Manasseh

2 definitions found

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Manasseh
     who makes to forget. "God hath made me forget" (Heb. nashshani),
     Gen. 41:51. (1.) The elder of the two sons of Joseph. He and his
     brother Ephraim were afterwards adopted by Jacob as his own sons
     (48:1). There is an account of his marriage to a Syrian (1 Chr.
     7:14); and the only thing afterwards recorded of him is, that


     his grandchildren were "brought up upon Joseph's knees" (Gen.
     50:23; R.V., "born upon Joseph's knees") i.e., were from their
     birth adopted by Joseph as his own children.
     
       The tribe of Manasseh was associated with that of Ephraim and
     Benjamin during the wanderings in the wilderness. They encamped
     on the west side of the tabernacle. According to the census
     taken at Sinai, this tribe then numbered 32,200 (Num. 1:10, 35;
     2:20, 21). Forty years afterwards its numbers had increased to
     52,700 (26:34, 37), and it was at this time the most
     distinguished of all the tribes.
     
       The half of this tribe, along with Reuben and Gad, had their
     territory assigned them by Moses on the east of the Jordan
     (Josh. 13:7-14); but it was left for Joshua to define the limits
     of each tribe. This territory on the east of Jordan was more
     valuable and of larger extent than all that was allotted to the
     nine and a half tribes in the land of Palestine. It is sometimes
     called "the land of Gilead," and is also spoken of as "on the
     other side of Jordan." The portion given to the half tribe of
     Manasseh was the largest on the east of Jordan. It embraced the
     whole of Bashan. It was bounded on the south by Mahanaim, and
     extended north to the foot of Lebanon. Argob, with its sixty
     cities, that "ocean of basaltic rocks and boulders tossed about
     in the wildest confusion," lay in the midst of this territory.
     
       The whole "land of Gilead" having been conquered, the two and
     a half tribes left their wives and families in the fortified
     cities there, and accompanied the other tribes across the
     Jordan, and took part with them in the wars of conquest. The
     allotment of the land having been completed, Joshua dismissed
     the two and a half tribes, commending them for their heroic
     service (Josh. 22:1-34). Thus dismissed, they returned over
     Jordan to their own inheritance. (See {ED}.)
     
       On the west of Jordan the other half of the tribe of Manasseh
     was associated with Ephraim, and they had their portion in the
     very centre of Palestine, an area of about 1,300 square miles,
     the most valuable part of the whole country, abounding in
     springs of water. Manasseh's portion was immediately to the
     north of that of Ephraim (Josh. 16). Thus the western Manasseh
     defended the passes of Esdraelon as the eastern kept the passes
     of the Hauran.
     
       (2.) The only son and successor of Hezekiah on the throne of
     Judah. He was twelve years old when he began to reign (2 Kings
     21:1), and he reigned fifty-five years (B.C. 698-643). Though he
     reigned so long, yet comparatively little is known of this king.
     His reign was a continuation of that of Ahaz, both in religion
     and national polity. He early fell under the influence of the
     heathen court circle, and his reign was characterized by a sad
     relapse into idolatry with all its vices, showing that the
     reformation under his father had been to a large extent only
     superficial (Isa. 7:10; 2 Kings 21:10-15). A systematic and
     persistent attempt was made, and all too successfully, to banish
     the worship of Jehovah out of the land. Amid this wide-spread
     idolatry there were not wanting, however, faithful prophets
     (Isaiah, Micah) who lifted up their voice in reproof and in
     warning. But their fidelity only aroused bitter hatred, and a
     period of cruel persecution against all the friends of the old
     religion began. "The days of Alva in Holland, of Charles IX. in
     France, or of the Covenanters under Charles II. in Scotland,
     were anticipated in the Jewish capital. The streets were red
     with blood." There is an old Jewish tradition that Isaiah was
     put to death at this time (2 Kings 21:16; 24:3, 4; Jer. 2:30),
     having been sawn asunder in the trunk of a tree. Psalms 49, 73,
     77, 140, and 141 seem to express the feelings of the pious amid
     the fiery trials of this great persecution. Manasseh has been
     called the "Nero of Palestine."
     
       Esarhaddon, Sennacherib's successor on the Assyrian throne,
     who had his residence in Babylon for thirteen years (the only
     Assyrian monarch who ever reigned in Babylon), took Manasseh
     prisoner (B.C. 681) to Babylon. Such captive kings were usually
     treated with great cruelty. They were brought before the
     conqueror with a hook or ring passed through their lips or their
     jaws, having a cord attached to it, by which they were led. This
     is referred to in 2 Chr. 33:11, where the Authorized Version
     reads that Esarhaddon "took Manasseh among the thorns;" while
     the Revised Version renders the words, "took Manasseh in
     chains;" or literally, as in the margin, "with hooks." (Comp. 2
     Kings 19:28.)
     
       The severity of Manasseh's imprisonment brought him to
     repentance. God heard his cry, and he was restored to his
     kingdom (2 Chr. 33:11-13). He abandoned his idolatrous ways, and
     enjoined the people to worship Jehovah; but there was no
     thorough reformation. After a lengthened reign extending through
     fifty-five years, the longest in the history of Judah, he died,
     and was buried in the garden of Uzza, the "garden of his own
     house" (2 Kings 21:17, 18; 2 Chr. 33:20), and not in the city of
     David, among his ancestors. He was succeeded by his son Amon.
     
       In Judg. 18:30 the correct reading is "Moses," and not
     "Manasseh." The name "Manasseh" is supposed to have been
     introduced by some transcriber to avoid the scandal of naming
     the grandson of Moses the great lawgiver as the founder of an
     idolatrous religion.
     

From Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (late 1800's) [hitchcock]:

  Manasseh, forgetfulness; he that is forgotten