…and beyond
Prayer of Manasseh
Fifteen verses of repentance, the prayer 2 Chronicles says the captive king prayed.
Fifteen verses of penitence, put in the mouth of the worst king Judah ever had. Chronicles records that Manasseh, after a reign of appalling idolatry, was taken to Babylon with a hook in his nose, humbled himself, prayed, and was restored, and it mentions that his prayer was written down. This is somebody's attempt to supply it. Whatever its origin it is a small masterpiece of contrition, and it entered Christian liturgy widely, appearing in Orthodox services and in the Anglican tradition. Canonical for the Orthodox, placed in an appendix by Catholics, and among the Apocrypha for Protestants, which again shows how uneven the edges of the canon are.
If you remember one thing
Fifteen verses in the mouth of the king Scripture calls the worst Judah ever had, which is exactly why it has comforted people for two thousand years.
Who, when, and why
- Written
- A short penitential psalm, composed in Greek.
- First readers
- Anyone who thought they had gone too far.
- Why it was written
- 2 Chronicles says Judah's worst king repented in captivity but does not give the prayer. This supplies it.
How it is shaped
- 1 to 7Address to the God of the ancestors
- 8 to 12Confession
- 13 to 15Plea for mercy and praise
What it keeps coming back to
A verse to carry
“You, O Lord, according to your great goodness, have promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against you.”
Prayer of Manasseh 7
Passages that trouble readers
Origin
Written to supply the prayer that 2 Chronicles 33:18-19 says was recorded. Canonical for the Orthodox, in an appendix for Catholics, Apocrypha for Protestants.
Named here rather than skipped. Where Christians read a passage differently, we say so instead of choosing for you.
Who receives this book
In Orthodox use and historic appendices; among the Apocrypha elsewhere.
No one from this book has a write-up yet. The hall is still filling.
The whole book, with the people and places explained as you read. Available in KJV. Chapters marked ✦ carry a verse the New Testament takes up.
A quiz for Prayer of Manasseh is on the workbench. In the meantime, the games for the judges, the kings, and the prophets are open.