1 Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled 55 years from Jerusalem. His mother was Hephzibah.
2 Manasseh disobeyed the Lord by following the disgusting customs of the nations that the Lord had forced out of Israel.
3 He rebuilt the local shrines that his father Hezekiah had torn down. He built altars for the god Baal and set up a sacred pole for worshiping the goddess Asherah, just as King Ahab of Israel had done. And he faithfully worshiped the stars in heaven.
4 In the temple, where only the Lord was supposed to be worshiped, Manasseh built altars for the worship of pagan gods
5 and the stars. He placed these altars in both courts of the temple,
6-7 and even set up the pole for Asherah there. Manasseh practiced magic and witchcraft; he asked fortunetellers for advice and sacrificed his own son. He did many sinful things and made the Lord very angry.Years ago the Lord had told David and his son Solomon:Jerusalem is the place I prefer above all others in Israel. It belongs to me, and there I will be worshiped forever.
8 If my people will faithfully obey all the commands in the Law of my servant Moses, I will never make them leave the land I gave to their ancestors.