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2 Chronicles 33:12

And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
2 Chronicles 33:12 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.
  • BSB And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers.
  • NKJV Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
  • NASB When he was in distress, he appeased the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.
  • NLT But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the Lord his God and sincerely humbled himself before the God of his ancestors.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

In his distress Manasseh begs the Lord and humbles himself greatly before the God of his fathers. Even the worst sinner can turn to God in genuine repentance.

Overview

Affliction brings Manasseh to his senses, and he humbles himself, the very response Chronicles holds up as the path to mercy (cf. 2 Chronicles 7:14). That so wicked a king could repent magnifies the patience and grace of God. His conversion stands as a striking testimony that no one is beyond the reach of God's forgiveness.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 17

  • Exod 10:3And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
  • 2 Chr 32:26Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
  • Ps 50:15And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
  • Luke 18:14–15I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
  • 1 Pet 5:5–6Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
  • Deut 4:30–31When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
  • Hos 5:15I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.
  • Acts 9:11And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
  • Jas 4:10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
  • 2 Chr 28:22And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.
  • Mic 6:9The LORD’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
  • 2 Chr 33:23And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.
  • Luke 15:16–18And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
  • Jer 31:18–20I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
  • Lev 26:39–42And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.
  • 2 Chr 28:5Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.
  • 2 Chr 33:18–19Now 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.

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Christ at the center

Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.

How 2 Chronicles 33:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

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