Manasseh in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE
ma-nas'-e (menashsheh, "causing to forget"; compare Gen
41:51; Man(n)asse):
(1) The firstborn of Joseph by Asenath, daughter of Poti-
phera, priest of On. See next article.
(2) The tribe named from Manasseh, half of which, with Gad
and Reuben, occupied the East of Jordan (Nu 27:1, etc.). See
next article.
(3) The "Manasseh" of Jdg 18:30,31 the King James Version is
really an intentional mistake for the name Moses. A small
nun ("n"), a Hebrew letter, has been inserted over and
between the first and second Hebrew letters in the word
Moses, thus maNesheh for mosheh. The reason for this is that
the individual in question is mentioned as priest of a
brazen image at Dan. His proper name was Moses. It was felt
to be a disgrace that such a one bearing that honored name
should keep it intact. The insertion of the nun hides the
disgrace and, moreover, gives to the person a name already
too familiar with idolatrous practices; for King Manasseh's
55 years of sovereignty were thus disgraced.
(4) King of Judah. See separate article.
(5) Son of PAHATH-MOAB (which see), who had married a
foreign wife (Ezr 10:30). Manaseas in 1 Esdras 9:31.
(6) The Manasses of 1 Esdras 9:33. A layman of the family of
Hashum, who put away his foreign wife at Ezra's order (Ezr
10:33).
In the Revised Version (British and American) of Mt 1:10 and
Rev 7:6 the spelling "Manasseh" is given for the King James
Version "Manasses." The latter is the spelling of the
husband of Judith (Judith 8:2,7; 10:3; 16:22,23,24); of a
person named in the last words of Tobit and otherwise
unknown (Tobit 14:10), and also the name given to a
remarkable prayer probably referred to in 2 Ch 33:18, which
Manasseh (4) is said to have uttered at the end of his long,
unsatisfactory life. See MANASSES, THE PRAYER OF. In Jdg
12:4, the Revised Version (British and American) reads
"Manasseh" for the King James Version "Manassites."
Henry Wallace
Read More about Manasseh in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE