Nearly a century before, during the first Passover celebrated by Hezekiah, provision had been made for the daily public reading of the book of the law to the people by teaching priests. It was the observance of the statutes recorded by Moses, especially those given in the book of the covenant, which forms a part of Deuteronomy, that had made the reign of Hezekiah so prosperous. But Manasseh had dared set aside these statutes; and during his reign the temple 393 copy of the book of the law, through careless neglect, had become lost. Thus for many years the people generally were deprived of its instruction.

Under den første påskefest, som blev holdt i Ezekias regeringstid cirka hundrede år tidligere, blev det bestemt, at præsterne daglig skulle læse højt for folket af lovbogen. Den store velstand under Ezekias skyldtes, at man holdt de love, som Moses havde nedskrevet, og især de vedtægter, som stod i pagtsbogen, der udgør en del af de fem Mosebøger. Manasse dristede sig til at tilsidesætte disse love, og mens han var konge, blev det eksemplar af lovbogen, som tilhørte templet, borte på grund af skødesløshed. Der gik nu flere år, hvor folket ikke fik undervisning i loven.