reubenites and
Gadites
were the first to be carried away captive by
Pul
and
Tiglath-pileser
(
1 Chron. 5:18-26
18
The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war.
19
And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab.
20
And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was entreated of them; because they put their trust in him.
21
And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand.
22
For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity.
23
And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baal-hermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon.
24
And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers.
25
And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them.
26
And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day. (1 Chronicles 5:18‑26)
). Those on the east of the Jordan are often called the half-tribe of Manasseh; the other half were on the
west
of the Jordan, about the center of the land, between Ephraim and
Issachar
.
When
Hezekiah
invited the twelve tribes to join him in keeping a passover to
Jehovah
, certain of the tribe of Manasseh humbled themselves and went to
Jerusalem
(
2 Chron. 30:11
11
Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 30:11)
). In
Psalm 80:2
2
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us. (Psalm 80:2)
we read, “Before Ephraim and
Benjamin
and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us,” in allusion to these
three
being the tribes that immediately followed the
ark of
God
in the
wilderness
(
Num. 2:17-22
17
Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.
18
On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.
19
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred.
20
And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
21
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.
22
Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni. (Numbers 2:17‑22)
). The tribe is called
MANASSES
in
Revelation 7:6
6
Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. (Revelation 7:6)
.
2.
King of
Judah
: he was son of Hezekiah and
father
of
Amon
. He began to reign when twelve years of
age
, and reigned 55 years: B.C. 698-643. The records concerning him are few, but very sad. He worshipped the host of
heaven
and built altars for them in the courts of the
house
of the
Lord
. He made his son to pass through the
fire
, and dealt with familiar spirits. Of him it is said that he exceeded the
heathen
in wickedness! and shed much
innocent
blood
. He was warned by God’s prophets, but ceased not to do evil. As he began to reign when young, it is probable that he had not been under good instructors.
God brought the king of
Assyria
against Manasseh, who took him “among the
thorns
,” or “bound him with
chains
of
brass
,” and carried him to
Babylon
. There Manasseh, in his
affliction
, greatly humbled himself, and prayed to the Lord his God. His
prayer
was heard, and he was restored to Jerusalem. Then he knew that Jehovah was God. He removed the idols, repaired the
altar
of the Lord, and sacrificed to Him.
He commanded Judah to serve Jehovah the God of Israel. Thus God gave
repentance
to this wicked king, for His
mercy
endureth
forever
. He is often held up as a trophy of God’s marvelous
grace
in
Old
Testament
times
, as
Saul
of
Tarsus
and the
thief
on the
cross
are given under the
New
Testament
dispensation
(
2 Kings 20:21
21
And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. (2 Kings 20:21)
;
2 Kings 21:1-20
1
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzi-bah.
2
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.
3
For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
4
And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.
5
And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.
6
And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
7
And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
8
Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.
9
But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.
10
And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets, saying,
11
Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:
12
Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.
13
And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.
14
And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;
15
Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.
16
Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.
17
Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
18
And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
19
Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
20
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh did. (2 Kings 21:1‑20)
;
2 Kings 23:12,26
12
And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the Lord, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron. (2 Kings 23:12)
26
Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. (2 Kings 23:26)
; 2 Chron. 33;
Jer. 15:4
4
And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 15:4)
). He is called MANASSES in
Matthew 1:10
10
And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; (Matthew 1:10)
.
3.
Father of
Gershom
, the father of
Jonathan
, the idolatrous
priest
in the tribe of
Dan
(
Judg. 18:30
30
And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. (Judges 18:30)
). Jerome,
the Vulgate
, three
Hebrew
MSS, and two or three ancient copies of the LXX read Moses instead of Manasseh. In many Hebrew MSS
the letter
nun
(N) is written over or between the letters
mem
(M) and
shin
(S), so as to alter the name of Moses to Manasseh. The reason alleged by the Rabbis for the supposed correction is that the copyists desired to clear the name of Moses from the obloquy of having a descendant among idolators in Israel. We have no other trace of a Gershom being
the son
of Manasseh; but there was one well known as the son of Moses. Doubtless Moses should be read instead of Manasseh.
4-5.
Two who had married strange wives (
Ezra 10:30,33
30
And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh. (Ezra 10:30)
33
Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. (Ezra 10:33)
).
Jackson’s
Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names
:
causing to forget
Call: 1-630-543-1441
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, … rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
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