Manasseh (Person)

The firstborn son of Joseph and his Egyptian wife, Asenath (Genesis 41:50–51). Manasseh and his brother Ephraim visited their grandfather Jacob as he was dying. Jacob said that Manasseh and Ephraim were to be considered his own, not Joseph’s sons (Genesis 48:5–6). He said that the descendants of the firstborn Manasseh would not be as great as Ephraim's descendants (Genesis 48:13–20). This explains why Ephraim and Manasseh are listed as two of the 12 tribes of Israel and not Joseph, at least in most cases (see Revelation 7:6). Manasseh also founded the Manassite family (Deuteronomy 4:43; 2 Kings 10:33).

The King James Version translation for Moses in Judges 18:30. In Hebrew, the two names differ by only one letter. An early scribe was probably offended that this verse connected Moses’ grandson with idolatry, so he changed the name to Manasseh to maintain Moses’ reputation.

The thirteenth king of Judah who reigned from 697 to 642 BC and Jesus’ ancestor (Matthew 1:10). He is famous for his long and wicked reign, described in 2 Kings 21:1–26 and 2 Chronicles 33:1–20. His father was the godly king Hezekiah, and his mother was Hephzibah (2 Kings 21:1).

At the age of 12 he became co-ruler with his father. In 686 BC, his father died and he became the only king at only 23. His 55-year reign (2 Kings 21:1) is dated from the beginning of his time ruling with his father, so he ruled 11 years as co-ruler and 44 years as the only king—longer than any other king in Judah or in Israel. Unfortunately, he was the most evil Judean king. He even commited a series of murders to stay in power (2 Kings 21:16; 24:4). His sins are listed in 2 Kings 21:2–9 and include:

• Rebuilding the high places for pagan worship

• Encouraging Baal, sun, moon, and star worship

• Burning his son as a child sacrifice (2 Kings 21:6; compare 23:10; Jeremiah 7:31)

Second Chronicles 33:11–16 indicates that when he was taken as a prisoner of war to Babylon, he genuinely repented there, and God made him the king again. He then tried to end the former non-Jewish practices and to restore proper worship of God alone. Although this story is not mentioned in Second Kings, there is no reason to doubt its truth. Assyrian records mention Manasseh twice, noting that he faithfully provided men to transport timber from Lebanon to Nineveh for the Assyrian king Esarhaddon. The records also say that Manasseh paid tribute to King Ashurbanipal after the Assyrians conducted a military campaign in Egypt in 667 BC. Although Pharaoh Neco’s similar captivity and release is recorded, Manasseh’s captivity and release are not mentioned in those records.

When Manasseh died in 642 BC, at the age of 67, he was buried in his own garden (2 Kings 21:18), rather than in the royal burial places with highly respected kings like Jehoiada and Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 24:16; 32:33). Manasseh’s son, Amon, returned to his father's wicked practices but ruled for only two years from 642 to 640 BC before he was assassinated. It was Manasseh’s godly grandson, Josiah, who reigned from 640 to 609 BC, who led the people back to the true worship of Yahweh (2 Kings 23:4–14). However, even Josiah's reforms could not prevent the judgment that had been foretold because of Manasseh’s sins (2 Kings 23:26–27).

Pahath-moab’s son, who obeyed Ezra’s command to divorce his non-Jewish wife after the exile in Babylon (Ezra 10:30).

Hashum’s son, who obeyed Ezra’s command to divorce his non-Jewish wife after the exile in Babylon (Ezra 10:33).