Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets

Volume I: A Kingdom Divided

Lesson 24 Manasseh Reigns in Judah
the Second Book of the Kings 21:1–26

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
cross references in Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
next lesson: Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law

This material coordinates with Lesson 24 on pages 148–151 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

---

“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, and I showed myself their Master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”—the Book of Jeremiah 31:31–34

---

welcome to Volume I of our in-depth study of the biblical prophets
We invite you to check out the sample first lesson and video from Volume I of this Turning to God’s Word two-part Catholic Bible study. Our online pages link to the free related lesson videos, a glossary, and cross references in the biblical text, and include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided contains 28 lessons and has been granted an imprimatur. It may be purchased from our website shop. The companion 23-lesson Volume II: Restoration & Redemption also is available for purchase. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.

---

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the Second Book of the Kings 19:1—20:21, the Book of Isaiah 30:19–21, the Book of Isaiah 35:1–10, and the Book of Isaiah 38:9–20
In Lesson 23 Hezekiah Consults Isaiah, with the northern kingdom of Israel conquered by Assyria, the southern kingdom faces a severe threat from the Assyrians. The king sends to the prophet Isaiah of Jerusalem, who foretells that Assyria won’t prevail. Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, isn’t easily dissuaded, and he continues threatening Judah. Hezekiah prays for help from the LORD, and the prophet Proto- (First) Isaiah repeats God’s prophecy that Assyria won’t conquer Judah. An angel of the LORD subsequently slays the Assyrians, and when Sennacherib returns home he’s killed by two of his sons. When Hezekiah is facing death from illness, he receives a sign from the LORD that he’ll recover to live an additional 15 years. Hezekiah later welcomes an envoy from Babylon, and Isaiah prophesies that Babylon will destroy Jerusalem. The prophet also foresees a better future for the descendants of Jacob. Manasseh, Hezekiah’s son, ascends to the throne at the death of his father.

map notes—Jerusalem & Judah
In the Second Book of the Kings 21:12, the LORD vows to bring upon Jerusalem and Judah “such evil that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.” At this point in the narrative, the southern kingdom is the only autonomously ruled area in the region still inhabited by descendants of Judah, the people the LORD considered to be his own. Under the 55-year reign of Manasseh, however, the inhabitants of the south who only one generation earlier were led by Hezekiah to follow the will of the LORD, now are following a quite different example set by Hezekiah’s son. They’re abandoning worship of the LORD to serve the idols and false gods honored by neighboring nations. As a consequence of their sin, the LORD determines to cast off the final remnant of his heritage still connected to the Promised Land. Although the demise of the southern kingdom won’t immediately occur, it’s inevitable. It’s also clear that while the people and the land have been linked through their covenant with God, the LORD has no compunction about separating all the descendants of Jacob from the holy city and what remains of the Promised Land. Click on the map (right) to enlarge it. The original map  is on page 150 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

Manasseh’s sacrifice of his son (20:47)
Present-day Christians are horrified by the child sacrifice in the Second Book of the Kings 21:6. In the video for Lesson 24, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps points out an easily overlooked Old Testament understanding that makes Manasseh’s sacrifice even more offensive to the LORD. In Hebrew religious tradition, the first-born son belongs wholly to God. This reflects an understanding that all life comes from the LORD and so belongs to the LORD. When Manasseh burns one or more of his children (the Second Book of the Chronicles 33:6 records that Manasseh burned plural sons) as an offering to one of the many false gods worshiped by other nations, not only is he committing murder and turning away from the God of his ancestors, he’s insulting the LORD by sacrificing to a false god something that belongs to the LORD.

The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the ranges for the sets of questions in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. You can follow along with the video as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 24, “Manasseh Reigns in Judah,” on pages 148–151 in the study book.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about the direction in which Judah is headed?
As good a king as Hezekiah was, upon his death Manasseh, the new king of Judah, picks up where his grandfather Ahaz left off.

?  Compare the sins of Ahaz listed in the sixteenth chapter in the Second Book of the Kings with the sins of Manasseh listed in the twenty-first chapter.
?  In the Second Book of the Kings 21:3, to which of the kings of the now-defunct northern kingdom is Manasseh compared?
?  What might explain why the LORD raised up such a righteous king as Hezekiah between the reigns of Ahaz and Manasseh?
?  Consider how it is that the people so quickly turn from the LORD under Manasseh’s rule, even though Hezekiah had instituted major religious reforms during his 29-year reign.
?  Is it likely that very many people from the northern kingdom might have fled south to Judah before the fall of Israel?
?  How might an influx of people from Israel influence worship practices in Judah?
?  How do these differences in kings point to a serious problem with the dynasty that the LORD promised to David?
?  Why can’t the LORD simply end David’s line and establish a different dynasty in the south?
?  Based on a Christian understanding of salvation history, what might the LORD be going to do to save the apparently unraveling institution of the kingship in Judah? The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King includes an in-depth look at God’s promise to David of an eternal kingdom.

stipulation on inheriting the Promised Land
The Second Book of the Kings 21:7–8 recalls the LORD’s covenant with the descendants of Jacob. It’s of particular interest that God’s promise of an inheritance of land for the people is contingent upon them keeping the law of Moses. God has been expecting his people to follow his commandments (found in the twentieth chapter in the book of Exodus and repeated in the fifth chapter in the book of Deuteronomy). While the people recognize that they have ties to the land, there’s also a connection between the LORD and the land. God gives the land to his people, who can be identified as the people who serve the LORD. The promise is in the present tense for each generation. God continues to give the land to those who serve him. Those who don’t serve the LORD will be cut off from the Promised Land of Judah and from the holy city of Jerusalem. Consider what might be a parallel understanding in Christianity. You can learn more about the LORD’s promise of land to the descendants of Jacob in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study You Shall Have No Other Gods: The Book of Exodus.

WHAT DO YOU THINK the LORD is doing?
In the Second Book of the Kings 21:10–15, God announces that he’s about to bring evil on Jerusalem and Judah. Consider whether the LORD really has abandoned his prophetic message for the people to repent and now instead is focusing on vengeance.

?  According to the biblical text, how’s Manasseh responsible for the trouble that’s about to befall the inhabitants of Judah?
?  Consider reasons why the people of Judah are culpable.
?  Is it likely that the fate the LORD plans for Jerusalem and Judah will be identical to the fate that’s befallen the northern kingdom of Israel?
?  Why might the LORD plan a different fate for the southern kingdom?
?  What might explain why the LORD would want to make an example of the southern kingdom?
?  Consider whether it’s possible to reconcile the consequences that the people deserve as a result of their sin with God’s love for the descendants of Jacob. The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness offers an apocalyptic vision of what God has in store for those who keep his commandments.

sin—you could look it up in our archives
In the twenty-first chapter in the Second Book of the Kings, Manasseh is described as a terrible king, and the wickedness of his sins are listed in great detail. These include rebuilding the high places, worshiping idols in the Temple at Jerusalem, and sacrificing at least one of his sons as a burnt offering to a false god. You can learn how “sin” is related to the good we fail to do as well as to the wrong we commit. Read Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about the account in the Second Book of the Chronicles?
Read the extra information about the reign of Manasseh that appears in the Second Book of the Chronicles 33:10–17.

?  What’s especially surprising about the way in which the Chronicles account portrays Manasseh?
?  In the Second Book of the Chronicles 33:10, to whom does the LORD speak?
?  Consider how the LORD delivered that message.
?  What might the actual message have been?
?  In the Chronicles account, how does Manasseh react to being hauled away to Babylon by the Assyrians?
?  Explain whether this is behavior that might be expected based on the way that Manasseh is presented in the twenty-first chapter in the Second Book of the Kings.
?  What might explain why the First and Second Books of the Kings fail to include all of the same information about the southern kingdom of Judah under the reign of Manasseh that’s found in the First and Second Books of the Chronicles?
?  Consider whether there’s a pattern in what material is left out of the First and Second Books of the Kings.

things get confusing in the New Testament
The Gospel genealogies show discrepancies when an attempt is made to pair them with historical narrative in the First and Second Books of the Kings. Some of the differences are more confusing than others. The Gospel According to Matthew 1:6-11 generally matches the First and Second Books of the Kings, although Amon, who succeeds to the throne of Judah after the death of his father Manasseh, is called Amos. Our online glossary for this Bible study addresses a large number of issues concerning multiple names of people and places featured in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

overturning bad kings
Inconsistent worship practices in Judah have created instability and anarchy not unlike that experienced in the northern kingdom before it fell to the Assyrians. Amon succeeds his father Manasseh as ruler of Judah, but it’s a position he holds only two years before being killed by his servants. While Amon’s slaying is reminiscent of the killing of any number of northern kings, there’s a significant difference. In the north, whenever a king was killed in a coup, whoever did the overthrowing ended up ruling. In the south, however, the line of the kings is protected by God’s promise to David of an eternal dynasty. While Amon’s reign is cut short when some of his servants decide to kill him, it’s only Amon who’s being rejected by the people. Those who have murdered Amon are themselves killed, unlike the pattern in the north where they most likely would have usurped the throne—even if only briefly. The promise of an eternal dynasty in the south allows for a bad king to be killed, but the line of David can’t be destroyed. In the north, once a king was killed, so were all of his potential heirs. Entire lines were eliminated. That can’t happen in the south, but there nevertheless is a severe problem with the spiritual direction chosen by many rulers in the line of David. The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King provides more information about God’s promise of an eternal kingdom.

what’s happening when & where
Click on the timeline for Lesson 24 to expand it. It also appears on page 149 in the study book.

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic Bible study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including the passage in this lesson from the Second Book of the Kings 21:1–26.

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open the link and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the Second Book of the Kings 21:1–26 (NIV)

close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s biblical text.

O God, you allowed the people of both the northern and southern kingdoms
to be seduced into worshiping idols and false gods,
and you allowed them to experience the just consequences of their actions.
Despite this, you never wavered in your love for them. 
Help us to recognize the inherent dangers
of failing to follow your commandments,
and lead us into deeper communion with you.  
We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus,
who overcame all temptation
in order to offer himself as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. Amen.

Lesson 25 Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law—the Second Book of the Kings 22:1–20, the Book of Zephaniah 1:7—2:3, the Book of Zephaniah 3:8–9, and the Book of Zephaniah 3:11–15
Lesson 23 Hezekiah Consults Isaiah—the Second Book of the Kings 19:1—20:21, the Book of Isaiah 30:19–21, the Book of Isaiah 35:1–10, and the Book of Isaiah 38:9–20

you also may like our free Lenten study of Jesus’ Passion (digital only)
Jesus’ Passion: The Story of Redemptive Suffering is a five-lesson Catholic Bible study offering an in-depth look at the biblical foundations of the movie The Passion of the Christ. This revised study, which has been granted an imprimatur, contains all of the original material of the 2004 edition as well as many new features in an improved, reader-friendly format. Click on the book’s cover to view the introduction. Free digital lessons of Jesus’ Passion: The Story of Redemptive Suffering are available on the website during Lent.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets— Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. Information about beginning this or one of our other Turning to God’s Word Bible studies can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I always are available to answer your Bible-study questions or concerns. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

---

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Scripture on the online study pages for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided links to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE). The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. A handful of significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.