We break in at the time of King Manasseh, fourteenth king after David.

Directly contrary to God’s word and prophecy, Manasseh turned to Babylonish religion, such as astrology, magic, omens, sorcery, divinations and professional foretellers of events.

Instead, we find included the tribe of Manasseh.

The original Manasseh was a nephew of Dan and was born in Egypt as the son of Joseph.

Manasseh’s Idolatry and David’s Adultery

 8. What kind of record did King Manasseh of Judah make?

⁸ An outstanding example of Jehovah’s forgiveness is the case of Manasseh, the son of good King Hezekiah.

Hezekiah’s son Manasseh promoted idolatry, spiritism, and wholesale violence to an unprecedented extent.

The record says that “Jehovah kept speaking to Manasseh and his people,” likely through the prophets. (2 Chronicles 33:10)

11. How did Jehovah show a readiness to forgive in the case of Manasseh?

¹¹ The example of King Manasseh of Judah is more remarkable in this regard, since Manasseh, unlike David, was thoroughly wicked for a long time.

15. How does the case of Manasseh illustrate that Jehovah forgives in a large way?

¹⁵ A case in point is Judean King Manasseh.

And there was also innocent blood that Manasseh shed in very great quantity, until he had filled Jerusalem from end to end.” (2 Ki. 21:5, 6, 16)

Bloodguilt contributed to the downfall of ancient Israel, and in this connection it is interesting to note the course of King Manasseh.

Later during his 55-year reign, Manasseh repented of his bad course and took action to remove idolatrous worship from Jerusalem.

On the individual level, Judean King Manasseh is a case in point.

However, Jehovah God did not bring upon Manasseh a judgment in proportion to his sin.

Desiring to walk in the way of obedience to Jehovah, he instituted an intensive campaign to stamp out the abominable practice of idolatry that had eaten into the vitals of the nation during the reigns of his father and grandfather, Amon and Manasseh.

During the fifty-five years that Josiah’s grandfather, Manasseh, reigned and the two years that his father, Amon, ruled, the upkeep of the temple had been neglected, although it was used in the practice of idolatry for much of that period.

This was shortly after he had blessed his grandsons, Manasseh and Ephraim, who were the sons of Joseph, Jacob’s eleventh son.

out of [6] the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand;

Consider what happened during the reign of King Manasseh.

Manasseh’s subjects followed the example of their king.

12. What point about repentance can we draw from the course King Manasseh followed after God forgave him?

¹² Another vital part of repentance is illustrated in the case of King Manasseh of Judah.

Finally, as an expression of Jehovah’s judgment, Manasseh was taken captive to Babylon.

“And Hezekiah proceeded to send to all Israel and Judah, and even letters he wrote to Ephraim and Manasseh [in Israel], to come to the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem to hold the passover to Jehovah the God of Israel.

 8. What has been required of those heeding the call, but what “one heart” have they shown?

⁸ “So the runners continued on, passing along from city to city throughout the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun; but they were continually speaking in mockery of them and deriding them.”

Under the direction of God’s spirit Isaac’s son Jacob blessed his twelve sons and his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh.

Although Joshua did not live to see the fulfillment of this prophecy, he saw the prediction concerning Manasseh and Ephraim come to pass before his very eyes.

Thus, it is written concerning a king of Judah: “There was also innocent blood that Manasseh shed in very great quantity, until he had filled Jerusalem from end to end.”

Though Manasseh later repented and humbled himself before Jehovah, that bloodguilt remained on him and his dynasty.

King Manasseh “did on a large scale what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes, to offend him.

And there was also innocent blood that Manasseh shed in very great quantity, until he had filled Jerusalem from end to end.” (2 Ki. 21:6, 16)

Hezekiah’s own son Manasseh revived idolatry.

During Manasseh’s reign the people became so degraded in their idolatrous practices that later efforts to reverse the trend had little success.

Therefore, God raised up as judge and deliverer a man of the family of Abiezer (a subdivision of the tribe of Manasseh), namely, Gideon the son of Joash.

My thousand is the least in Manasseh, and I am the smallest in my father’s house.”

Thus some not only dogmatically state that the British descended from the tribe of Ephraim and the United States from the tribe or half-tribe of Manasseh; but they claim that the tribes of Levi and Simeon are scattered among Israel along with the tribe of Judah; that the tribe of Reuben is found in France; and so forth.

Similarly, about thirty years later, in the time of Asa, those of the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon deserted to Asa “in great number,” for they “saw that Jehovah his God was with him.”​—2 Chron. 15:9.

The nephew’s name was Manasseh.

They demanded that Manasseh either divorce his wife or not serve in the priesthood.

IN THE days of the Judean kings Ahaz and Manasseh, the nation of Israel fell into the snare of the degraded worship of neighbor nations.

Even though King Josiah later abolished many of “the detestable” practices, “Jehovah did not turn back from the great burning of his anger, with which his anger burned against Judah over all the offensive things with which Manasseh had made them offend.” (2 Kings 23:10, 26)

Perhaps the worst example of idolatry is Manasseh.

Yet, surprisingly, Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah, one of the most faithful of Jewish kings.

The son of Hezekiah, Manasseh, revived idolatry and became guilty of shameful oppression.

Jehovah God had mercy on him, opening the way for Manasseh to return to Jerusalem.

Among these was King Manasseh of Judah.

But when Manasseh repented, humbled himself and earnestly prayed to God, Jehovah heard his prayers and restored him to God’s favor and to his kingdom.​—2 Ki. 21:2-16; 2 Chron. 33:2-13.