2 Chronicles 33:12

2 Chronicles 33:12 

And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,

a. ASV: And when he was in distress, he besought Jehovah his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

b. YLT: And when he is in distress he hath appeased the face of Jehovah his God, and is humbled exceedingly before the God of his fathers,

c. Classic Amplified: When he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

d. Septuagint: And when he was afflicted, he sought the face of the Lord his God, and was greatly humbled before the face of the God of his fathers;

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: But in his distress he beseeched HASHEM, his God, and he humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

1. “And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God…”

a. [And when he was in] affliction [Strong: 6887 tsarar tsaw-rar' a primitive root; to cramp, literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (as follows):--adversary, (be in) afflict(-ion), beseige, bind (up), (be in, bring) distress, enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait (trouble), vex.]

b. [he] besought [Strong: 2470 chalah khaw-law' a primitive root (Compare 2342, 2470, 2490); properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to be weak, sick, afflicted; or (causatively) to grieve, make sick; also to stroke (in flattering), entreat:--beseech, (be) diseased, (put to) grief, be grieved, (be) grievous, infirmity, intreat, lay to, put to pain, X pray, make prayer, be (fall, make) sick, sore, be sorry, make suit (X supplication), woman in travail, be (become) weak, be wounded.]

c. [the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw' from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

d. [his] God 430 'elohiym el-o-heem' plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.]

2. “...and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,”

a. [and] humbled [himself] [Strong: 3665 kana` kaw-nah' a primitive root; properly, to bend the knee; hence, to humiliate, vanquish:--bring down (low), into subjection, under, humble (self), subdue.]

b. greatly [Strong: 3966 m`od meh-ode' from the same as 181; properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or superlative; especially when repeated):--diligently, especially, exceeding(-ly), far, fast, good, great(-ly), X louder and louder, might(-ily, -y), (so) much, quickly, (so) sore, utterly, very (+ much, sore), well.]

c. before [Strong: 6440 paniym paw-neem' plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh {paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s) past, (un-)to(-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), with(- in, + -stand), X ye, X you.]

d. [the] God 430 'elohiym el-o-heem' plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.]

e. [of his] fathers [Strong: 1 'ab awb a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application):--chief, (fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal.]

1). The Prayer of Manasseh: This prayer was written by an anonymous author. The original prayer according to Scripture was preserved in two locations, “the book of the kings of Israel” (2 Chronicles 33:18), and in “the sayings of the seers” (2 Chronicles 33:19). These sources are no longer in existence.   

a). O Lord, Almighty God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed; 

2 Who hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; 

3 Who hast bound the sea by the word of thy commandment; who hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by thy terrible and glorious name; 

4 Whom all men fear, and tremble before thy power; 

5 For the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and thine angry threatening toward sinners is importable: 

6 But thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; 

7 For thou art the most high Lord, of great compassion, longsuffering, very merciful, and repentest of the evils of men. Thou, O Lord, according to thy great goodness hast promised repentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned against thee: and of thine infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved. 

8 Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner: 

9 For I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied: my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquities. 

10 I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot life up mine head, neither have any release: for I have provoked thy wrath, and done evil before thee: I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments: I have set up abominations, and have multiplied offences. 

11 Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace. 

12 I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities: wherefore, 

13 I humbly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquites. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me to the lower parts of the earth. For thou art the God, even the God of them that repent; 

14 And in me thou wilt shew all thy goodness: for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy. 

15 Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my life: for all the powers of the heavens do praise thee, and thine is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2). The important thing is that Manasseh did repent and God restored him to his kingship in Jerusalem. I expect we will see him in heaven. Interestingly the comparative passage in 2 Kings 21:1-18 describing his reign does not mention that he repented.