2 Chronicles 33:1–25

In stark contrast to Hezekiah’s “good deeds,” both Manasseh’s long reign and Amon’s brief reign are marked by “evil in the sight of the Lord.” Manasseh followed “the abominations of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel,” and Amon did “as Manasseh his father had done” (2 Chron. 33:2, 22). But this is only part of the Chronicler’s account, as he tells how Manasseh later “humbled himself” and “God was moved by his entreaty” (vv. 12–13, 19), but Amon “did not humble himself before the Lord” (v. 23).

Readers familiar with Kings will see a great contrast. In 2 Kings, Manasseh has no good features and becomes the worst king of Judah. His long reign so embeds apostasy in the nation that Josiah’s reform can only delay destruction (2 Kings 21:10–16; 22:15–20; 24:3–4; cf. Jer. 15:4). The Chronicler’s narrative at first closely follows, and even heightens, 2 Kings’ account of the extent and impact of the royal promotion of the worship of other gods and of the people’s involvement (2 Chron. 33:1–10). A change then comes with the Chronicler’s unique content. The rejection of God’s word (v. 10) is followed by “therefore,” as Manasseh was captured and taken to Babylon, a foreshadowing of the nation’s later exile (the wording of v. 11 is repeated in 36:6; cf. Ezek. 19:9). There God heard the prayer of even such a wicked king and restored him “into his kingdom” (2 Chron. 33:12–13; repeated in the summary, vv. 18–19); God kept his promise that when people “humble themselves, and pray . . . I will hear” (7:14). Wall building and defensive strengthening (elsewhere evidence of God’s blessing) followed, as did religious reform (33:11–17). The concluding summary (vv. 18–20) first replaces Kings’ mention of “the sin that he committed” (2 Kings 21:17) with “his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers” and also inserts further comment referring to “his prayer” and how “he humbled himself.” The Chronicler has told of previous kings who had been faithful but subsequently failed in some way (e.g., Asa, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah), but Manasseh stands out as the only king who began his reign in unfaithfulness but repented and did good.

The Amon account (2 Chron. 33:21–24), as in Kings, is brief, recounting his assassination. The Chronicler inserts that, unlike Manasseh, Amon “did not humble himself” and so “incurred guilt more and more.” A comparison may be seen with the subsequent kings’ “humbl[ing] himself” (Josiah; 34:27) and “not humbl[ing] himself” (Zedekiah; 36:12).

Kings and Chronicles were written for different audiences, and their authors selected their material accordingly (table 3.21).¹ In the Chronicler’s Manasseh account, hearers are encouraged to find a foretaste of their own situation, as they have been in exile because of rejection of God’s words through the prophets (33:10–11a; 36:15–17). Even in the darkest situation, as people “humble themselves” and cry to God in repentance, hope of full restoration (even including kingship; 33:13) is still possible; building and security go together with “serv[ing] the Lord the God of Israel” (v. 16).²

1. IV. The Kingdom of Judah Continues (29:1–36:23) . . .
   1. B. Return to Other Gods: Manasseh Humbles Himself but Not Amon (33:1–25)

God’s grace to repentant Manasseh continued to be an encouragement. The Apostolic Constitutions (c. AD 350–400) cited David, the Ninevites, Hezekiah, and Manasseh as “eminent examples of repentance.”⁷ Jerome in AD 399 added an NT example to this list as he wrote, “O happy penitence which has drawn down upon itself the eyes of God, and which has by confessing its error changed the sentence of God’s anger! The same conduct is in the Chronicles attributed to Manasseh, and in the book of the prophet Jonah to Nineveh, and in the gospel to the publican.”⁸ Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the publican (or tax collector) is an example of how “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14; cf. James 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:6). To these “eminent examples” of “happy penitence” we might add Paul, who saw his change in status from persecutor to apostle as being due solely to God’s “grace” (used three times in 1 Cor. 15:9–10; cf. 1 Tim. 1:15). Paul joins Peter (cf. John 21:15–19) in the long list of many who demonstrate that God’s forgiveness leads to restoration that exceeds what was before. Countless people experience the words of the converted slave trader John Newton’s hymn “Amazing Grace.” As was seen in Manasseh’s experience, “grace” is to lead to a life of the “good works” that God intends (Eph. 2:8–10).