4
He erected altars in the house of ADONAI, concerning which ADONAI had said, "My name will be in Yerushalayim forever."
5
He erected altars for all the army of heaven in the two courtyards of the house of ADONAI.
6
He made his children pass through the fire [as a sacrifice] in the Ben-Hinnom Valley. He practiced soothsaying, divination and sorcery; and he appointed mediums and persons who used spirit guides. He did much that was evil from ADONAI's perspective, thus provoking him to anger.
7
He set the carved image of the idol he had made in the house of God, concerning which God had told David and Shlomo his son, "In this house and in Yerushalayim, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Isra'el, I will put my name forever.
8
Also I will not remove the feet of Isra'el from the land I assigned your ancestors, if only they will take heed to obey every order I have given them, that is, all the Torah, laws and rulings that came through Moshe."
9
M'nasheh caused Y'hudah and the people of Yerushalayim to go astray, so that they did even worse things than the nations whom ADONAI destroyed ahead of the people of Isra'el.
10
ADONAI spoke to M'nasheh and to his people, but they paid no attention.
11
Therefore ADONAI brought against them the commanders of the king of Ashur's army. They took M'nasheh captive with hooks, bound him in chains and carried him off to Bavel.
12
Then, when he was in distress, he began to appease the anger of ADONAI, abjectly humbling himself before the God of his ancestors.
13
He prayed to him; and God was moved by his plea, paid attention to his entreaty and brought him back to Yerushalayim, to his kingly office. Then M'nasheh understood that ADONAI really is God.
14
After this he built an outer wall for the City of David on the west side of Gichon, in the valley, extending as far as the entrance at the Fish Gate; it encompassed the 'Ofel, and he built it very high. He stationed army commanders in all the fortified cities of Y'hudah.