“Yes,” answered Akiba. “’Twelve years old was Manassah when he became king, and fifty-and-five years did he reign in Jerusalem, and he did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord’ (Kings).  Now, how was this?  Did Hezekiah teach the law to the whole world and not to his son Manassah?  Assuredly not; but Manassah paid no attention to his precepts, and neglected the word of God until he was afflicted with bodily pain, as it is written, ’And the Lord spoke to Manassah and to his people, but they listened not, wherefore the Lord brought over them the captains of the armies belonging to the king of Assyria, and they took Manassah prisoner with chains, and bound him with fetters, and led him off to Babylon; and when he was in distress he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.  And he prayed to Him, and He permitted Himself to be entreated by him and heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his kingdom.  Then did Manassah feel conscious that the Lord is indeed the (true) God.’

“Now, what did the king of Assyria to Manassah?  He placed him in a copper barrel and had a fire kindled beneath it, and while enduring great torture of his body, Manassah was further tortured in his mind.  ‘Shall I call upon the Almighty?’ he thought.  ’Alas!  His anger burns against me.  To call upon my idols is to call in vain,—­alas, alas, what hope remains to me!’

“He prayed to the greatest of his idols, and waited in vain for a reply.  He called to the lesser gods, and remained unanswered.  Then with trembling heart he addressed the great Eternal.

“’O Eternal!  God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their descendants, the heavens and the earth are the works of Thy hand.  Thou didst give to the sea a shore, controlling with a word the power of the mighty deep.  Thou art merciful as Thou art great, and Thou hast promised to accept the repentance of those who return to Thee with upright hearts.  As numerous are my sins as the sands which cover the seashore.  I have done evil before Thee, committing abominations in Thy presence and acting wickedly.  Bound with fetters I come before Thee, and on my knees I entreat Thee, in the name of Thy great attributes of mercy, to compassionate my suffering and my distress.  Pardon me, O Lord, forgive me.  Do not utterly destroy me because of my transgressions.  Let not my punishment eternally continue.  Though I am unworthy of Thy goodness, O Lord, yet save me in Thy mercy.  Henceforth will I praise Thy name all the days of my life, for all Thy creatures delight in praising Thee, and unto Thee is the greatness and the goodness forever and ever, Selah!’”

“God heard this prayer, even as it is written, ’And He permitted Himself to be entreated by him, and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his kingdom.’”

“From which we may learn,” continued Akiba, “that affliction is an atonement for sin.”

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