2 Kings 21, side by side

Two versions of the same chapter. Each row is one verse, so you can see how the wording changes.

Modern

1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.

Classic

1Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hephzibah.

Modern

2And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

Classic

2And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

Modern

3For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.

Classic

3For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

Modern

4Manasseh also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My Name.”

Classic

4And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.

Modern

5In both courtyards of the house of the LORD, he built altars to all the host of heaven.

Classic

5And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

Modern

6He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

Classic

6And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

Modern

7Manasseh even took the carved Asherah pole he had made and set it up in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever.

Classic

7And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:

Modern

8I will never again cause the feet of the Israelites to wander from the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they are careful to do all I have commanded them—the whole Law that My servant Moses commanded them.”

Classic

8Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.

Modern

9But the people did not listen and Manasseh led them astray, so that they did greater evil than the nations that the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.

Classic

9But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.

Modern

10And the LORD spoke through His servants the prophets, saying,

Classic

10And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying,

Modern

11“Since Manasseh king of Judah has committed all these abominations, acting more wickedly than the Amorites who preceded him, and with his idols has caused Judah to sin,

Classic

11Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:

Modern

12this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah that the news will reverberate in the ears of all who hear it.

Classic

12Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.

Modern

13I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab, and I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a bowl—wiping it and turning it upside down.

Classic

13And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.

Modern

14So I will forsake the remnant of My inheritance and deliver them into the hands of their enemies. And they will become plunder and spoil to all their enemies,

Classic

14And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;

Modern

15because they have done evil in My sight and have provoked Me to anger from the day their fathers came out of Egypt until this day.’”

Classic

15Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.

Modern

16Moreover, Manasseh shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end, in addition to the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, doing evil in the sight of the LORD.

Classic

16Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

Modern

17As for the rest of the acts of Manasseh, along with all his accomplishments and the sin that he committed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

Classic

17Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

Modern

18And Manasseh rested with his fathers and was buried in his palace garden, the garden of Uzza. And his son Amon reigned in his place.

Classic

18And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

Modern

19Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz; she was from Jotbah.

Classic

19Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.

Modern

20And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done.

Classic

20And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did.

Modern

21He walked in all the ways of his father, and he served and worshiped the idols his father had served.

Classic

21And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them:

Modern

22He abandoned the LORD, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the LORD.

Classic

22And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD.

Modern

23Then the servants of Amon conspired against him and killed the king in his palace.

Classic

23And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house.

Modern

24But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.

Classic

24And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.

Modern

25As for the rest of the acts of Amon, along with his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

Classic

25Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

Modern

26And he was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza, and his son Josiah reigned in his place.

Classic

26And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.

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