📖 Biblical Definition
Fourteenth king of Judah, son of the great reformer Hezekiah and father of Amon (2 Kings 21:1-18; 2 Chronicles 33:1-20). Manasseh's fifty-five-year reign (c. 697-642 BC) is the longest of any king of Judah and the most theologically complex. The early decades are a catalog of catastrophic apostasy: he rebuilt the high places his father had broken down; reared altars for Baalim; made groves; worshipped all the host of heaven; built altars for false gods in the courts of the temple; caused his sons to pass through the fire in the valley of Hinnom; observed times and used enchantments and witchcraft; established familiar spirits and wizards (2 Kings 21:3-6; 2 Chronicles 33:3-6). He shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another (2 Kings 21:16). The LORD spoke by His prophets that He would bring evil upon Jerusalem and Judah that whosoever heard it both his ears would tingle (2 Kings 21:10-15). The remarkable theological feature is the late-life narrative preserved only in Chronicles: the king of Assyria took Manasseh among the thorns, bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God (2 Chronicles 33:12-13). Manasseh removed the foreign altars, repaired the LORD's altar, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel — though the people still sacrificed in the high places (2 Chronicles 33:15-17). Manasseh's biography is the great Old-Testament case of late-life repentance from apostasy: not even fifty years of accumulated wickedness places a man beyond the reach of the LORD's mercy when he humbles himself in genuine repentance.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Fourteenth king of Judah (c. 697-642 BC); fifty-five-year reign; the most catastrophic apostate king of Judah; remarkable late-life repentance after Babylonian captivity (2 Chronicles 33:12-13).
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MANASSEH, proper n. (fourteenth king of Judah) Son of Hezekiah, father of Amon. Reigned fifty-five years (c. 697-642 BC; 2 Kings 21:1-18; 2 Chronicles 33:1-20), the longest reign of any king of Judah. Early decades: catastrophic apostasy — rebuilt high places; reared Baal altars; made groves; worshipped all the host of heaven; built altars for false gods in the temple courts; caused his sons to pass through the fire; observed times, enchantments, witchcraft; established familiar spirits and wizards (2 Kings 21:3-6); shed innocent blood till Jerusalem was filled. Late-life narrative preserved in 2 Chronicles 33:12-13: the king of Assyria carried Manasseh to Babylon in chains; in affliction he besought the LORD, humbled himself greatly, was heard, and was restored. He removed the foreign altars and commanded Judah to serve the LORD.
📖 Key Scripture
2 Chronicles 33:12-13 — "And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God."
2 Kings 21:10-12 — "And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him... Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle."
2 Chronicles 33:6 — "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."
1 Timothy 1:15-16 — "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
No major postmodern redefinition. Manasseh's late-life repentance is the great Old-Testament case for the reach of divine mercy toward even the most accumulated apostate.
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Manasseh as a proper name does not undergo lexical corruption. The principal pastoral consideration is the theological weight of Manasseh's biography. He is the OT's clearest case of a man whose accumulated wickedness across many decades did not place him beyond the reach of the LORD's mercy when he humbled himself in genuine repentance. The pastoral implication is significant: no apostate, no accumulated sinner, no long-time hardened resister of divine grace is beyond the reach of the gospel call to repentance. As Paul says of his own case (1 Timothy 1:15-16), Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief; for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Fourteenth king of Judah; 697-642 BC; fifty-five-year reign; greatest apostate; remarkable late-life repentance in Babylonian captivity.
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['Hebrew', 'H4519', 'Menasheh', 'causing to forget']
['Hebrew', 'H3665', "kana'", 'to humble oneself (2 Chronicles 33:12)']
['Hebrew', 'H6293', "paga'", 'to entreat (2 Chronicles 33:13: he was intreated of him)']
Usage
"Fourteenth king of Judah; fifty-five-year reign, the longest in Judean history."
"Catastrophic apostate in his early decades; remarkable late-life repentance."
"The great OT case for divine mercy reaching the accumulated apostate."