Faithfully the prophets continued their warnings and their exhortations; fearlessly they spoke to Manasseh and 383 to his people; but the messages were scorned; backsliding Judah would not heed. As an earnest of what would befall the people should they continue impenitent, the Lord permitted their king to be captured by a band of Assyrian soldiers, who "bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon," their temporary capital. This affliction brought the king to his senses; "he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed unto Him: and He was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord He was God." 2 Chronicles 33:11-13. But this repentance, remarkable though it was, came too late to save the kingdom from the corrupting influence of years of idolatrous practices. Many had stumbled and fallen, never again to rise.

Profeterne vedblev trofast at advare og formane. De talte til Manasse og hans folk uden at frygte, men deres budskab blev mødt med foragt. Det frafaldne Juda ville ikke høre. Som en forsmag på, hvorledes det ville gå folket, hvis de vedblev at være ubodfærdige tillod Herren, at deres konge blev taget til fange af en deling assyriske soldater. De "lagde ham i kobberlænker og førte ham til Babel" som var deres midlertidige hovedstad. Denne smertelige oplevelse fik kongen til at vågne op. "Han bad Herren sin Gud om nåde og ydmygede sig dybt for sine fædres Gud. Og da han bad til ham, bønhørte han ham; han hørte hans bøn og bragte ham tilbage til Jerusalem til hans kongedømme; da indså Manasse, at Herren er Gud." 2 Krøn. 33,11-13. Men selv om han angrede dybt, var det for sent at redde riget fra den fordærvelse, som den langvarige afgudsdyrkelse havde medført. Mange af indbyggerne var snublet og rejste sig aldrig mere.