Why society deteriorated from Hezekia to Menashe?

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

Any thoughts/insights.

[muman613]

I am not sure if this is THE answer to your question but it appears that King Hezekia, while righteous and holy, sinned a great sin according to Isaiah. According to this account:

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/464025/jewish/Hezekiahs-Last-Years-of-Reign.htm

Hezekiah's Sin

Hezekiah, the pious and G-d-fearing descendant of the House of David, had been destined, according to the predictions of the prophets, to be the G-d-sent redeemer of the people, to bring back the exiles of the ten tribes of Israel, and to unite all Israel once again under the dynasty of the House of David. However, a sin committed by Hezekiah, seemingly small, but unpardonable in so great a man, caused him to forfeit the privilege of playing the supreme role for which he had originally been chosen. It happened as follows: Merodah (Berodah) Baladan, the King of Babylon, an astrologer, had to his great astonishment observed that G-d had halted the course of the sun for the sake of Hezekiah. He was deeply impressed by this event, and wanted to learn more about the pious king of Judea. He sent a delegation to Hezekiah to congratulate him on his recovery and to express his admiration for the miracle G-d had wrought on his behalf. The king, full of cordial courtesy, welcomed the Babylonian messengers, and showed them all the treasures collected in the palace and in the Holy Temple. As soon as they had departed, the prophet Isaiah appeared before the king and told him in the name of G-d that he had committed an unpardonable sin, for instead of using the occasion to sanctify G-d's name by pointing out the Divine power over life and death and over all the forces of nature, the king had boasted of his riches. The prophet then said: "Behold, the days shall come when all that is in thy house and that which thy fathers have laid up in store for thee to this day shall be carried to Babylon!" But Hezekiah was promised that this calamity would not come to pass in his own lifetime.

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Manasseh's Evil Reign

Hezekiah's son, Manasseh, was only twelve years old when he succeeded his father to the throne of Judea. In no way did he resemble his father whose piety and faith were not equaled by any other king who followed him. The young ruler, born of a late marriage, was immediately surrounded by the clique of court-notables who, during Hezekiah's reign, had gone into hiding. Manasseh's weak character and susceptibility to idolatry made him a willing tool in the ruthless and selfish hands of these men. Despite the ceaseless efforts and admonitions of the greatest prophets of all times, Isaiah and others, the people of Judea followed in the evil steps of their king. The temples and altars of the idol-worshippers which had been destroyed under Hezekiah were reconstructed. Even into the Holy Temple they brought idols, and some of the basic concepts of Jewish thought and tradition were falsified and distorted. A complete reversal to idolatry as it had been practised under King Ahaz, Hezekiah's father, threw Judea into turmoil of immorality and lawlessness. The believers in the one and only G-d were persecuted, and even the sacred person of the prophet Isaiah was not spared. When he came out sharply against the evil ways of King Manasseh and his notables, Isaiah was murdered.

Manasseh suppressed the study of the Torah because he knew that as long as the spiritual structure of the tradition stood firm, his throne was not safe. Again and again G-d sent his prophets to warn the king of the coming punishment, but the warnings were given in vain. Manasseh, who unfortunately ruled longer than most Jewish kings, sank lower and lower into the most repulsive cults and witchcraft of the heathen peoples. With him he pulled down the whole spiritual structure which his father had set up for the people; and even though the king personally repented in his later years, he was never able to make amends for the damage he had done in the first decades of his evil rule.

Manasseh's Punishment

The word of the prophets soon came true. Assyria's mighty armies punished and subdued Babylon, Egypt, Kush, and other nations of Asia Minor. However, they did not molest the land of Judah, which in those days had shown its sympathies for the Assyrian empire. But they took King Manasseh and put him in irons and led him into captivity to Babylonia. There they made him endure the most horrible sufferings and accorded him the most shameful treatment. In his despair, and after unsuccessfully calling upon his idols, Manasseh repented sincerely. Even though he had sunk to the lowest possible level, his prayers of repentance were heard and his inhuman tortures were stopped. He was sent back to Jerusalem where he ruled for another thirty-three years, giving full recognition and praise to the One and Only G-d. But despite his sincere efforts to restore the faith of the people to the genuine spirit of the traditional belief, he was unable to lead the Jewish nation back to the path of righteousness from which, under his influence, they had gone astray.

[Ephraim Ben Noach]

What is the time from on this? Like about what time period?

[muman613]

What is the time from on this? Like about what time period?

Hezekia's rule was approx the year 3205... Or 568 BCE...

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1679684/jewish/The-Exile-of-the-Ten-Lost-Tribes.htm
Thus it was in the year 3205, at the end of the reign of King Hoshea, the nineteenth king of the northern tribes—coinciding with the sixth year of the reign of King Hezekiah of Judea—that the northern kingdom fell and the rest of the ten tribes were exiled.

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

Just a possible though. Could it be precisely because of the Religious Coercion of Hezekia that caused the next generation and Menashe his son to totally rebel against the system. (I dont know maybe I'm just thinking liberally right now).

[muman613]

Just a possible though. Could it be precisely because of the Religious Coercion of Hezekia that caused the next generation and Menashe his son to totally rebel against the system. (I dont know maybe I'm just thinking liberally right now).

That could be a reason... And you are right it sounds liberal to me... But I think there is always more to it than what seems to be on the surface, there must have been deeper reasons why this generation was so enamored with idolatry.

[edu]

I wish to point out that the Talmud in tractate Brachot 10a said that Chizkiyahu (Hezekia) knew through Divine Inspiration that he would have an unworthy son and therefore didn't want to have children at all, in order to prevent the birth of a leader that would harm Israel, etc.
The prophet told Chizkiyahu (Hezekia) that it is forbidden to disobey Halacha (of having children) based on the knowledge of the secrets of the universe. Chizkiyahu (Hezekia) was nearly punished with a severe punishment for this sin, but his last minute repentance which included getting married to the prophet's daughter and having children  helped to add years to his life and grant him a portion in the world to come.