Today’s Verse is largely why I wanted to study (with you all) the life of Manasseh. Wicked Kings were common in those days long ago, as are wicked world rulers yet in our age. Manasseh in that sense was certainly not much of an exception!

But here is a wicked King … who repented!

And whom God forgave!

It’s 2nd Chronicles 33:13. “And (Manasseh) prayed unto Him (the Lord): and He was intreated of Him, and (God) heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD He was God.” Wow!

Manasseh, in his misery, finally “prayed” unto the Lord. The verb is “palal,” meaning “to intervene, to intercede, to beg, to mediate.” The word is translated “pray” 74 of its 84 occurrences in Scripture. He made “supplication,” a word that basically means “to seek peace!”

And once the humbled King prayed, God “was intreated.” The Hebrew verb here is “athar,” in the passive voice. God being “influenced” by this man’s praying! I studied this word and it simply means “to treat” a person a certain way! One dictionary says it means “to make peace with a person!” Propitiation!

But God did even more!

He “heard” (in Hebrew “shama,” that is … “to listen carefully, attentively, with the view of doing something about the request) Manasseh’s “supplication!” This noun, “techinah,” is rare. Only 25 times in  the Old Testament does it appear. It means “a request for favor, for grace, for mercy!”

Wow again!

But then there is even more, done by God for this (I thought) reprobate.

God … “brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.”

Released from a foreign prison!

Permitted to go “home!”

With God’s Power being the catalyst to make it all happen!

The verb “brought again” is “shub,” suggesting a complete “turnaround!” It presents the classic idea of “repentance!” A clear change of direction.

No longer incarcerated in Babylon … but reigning in Jerusalem!

It’s like the man has been made anew!

A fresh opportunity at life!

Then our Verse ends with a beautiful conclusion on Manasseh’s part. “Then Manasseh knew that the LORD He was God.”

“Then” … as if he had not really (personally, in his heart) ever seen this fact before that very moment! As in: “I once was blind, but now I see!”

The verb “knew” is “yada,” and can easily mean a “close, intimate” knowledge. It is personal now. In New Testament language, “Manasseh just got saved!”

He believed.

Assuredly.

“Lord” is “Jehovah.”

And “God” is the word “Elohiym.”

He is the soul-saving Deity!

I stand amazed today … at the verse we’ve studied.

God’s forgiving Grace is astounding.

Nearly ineffable … a term meaning “cannot be described, beyond words!”

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell