Manasseh

The name of a few key characters in the Old Testament. Manasseh was the eldest son of Joseph (the youngest was Ephraim). Manasseh gave his name to the tribe of Manasseh and along with Ephraim was the house of Joseph in Israel. The territory of Manasseh was in the centre of Israel. There was also a king called Manasseh who ruled in Judah (692-638 BC). The writers of 2 Kings (21.1-20) regarded him as an evil king responsible for much of the punishment that later came on Judah.