דברי הימים ב, פרק ל״ג, פסוק י״ט

The record of Manasseh's life captures a dramatic journey between two extreme opposites. It spans a dark era of severe idolatry and rebellion, followed by a profound process of repentance and submission to God. Every part of this turbulent history was carefully documented.

The historical account preserves the specific manner in which Manasseh poured out his prayer to God [רש"י]. It then records God's response, showing how He listened and accepted this sincere plea [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The ultimate proof of this divine acceptance was God's decision to restore Manasseh to his royal throne [רש"י].

Alongside his repentance, the record does not hide his past. It thoroughly details all his earlier sins and betrayals. It lists the exact locations where he rebelled before his surrender, noting where he built illegitimate altars and set up carved idols and pagan symbols [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

All of these events were permanently recorded in the writings of Chozai. Commentators offer different understandings of this source. One perspective views it as the actual name of a specific prophet who lived during that era [מצודת ציון]. Another approach understands the term not as a single name, but as a plural word for seers or prophets. According to this view, the complete story of Manasseh's failures and his eventual return to God was preserved across several books authored by His prophets [רד"ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].