In the book of Kings, Manasseh is described, in the words of Peter Leithart, as “an idolatrous Solomon on steroids.”
If Hezekiah is the greatest king since David, one would expect his son to be like Solomon. And indeed Manasseh was a great temple builder– but his building projects were all idolatrous!
Manasseh reigns for 55 years – the longest reign of any king in Israel or Judah. Manasseh, of course, is also the name of one of Joseph's sons– and so there is a whole tribe of Manasseh. The name “Manasseh” comes from a root which means to forget or to fail. Joseph named his son Manasseh because God had caused him to forget all his hardship and all his father's house.
Hezekiah may well have named his son Manasseh for a similar reason. Hezekiah's father, Ahaz, had been a terrible idolater. Ahaz had built an altar in the temple on the Assyrian model. But Hezekiah had forgotten the ways of his father, and had walked in the ways of David.
So he named his son, “he causes to forget.” But Hezekiah named his son too well! Because Manasseh did indeed cause his people to forget!
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