King Manasseh (Judah)

Manasseh had the longest reign of any king of Judah, ruling for about 55 years. He reversed the righteous reforms of his father Hezekiah and became one of Judah’s most sinful kings, promoting idolatry, sorcery, astrology, and even placing foreign worship inside the Temple. The Tanakh also says he sacrificed his own child, following the terrible practices of surrounding nations. His reign was marked by spiritual corruption and bloodshed in Jerusalem. However, Chronicles describes that after being taken captive by Assyria, Manasseh humbled himself, repented, and tried to repair some of the damage. Even so, his long reign left a deep negative impact and is remembered as one of the major causes leading toward Judah’s eventual destruction.