Manasseh seems to have reversed all the positive things that his father had done (see 2 Kgs 18.4).
He rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed: The Hebrew words translated he rebuilt are literally “he turned and he built” or “he returned and he built.” But the two verbs may legitimately be translated with a single verb or with a verb and an adverb in other languages. In some cases it may be wise to restructure the translation according to this model provided by New Century Version: “Manasseh’s father, Hezekiah, had destroyed the places where gods were worshiped, but Manasseh rebuilt them.”
High places is translated “pagan places of worship” by Good News Translation, but this rendering is too narrow. Sometimes the LORD was also worshiped at high places. The worship of the LORD and other gods was condemned at such places, not primarily because these were places where other gods were worshiped, but rather because the LORD was to be worshiped only in Jerusalem after the construction of the Temple. See the comments at 1 Kgs 3.2 and 2 Kgs 12.3.
Erected is literally “caused to raise up.” This verb form is sometimes used in 1 Kings as a synonym for the verb “to build” (see 1 Kgs 7.21, where Revised Standard Version has “set up,” and 16.32).
Altars: Regarding the word for “altar” in the Temple, see 1 Kgs 1.50. The Septuagint says that Manasseh erected “an altar,” and this is the basis for the singular noun “altar” in some translations (Gray, Osty-Trinquet). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament does not even mention this textual problem, so translators should follow the Masoretic Text, which has “altars.”
Baal: See the comments at 1 Kgs 16.31.
An Asherah: See the comments on 1 Kgs 14.15 and 2 Kgs 13.6. Regarding the possibility that this refers to a single specific Asherah, see the comments on 2 Kgs 18.4.
As Ahab … had done: See 1 Kgs 16.33, where it says “Ahab made an Asherah.”
Worshiped all the host of heaven, and served them: The verbs worshiped and served can be combined into one term since they refer to the same event (so Good News Translation). See the comments on 1 Kgs 9.6.
All the host of heaven refers to all the heavenly bodies seen in the sky. This included the sun, the moon, and the stars. See the comments on 2 Kgs 17.16. Similar to Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version says “the stars in heaven” and New Century Version has “all the stars of the sky.”
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .