{
  "id": "dict_004563",
  "term": "Prayer of Manasseh",
  "slug": "prayer-of-manasseh",
  "letter": "P",
  "entry_type": "apocryphal_writing",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "An ancient penitential prayer attributed to King Manasseh of Judah. It is associated with 2 Chronicles 33:12-13 but is not part of the Protestant canon.",
  "simple_one_line": "A short ancient prayer of repentance linked to Manasseh’s confession, preserved outside Protestant Scripture.",
  "tooltip_text": "Ancient repentance prayer associated with King Manasseh; useful background literature, but not Protestant canonical Scripture.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Manasseh (king of Judah)",
    "2 Chronicles",
    "2 Kings",
    "Apocrypha",
    "Repentance"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "2 Chronicles 33",
    "Additions to Daniel",
    "Additions to Esther",
    "Prayer",
    "Confession"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "The Prayer of Manasseh is a brief ancient prayer of confession and repentance attributed to King Manasseh of Judah. It is connected to the biblical account of Manasseh’s humiliation and prayer in 2 Chronicles 33, but the prayer itself is not included in the Protestant canon.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "A penitential prayer attributed to Manasseh that reflects themes of confession, mercy, and divine forgiveness.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "1. Linked to the biblical notice that Manasseh prayed and humbled himself before God.",
    "2. Preserved as an extra-biblical ancient writing.",
    "3. Valued for historical and devotional interest, not as canonical authority."
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "The Prayer of Manasseh is an ancient Jewish prayer of repentance attributed to King Manasseh of Judah. It echoes the biblical account of Manasseh’s humility in 2 Chronicles 33:12-13, but the text itself lies outside the Hebrew Bible and the Protestant Old Testament. In Protestant usage it is treated as apocryphal or background literature rather than inspired Scripture.",
  "description_academic_full": "The Prayer of Manasseh is a brief penitential composition attributed to King Manasseh, the king of Judah whose repentance is briefly noted in 2 Chronicles 33:12-13, 18-19. The biblical passage says that he humbled himself and prayed to the Lord, but the specific prayer known by this title is preserved outside the Protestant canon. Evangelical interpreters generally regard it as an ancient extra-biblical work that reflects biblical themes of sin, confession, mercy, and restoration without carrying the authority of Scripture. It may be read for historical, literary, and devotional interest, but it should be clearly distinguished from inspired biblical text.",
  "background_biblical_context": "2 Chronicles 33 records Manasseh’s rebellion, punishment, humiliation, repentance, and restoration. The Prayer of Manasseh is traditionally associated with the notice that he prayed to God, but the chronicler does not quote the prayer itself.",
  "background_historical_context": "The prayer belongs to the wider stream of ancient penitential literature that developed in Jewish and early Christian settings. It circulated outside the Hebrew Bible and came to be preserved in some manuscript traditions and church collections.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "Ancient Jewish texts often gave voice to confession, exile, mercy, and restoration. This prayer fits that pattern by presenting repentance in the name of a famously wicked king who sought God’s mercy.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "2 Chronicles 33:12-13, 18-19"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "2 Kings 21:1-18",
    "2 Chronicles 33:1-20"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "The surviving text is preserved in ancient manuscript traditions, especially in Greek transmission, with later versions in other languages.",
  "theological_significance": "The prayer highlights repentance, humility, and God’s willingness to forgive the truly contrite. Those themes are fully biblical, even though the document itself is not canonical Scripture.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "As a historical text, the Prayer of Manasseh shows how ancient believers expressed guilt, dependence, and hope for mercy. Its value is illustrative rather than authoritative.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not treat the prayer as inspired Scripture in Protestant theology. The attribution to Manasseh is traditional and the text belongs in the category of extra-biblical devotional literature.",
  "major_views_note": "Protestant readers generally classify it as apocryphal or deuterocanonical background literature. Some other Christian traditions have valued it more highly in liturgical or devotional use.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "This entry does not establish canon status, justification doctrine, or sacramental practice. Scripture remains the final authority for doctrine and theology.",
  "practical_significance": "The prayer can encourage honest confession and hope in God’s mercy, while also reminding readers to distinguish canonical Scripture from useful but noncanonical writings.",
  "meta_description": "Prayer of Manasseh is an ancient penitential prayer attributed to King Manasseh and associated with 2 Chronicles, but not part of Protestant Scripture.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/prayer-of-manasseh/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/prayer-of-manasseh.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}