Manasseh

18The other things Manasseh did are written down. So is his prayer to his God. So are the words that seers spoke to him from the LORD, the God of Israel. Seers were people who told others what God said. All this is in the book of the kings of Israel.

Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.

NoteThe book of the kings of Israel was an old record book. People wrote down what each king did. We do not have that book today.

19His prayer is written down too, and how God listened to him. So are all his sins and the wrong things he did. So are the places where he built worship spots on the hills and set up Asherah poles and statues, before he became humble. All this is in the records of the seers.

His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.

NoteBeing humble means you stop thinking you are the greatest. Manasseh finally admitted he was wrong.

20Then Manasseh died, like his fathers before him. They buried him at his palace. His son Amon became king after him.

So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

Note"Like his fathers before him" means like the family who lived before him. Kings were often buried near the house where they lived.

1Then the LORD said to me: "Moses and Samuel could stand right here in front of me. Even then my heart would not turn to these people. Send them away from me. Let them go."

Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.

NoteJeremiah is the man speaking here. He was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. Moses and Samuel lived long before him. Both of them prayed for the people when God was angry. Moses and Samuel were leaders who once prayed for the people.

2"They will ask you, 'Where should we go?' Tell them the LORD says this: Those meant for death will die. Those meant for the sword will die in war. Those meant for hunger will go hungry. Those meant to be taken away will be taken away."

And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.

NoteBeing taken away means captured by an army. Soldiers marched people far away to live in another country.

3"I will send four kinds of trouble against them, says the LORD. The sword to kill them. The dogs to drag their bodies away. The birds of the sky and the wild animals to eat and destroy."

And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.

NoteDogs here were not pets. They ran wild in the streets and ate whatever they found.

4"People in every kingdom on earth will be shocked when they look at them. This is because of Manasseh, king of Judah and son of Hezekiah, and what he did in Jerusalem."

And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.

NoteManasseh was a king of Judah many years before Jeremiah. He did cruel things and led people to worship other gods. Judah was the land where God's people lived.