The Chronicler’s primary source, the book of Kings, depicts Manasseh as the worst character, that king who seals the fate of Judah (2 Kings 21:12–15; 23:26–27; 24:3–4; cf. 24:20). While not ignoring Manasseh’s disobedience, the Chronicler presents this king as a role model, one whose repentance after an exilic punishment to Babylon showcases the Chronicler’s agenda for renewal for his own generation. His account begins with the typical accession summary note in 33:1–2, where the Chronicler’s theological evaluation of him is extremely negative, with its link to the Canaanite nations that preceded Israel’s arrival. To be like these nations is to risk experiencing their fate (see 33:9).

The specifics of Manasseh’s evil are provided in 33:3–9, which first outlines his sponsorship of decentra…