Manasseh

Manasseh was a king of Judah in the Hebrew Bible. He was the son of Hezekiah and ruled in Jerusalem for 55 years in the late seventh century BCE. He is described in 2 Kings as doing evil in the sight of the Lord: rebuilding high places, erecting altars to Baal and to all the host of heaven, and worshiping other gods. He also shed a great amount of innocent blood in Jerusalem. According to 2 Chronicles, Manasseh eventually humbled himself after being taken captive by the Assyrians, prayed to the God of Israel, and was restored to his throne. After his repentance, he removed foreign gods from the temple, repaired its altar, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord. The accounts present a long reign marked by idolatry but with a noted act of repentance later in life, with differences in emphasis between the Deuteronomistic history and the Chronicler’s portrayal.

The Tribe of Manasseh is one of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Manasseh, the firstborn son of Joseph. In the allocation of land after the Israelites entered Canaan, the tribe received territory on both sides of the Jordan River: a western portion in the Cisjordan region and an eastern portion in Transjordan. The western Manasseh formed part of the central northern highlands and bordered several other tribes, and the tribe is frequently referenced in biblical genealogies and territorial lists. The tribe’s dual homeland reflects the broader settlement patterns described in the biblical text.

In modern usage, Manasseh is also a given name used in various cultures and appears in religious and historical writings as well as contemporary contexts.