提要
希西家死後，他的兒子瑪拿西以十二歲幼齡繼任。瑪拿西雖然有個公義的父親，但可悲的是，他自己卻成為猶大最邪惡的國王。希西家一定沒有花很多時間教導他的稚子遵行上帝的道。這說明了父母親對兒女的屬靈影響力多大；花時間教導兒女上帝的話實在很重要。瑪拿西的母親協西巴可能取代了希西家，成為影響瑪拿西的主要人物，她一定不像她的丈夫那樣事奉、敬畏上帝。希西家實在應該在擇偶的事上更加小心。摩西也曾指示祭司們該娶怎樣的配偶（利21：7、13~15）。母親對兒女的影響力是難以衡量的。
瑪拿西作惡太甚，甚至被拿來與以色列的亞哈王相提並論。他在以色列的歷史上作王最久（五十五年），但可惜的是，他將他的時間和權柄盡用在助長偶像崇拜的歪風上。至於他父親希西家的改革活動則早就被他打入冷宮了。瑪拿西的所作所為甚至比上帝先前從迦南地趕逐的亞摩利人還邪惡。他行巫術、用外邦的祭壇和偶像玷污聖殿，還效法他的祖父，將自己的兒子當作祭物獻給外邦神。
瑪拿西作王期間，他「引誘」百姓犯罪。上帝一直派先知警告百姓，但先知的話都被當成耳邊風。聖經告訴我們，瑪拿西「流無辜人的血」，他可能將任何公開反對他的人，包括上帝的先知，處死。傳統上認為，曾為希西家所倚重的先知以賽亞就是在瑪拿西逼迫上帝的信徒時殉道而死。
上帝的怒氣已到達極點，祂派一位先知向猶大──祂產業的餘民──宣佈審判。猶大被稱為餘民，因為上帝已經藉亞述人的手驅逐了北國的子民。現在，猶大的罪將使他們慘遭同樣的命運。不過，上帝已經仁慈的給猶大更多時間悔改了。從歷代志我們曉得，上帝的審判也臨到瑪拿西。瑪拿西被擄到巴比倫後，他終於在臨死前悔改（代下33：11~19）。如果上帝能赦免一位這麼邪惡的國王，我們大可相信祂一定也願意赦免任何一個存著誠懇悔改之心到祂面前的人。
瑪拿西的兒子亞們與他父親一樣作惡，但所幸他在位期很短。有一批臣僕將他謀殺，想另立一王。但上帝還要保存大衛的王朝，所H百姓起來立亞們八歲的兒子約西亞作猶大王。
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Overview
After Hezekiah's death, his son Manasseh became king at the age of twelve. It is tragic that although Manasseh had a righteous father, he was the most wicked king of Judah. Hezekiah must not have spent much time instructing his young son in the ways of the Lord. This illustrates the importance of parents being a godly influence on their children, taking time to teach them the word of God. Manasseh's mother, Hephzibah, who likely had the most influence on him, must not have served and honoured the Lord God as had her husband. Hezekiah should have been more careful in the type of wife he chose, just as the priests had been instructed by Moses regarding the type of woman they could marry (Leviticus 21:7, 13-15). A mother always has great influence on her children.
Manasseh was so evil that he was compared to Ahab of Israel (21:3). He had the longest reign of any Israelite king (fifty-five years), but sadly used his time and authority to once again promote idolatry as had his grandfather, Ahaz (16:2-3). He undid all that his father Hezekiah had done in his campaign of reformation (21:3). He was even more wicked than the Amorites whom God had expelled from the land for their wickedness (21:11). He practiced witchcraft and profaned the Temple with pagan altars and idols; he even sacrificed his own son to a pagan god, as his grandfather had done (21:6; 16:3).
During his reign, Manasseh "seduced" the people to sin (21:9). All the while, God was sending prophets to warn them, but their warnings went unheeded. We read that Manassah "shed very much innocent blood" (21:16). He probably put to death anyone who openly opposed his vile ways, including the prophets of God. Tradition says that Isaiah, who had been a source of strength for Hezekiah, was a martyr under his son Manasseh's persecution of the faithful worshippers of God (cf. Hebrews 11:37).
After extreme provocation, the Lord sent a prophet to proclaim his judgment upon Judah, the remnant of his inheritance. They were called the remnant because God had already cast out the people of the Northern Kingdom by the hand of the Assyrians (17:5-6). Now sin would lead Judah to suffer the same fate. However, God mercifully gave Judah more time to repent. However, as we read in the Book of Chronicles, He brought judgment upon Manasseh. Finally, because of divine punishment in the form of his captivity, Manasseh repented before his death (2 Chronicles 33:11-19). If God could forgive and restore this most wicked king, we can be confident He is willing to forgive anyone who comes to Him with a sincere and repentant heart.
Manasseh's son Amon fortunately had a short reign, for he did evil, just as his father had done. A group of conspirators killed him in an attempt to put another on the throne, but God was not through with the Davidic dynasty; therefore, the people arose and made Amon's eight-year-old son Josiah king over Judah.
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