Bible in a Year.

On day 187, we observe the spiritual challenges of Manasseh's reign in 2 Kings 21, marked by idolatry and its consequences for Judah. ​​2 Chronicles 32 presents Hezekiah's defense of Jerusalem, trusting in divine protection against invaders. Psalm 145 invites us to continually praise God, extolling His greatness, mercy, and everlasting faithfulness.

1. Manasses was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned five and fifty years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Haphsiba.

2. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the idols of the nations, which the Lord destroyed from before the face of the children of Israel.

3. And he turned, and built up the high places which Ezechias his father had destroyed: and he set up altars to Baal, and made groves, as Achab the king of Israel had done: and he adored all the host of heaven, and served them.

4. And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said: In Jerusalem I will put my name.

5. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the temple of the Lord.

6. And he made his son pass through fire: and he used divination, and observed omens, and appointed pythons, and multiplied soothsayers to do evil before the Lord, and to provoke him.

7. He set also an idol of the grove, which he had made, in the temple of the Lord: concerning which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son: In this temple, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name for ever.

8. And I will no more make the feet of Israel to be moved out of the land, which I gave to their fathers: only if they will observe to do all that I have commanded them according to the law which my servant Moses commanded them.

9. But they hearkened not: but were seduced by Manasses, to do evil more than the nations which the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.

10. And the Lord spoke in the hand of his servants, the prophets, saying:

11. Because Manasses king of Juda hath done these most wicked abominations, beyond all that the Amorrhites did before him, and hath made Juda also to sin with his filthy doings:

12. Therefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Behold I will bring on evils upon Jerusalem and Juda: that whosoever shall hear of them, both his ears shall tingle.

13. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the weight of the house of Achab: and I will efface Jerusalem, as tables are wont to be effaced, and I will erase and turn it, and draw the pencil often over the face thereof.

14. And I will leave the remnants of my inheritance, and will deliver them into the hands of their enemies: and they shall become a prey, and a spoil to all their enemies.

15. Because they have done evil before me, and have continued to provoke me, from the day that their fathers came out of Egypt, even unto this day.

16. Moreover Manasses shed also very much innocent blood, till he filled Jerusalem up to the mouth: besides his sins, wherewith he made Juda to sin, to do evil before the Lord.

17. Now the rest of the acts of Manasses, and all that he did, end his sin which he sinned, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?

18. And Manasses slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Oza: and Amen his son reigned in his stead.

19. Two and twenty years old was Amen when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Messalemeth the daughter of Harus of Jeteba.

20. And he did evil in the sight, of the Lord, as Manasses his father had done.

21. And he walked in all the way in which his father had walked: and he served the abominations which his father had served, and he adored them;

22. And forsook the Lord the God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the Lord.

23. And his servants plotted against him, and slew the king in his own house.

24. But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amen: and made Josias his son their king in his stead.

25. But the rest of the acts of Amen which he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?

26. And they buried him in his sepulchre in the garden of Oza: and his son Josias reigned in his stead.

1. After these things, and this truth, Sennacherib king of the Assyrians came and entered into Juda, and besieged the fenced cities, desiring to take them.

2. And when Ezechias saw that Sennacherib was come, and that the whole force of the war was turning against Jerusalem,

3. He took counsel with the princes, and the most valiant men, to stop up the heads of the springs, that were without the city: and as they were all of this mind,

4. He gathered together a very great multitude, and they stopped up all the springs, and the brook, that ran through the midst of the land, saying: Lest the kings of the Assyrians should come, and And abundance of water.

5. He built up also with great diligence all the wall that had been broken down, and built towers upon it, and another wall without: and he repaired Mello in the city of David, and made all sorts of arms and shields:

6. And he appointed captains of the soldiers of the army: and he called them all together in the street of the gate of the city, and spoke to their heart, saying:

7. Behave like men, and take courage: be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of the Assyrians, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there are many more with us than with him.

8. For with him is an arm of flesh: with us the Lord our God, who is our helper, and fighteth for us. And the people were encouraged with these words of Ezechias king of Juda.

9. After this, Sennacherib king of the Assyrians sent his servants to Jerusalem, (for he with all his army was besieging Lachis,) to Ezechias king of Juda, and to all the people that were in the city, saying:

10. Thus saith Sennacherib king of the Assyrians: In whom do you trust, that you sit still besieged in Jerusalem?

11. Doth not Ezechias deceive you, to give you up to die by hunger and thirst, affirming that the Lord your God shall deliver you from the hand of the king of the Assyrians?

12. Is it not this same Ezechias, that hath destroyed his high places, and his altars, and commanded Juda and Jerusalem, saying: You shall worship before one altar, and upon it you shall burn incense?

13. Know you not what I and my fathers have done to all the people of the lands? have the gods of any nations and lands been able to deliver their country out of my hand?

14. Who is there among all the gods of the nations, which my fathers have destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of this hand?

15. Therefore let not Ezechias deceive you, nor delude you with a vain persuasion, and do not believe him. For if no god of all the nations and kingdoms, could deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers, consequently neither shall your God be able to deliver you out of my hand.

16. And many other things did his servants speak against the Lord God, and against Ezechias his servant.

17. He wrote also letters full of blasphemy against the Lord the God of Israel, and he spoke against him: As the gods of other nations could not deliver their people out of my hand, so neither can the God of Ezechias deliver his people out of this hand.

18. Moreover he cried out with a loud voice, in the Jews' tongue, to the people that sat on the walls of Jerusalem, that he might frighten them, and take the city.

19. And he spoke against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, the works of the hands of men.

20. And Ezechias the king, and Isaias the prophet the son of Amos, prayed against this blasphemy, and cried out to heaven.

21. And the Lord sent an angel who cut off all the stout men and the warriors, and the captains of the army of the king of the Assyrians: and he returned with disgrace into his own country. And when he was come into the house of his god, his sons that came out of his bowels, slew him with the sword.

22. And the Lord saved Ezechias and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of the hand of Sennacherib king of the Assyrians, and out of the hand of all, and gave them treasures on every side.

23. Many also brought victims, and sacrifices to the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Ezechias king of Juda: and he was magnified thenceforth in the sight of all nations.

24. In those days Ezechias was sick even to death, and he prayed to the Lord: and he heard him, and gave him a sign.

25. But he did not render again according to the benefits which he had received, for his heart was lifted up: and wrath was enkindled against him, and against Juda and Jerusalem.

26. And he humbled himself afterwards, because his heart had been lifted up, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and therefore the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Ezechias.

27. And Ezechias was rich, and very glorious, and he gathered himself great treasures of silver and of gold, and of precious stones, of spices, and of arms, of all kinds, and of vessels of great price.

28. Storehouses also of corn, of wine, and of oil, and stalls for all beasts, and folds for cattle.

29. And he built himself cities: for he had docks of sheep, and herds without number, for the Lord had given him very much substance.

30. This same Ezechias was, he that stopped the upper source of the waters of Gihon, and turned them away underneath toward the west of the city of David : in ail his works he did prosperously what he would.

31. But yet in the embassy of the princes of Babylon, that were sent to him, to inquire of the wonder that had happened upon the earth, God left him that he might be tempted, and all things might be made known that were in his heart.

32. Now the rest of the acts of Ezechias, and of his mercies are written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.

33. And Ezechias slept with his fathers, m and they buried him above the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Juda, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem celebrated his funeral: and Manasses his son reigned in his stead.

1. I will extol thee, O God my king: and I will bless thy name for ever; yea, for ever and ever.

2. Every day I will bless thee: and I will praise thy name for ever; yea, for ever and ever.

3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: and of his greatness there is no end.

4. Generation and generation shall praise thy works: and they shall declare thy power.

5. They shall speak of the magnificence of the glory of thy holiness: and shall tell thy wondrous works.

6. And they shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and shall declare thy greatness.

7. They shall publish the memory of the abundance of thy sweetness: and shall rejoice in thy justice.

8. The Lord is gracious and merciful: patient and plenteous in mercy.

9. The Lord is sweet to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

10. Let all thy works, O lord, praise thee: and let thy saints bless thee.

11. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom: and shall tell of thy power:

12. To make thy might known to the sons of men: and the glory of the magnificence of thy kingdom.

13. Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all ages: and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

14. The Lord lifteth up all that fall: and setteth up all that are cast down.

15. The eyes of all hope in thee, O Lord: and thou givest them meat in due season.

16. Thou openest thy hand, and fillest with blessing every living creature.

17. The Lord is just in all his ways: and holy in all his works.

18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him: to all that call upon him in truth.

19. He will do the will of them that fear him: and he will hear their prayer, and save them.

20. The Lord keepeth all them that love him; but all the wicked he will destroy.

21. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless thy holy name for ever; yea, for ever and ever.