II Chronicles 33:18 · Bible study
2 Chronicles 33:18 Commentary: The Lost Prayer of Manasseh
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Commentary on the prayer of Manasseh mentioned in 2 Chronicles 33:18, exploring why it is not in the Bible and what it means for repentance.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Chronicler notes that Manasseh’s reign included a prayer of repentance and prophetic warnings, recorded in a lost source, not the canonical Bible.
- Key words: Prayer (tephillah), seers (chozeh, prophetic office), book of the kings of Israel (a now-lost historical archive).
- Main debate: Whether the apocryphal Prayer of Manasseh preserves any authentic tradition (nearly all scholars say no).
- Theological theme: Radical repentance and divine forgiveness, even the worst sinner can be restored when humbled before God.
- Best use: A model for preaching on grace; a reminder that God’s mercy is wider than our records.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
As for the rest of the acts of Manasseh, along with his prayer to his God and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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 Jehovah, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the rest of the matters of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the matters of the seers, those speaking unto him in the name of Jehovah, God of Israel, lo, they are on the book of the matters of the kings of Israel;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers that spoke to him in the name of Jehovah the God of Israel, behold, they [are written] in the acts of the kings of Israel.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But the rest of the acts of Manasses, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers that spoke to him in the name of the Lord the God of Israel, are contained in the words of the kings of Israel.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Su oración también, y cómo fué oído, todos sus pecados, y su prevaricación, los lugares donde edificó altos y había puesto bosques é ídolos antes que se humillase, he aquí estas cosas están escritas en las palabras de los videntes.
Os demais dos feitos de Manassés, e sua oração a seu Deus, e as palavras dos videntes que lhe falaram em nome do SENHOR o Deus de Israel, eis que tudo está escrito nos feitos dos reis de Israel.
Le reste des actions de Manassé, sa prière à son Dieu, et les paroles des prophètes qui lui parlèrent au nom de l’ Éternel, le Dieu d’ Israël, cela est écrit dans les actes des rois d’ Israël.
Was aber mehr von Manasse zu sagen ist und sein Gebet zu seinem Gott und die Reden der Seher, die mit ihm redeten im Namen des HERRN, des Gottes Israels, siehe, die sind unter den Geschichten der Könige Israels.
Het overige nu der geschiedenissen van Manasse, en zijn gebed tot zijn God, ook de woorden der zieners, die tot hem gesproken hebben in den Naam van den HEERE, den God Israels, ziet, die zijn in de geschiedenissen der koningen van Israel;
Il rimanente delle azioni di Manasse, la preghiera che rivolse al suo Dio, e le parole che i veggenti gli rivolsero nel nome dell’Eterno, dell’Iddio d’Israele, son cose scritte nella storia dei re d’Israele.
Ale inne sprawy Manasesowe, i modlitwa jego do Boga jego, i słowa widzących, którzy mawiali do niego w imię Pana, Boga Izraelskiego, są w księgach spraw królów Izraelskich.
Прочие дела Манассии, и молитва его к Богу своему, и слова прозорливцев, говоривших к нему именем Господа Бога Израилева, находятся в записях царей Израилевых.
瑪拿西 其餘 的事 和禱告他 神的話，並先見 奉耶和華─以色列 神 的名 警戒 他 的言語，都 寫在 以色列 諸王 記上。
Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words which the seers said to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, are recorded among the acts of the kings of Israel.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Chronicles 33:18
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the “prayer” and the “words of the seers” cited in this verse were part of a source document the Chronicler used but is now lost. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible note that the apocryphal Prayer of Manasseh, found in some LXX manuscripts and the Latin Vulgate, has no claim to authenticity, it is a later Hellenistic composition. Gill adds that the original prayer was recorded in the annals of the kings of Israel, not in the canonical book of Kings, where no such prayer appears. Wesley clarifies that “the book of the kings of Israel” here refers to the public records of Judah (often called Israel), not the canonical Kings. The seers who spoke to Manasseh, suggests Gill, may include Joel, Nahum, and Habakkuk based on Jewish chronology. In short, the prayer was real and preserved in lost historical records; the text now known by that name is a later, pious invention.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Lost historical record: The Chronicler refers to a source (book of the kings of Israel) that contained the prayer; it is now lost but was authentic.
- Apocryphal Prayer as possible echo: A minority view that the prayer in the Apocrypha may reflect an early Jewish tradition, though not Manasseh’s actual words.
What is clear: The Chronicler testifies that Manasseh prayed to God and repented, and that God received his prayer—this core fact is beyond dispute, even if the exact words are not preserved.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Authenticity of the apocryphal Prayer of Manasseh | Scholars agree that the prayer referred to in this verse is lost and not the same as the apocryphal text found in some Greek and Latin manuscripts. | Some suggest the apocryphal prayer may contain echoes of an authentic tradition (e.g., early Christians used it in liturgy), but most reject it as a later Hellenistic composition with no link to Manasseh himself. |
| Identity of the seers | They were prophets who spoke God's word to Manasseh, both before and after his repentance. | Gill identifies them with Joel, Nahum, and Habakkuk based on Jewish chronology; others leave them unnamed, noting that the Chronicler's source may not have specified. |
| The 'book of the kings of Israel' | This is a source document used by the Chronicler, now lost, distinct from the canonical books of Kings. | Some (Wesley) view it as the public records of Judah, occasionally called 'Israel'; others (Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch) see it as a comprehensive history of both kingdoms, with the Chronicler using a shorter title. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Manasseh reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem, the longest of any Davidic king. His early rule was a dark reversal of his father Hezekiah’s reforms. According to 2 Chronicles 33, he rebuilt the high places, erected altars for Baal and the host of heaven, set up an Asherah pole in the temple, and even sacrificed his sons in the fire. He practiced sorcery and divination, leading Judah into greater evil than the nations the Lord had driven out. The prophets (the “seers” of v.18) warned him repeatedly, but he would not listen.
Then came the Assyrian captains. They took Manasseh with hooks and bound him in bronze chains, carrying him off to Babylon. There, in affliction, he humbled himself and prayed to God. The Chronicler records that God was moved by his plea and restored him to Jerusalem. From that point Manasseh knew that the Lord is God. He tore down the foreign idols, repaired the altar, and commanded Judah to serve Yahweh, though the people still sacrificed on high places.
Verse 18 serves as a formal colophon to Manasseh’s reign, referencing a source called “the book of the kings of Israel.” This was likely a royal archive or prophetic history, now lost to us. The Chronicler often cites such sources, as he does for Solomon (1 Kings 11:41), Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:19), and Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:32). The reference to “seers” (chozeh) points to a prophetic office distinct from “prophet” (navi), though both spoke God’s word (1 Samuel 9:9). The Targum even paraphrases: “in the name of the Word of the Lord God of Israel,” highlighting the divine authority behind their message.
The prayer itself, the actual words Manasseh spoke in Babylon, is not preserved in Scripture. What remains is the Chronicler’s summary: he prayed, and God heard him. That summary has been enough to fuel hope for repentant sinners for centuries.
Textual Notes
The Hebrew text of 2 Chronicles 33:18 is stable across manuscripts. The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The phrase “in the book of the kings of Israel” appears in the Masoretic Text and is reflected in all major translations. Some versions (e.g., BSB) title it “Chronicles of the Kings of Israel,” but this is a translation choice, not a variant reading.
Reception History
The apocryphal Prayer of Manasseh, though considered inauthentic by scholars, has had a long liturgical life. It appears in the Odes and appended to the Psalter in the Alexandrine Codex (5th century), in the Vulgate after 2 Chronicles, and in English Bibles as part of the Apocrypha. Early Christian writers like Tertullian and Origen referenced Manasseh’s repentance as an example of divine mercy. The verse itself links to the Jewish Targum, which paraphrases “the name of the Word of the Lord,” showing an interpretive tradition that saw God’s presence in prophetic speech. In later reception, this verse has been used to argue that not all prayers of biblical figures needed to be preserved, the fact of their answer is sufficient testimony to grace.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- A notorious sinner’s record. Manasseh’s evil was extreme, yet God did not give up on him. The verse cites a specific prayer, now lost to us but fully known to God.
- The prophets spoke; the king listened, eventually. Seers named in the royal annals delivered God’s word. Their warnings were part of his story, even before he turned.
- What is written, and what is not. Not every spiritual event is recorded in Scripture. The prayer existed, it was answered, but God chose not to preserve its words, perhaps to teach us to rely on the fact of mercy, not its poetic expression.
Five-point outline
- The reign that began in darkness: Manasseh’s slide into idolatry (vv.1-9).
- Judgment speaks: Assyrian capture and the beginning of true humility (vv.10-11).
- The prayer that changed everything: Manasseh’s cry from the chains (vv.12-13).
- Restoration and reform: the king who came home different (vv.14-17).
- The lost prayer: why the Chronicler cites a source we no longer have, and why that matters (vv.18-19).
Illustration hooks
- An old letter in an attic. Suppose a family heirloom letter from a grandparent is mentioned in wills but lost in a move. The love it expressed is still real, but the exact words are gone. So with Manasseh’s prayer: the fact of it is recorded; the words are safe with God.
- The cancelled debt. Think of a person who owed a huge sum, and the creditor wrote “paid in full” on a receipt, but the receipt is lost. The debt is still cancelled. The prayer of Manasseh is like that receipt: God remembers it, even if we cannot read it.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If Manasseh was so evil, why did God forgive him? Does that mean God forgives anyone?
- What is the “Prayer of Manasseh” in the Apocrypha, should I read it?
- Why does the Bible mention a prayer that isn’t included? Did the Chronicler make a mistake?
Leading a Discussion
This verse gives us a glimpse into the Chronicler’s sources, and into the heart of a king who repented. It raises questions about what Scripture includes, what it omits, and how we trust God’s record even when the details are missing. Read 2 Chronicles 33:1-20 before starting. Then discuss:
Discussion questions
- What does verse 18 tell us about the prayer and the seers? Why does the Chronicler cite a source instead of giving all the details himself?
- How is Manasseh’s repentance described in verses 12-13? What changed him, and what does that reveal about God’s character?
- Look at verse 19: it says “all his sin and his trespass” are also written. Why include the full record of sin along with the prayer?
- The seers spoke to Manasseh in the name of Yahweh. How does God’s patience before judgment (v.10) shape your view of His dealings with difficult people?
- If the actual prayer is lost, does that affect its reality or power? What does the fact that God knew it and answered it mean for your own unanswered or unrecorded prayers?
- Compare this verse with 2 Kings 21:17-18 (which does not mention the prayer). Why might the Chronicler include what 2 Kings left out? What was his purpose?
- How does Manasseh’s story challenge the idea that someone can be too far gone for God? What does his restoration say about the limits of God’s mercy?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 9:9 | (In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come! Let’s go to the seer;” for he who is now called a prophet was before called a seer.) |
| I Kings 11:41 | Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren’t they written in the book of the acts of Solomon? |
| I Kings 14:19 | The rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he fought and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. |
| I Kings 15:31 | Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? |
| II Kings 17:13 | Yet Yahweh testified to Israel and to Judah, by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.” |
| II Chronicles 20:34 | Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is included in the book of the kings of Israel. |
| II Chronicles 32:32 | Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. |
| II Chronicles 33:10 | Yahweh spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they didn’t listen. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the Targum's phrasing that the seers spoke in the name of the Word of the Lord God of Israel. This emphasizes that their messages carried divine authority, as they were tied directly to God's own Word rather than mere human opinion.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes dismisses the prayer of Manasseh as a later composition by a Hellenistic Jew, not the king's actual words. He also notes that the Chronicler's phrase "the book of the kings of Israel" is a shortened title for a standard compilation, used here without any apparent reason.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary notes that the Prayer of Manasses, though widely circulated in Greek and Latin manuscripts, has no claim to be authentic. It treats the prayer as a later composition worth reading, not a translation from a Hebrew original, and Jerusalem’s scribes likely recorded Manasseh’s reign among the acts of the kings.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note directs readers to the book of the Kings of Israel for the fuller record of Manasseh’s actions, including his prayer to God and the words of the seers who spoke in the Lord’s name. It points out that the Chronicler’s account draws on that earlier source.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that the prayer of Manasseh preserved among the apocryphal writings is not authentic, despite the common view. He also identifies the prophets who spoke to him as Joel, Nahum, and Habakkuk, and clarifies that the "book of the kings of Israel" refers to lost annals, not the canonical text.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that Manasseh's history is drawn from two distinct sources: the chronicle of Israel's kings, and the sayings of the prophet Hozai. The latter alone contained the full account of Manasseh's prayer, God's answering that prayer, and the high places and images he built before his humiliation.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange defends the historical credibility of Manasseh's captivity and conversion, using Assyrian inscriptions to show that deportation to Babylon under Ashurbanipal was plausible. He argues that Manasseh's reform after his return was incomplete and temporary, which explains why later passages still speak of the sins of Manasseh.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights the striking reversal in Manasseh's story: the same king who undid his father Hezekiah's good work later, through genuine repentance, undid his own evil. For Henry, this shows that no sin is beyond the reach of a humbled heart, and that God's grace can restore even the worst back into usefulness.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley clarifies that "Israel" in this context refers to Judah, which was often called Israel. He notes that these events are not recorded in the book of Kings but were drawn from official public records, from which the prophets selected the most important matters for the canonical books.