What was the effect of King Manasseh's reign in Judah?

Answer 1

Manasseh became king of Judah at the age of twelve and reigned in Jerusalem for fifty-five years (698-642 BCE), longer than any other king.

Historians tend to vilify Manasseh, because of the biblical sources that censured him for his deviation from the religious reforms instituted by his father and for introducing idols into the Temple. Manasseh is also accused of instituting a reign of terror, shedding the blood of rnany innocent persons in Jerusalem. Some scholars believe these criticisms are coloured by the Deuteronomic Historian's need for a scapegoat to justify Judah's subsequent defeat and the Babylonian Exile, citing God's anger at Manasseh.

As leader of one of the smallest and most vulnerable kingdoms in the Assyrian Empire, Manasseh did everything the Assyrians asked of him. Because he reversed the religious reforms of his father, some suggest that he was forced to do so by the Assyrians, and that biblical references to him re-introducing the worship of Baal and of Asherah were examples of appeasing his colonial overlords. However, Assyrian Imperialism was non-coercive in religious matters. Vassal kings were never required to worship Assyrian gods and the Assyrian kings often made a public display of respect for non-Assyrian gods. Undoubtedly, Manasseh restored the old gods out of personal piety or to appease his own people.

Israel had tried to rebel against Assyrian rule and was totally destroyed for doing so. Judah chose to accommodate Assyrian rule, and Manasseh carefully followed that line, stamping out any internal opposition. The effect of his doing so was to maintain a state of relative autonomy for Judah.