15 Because they have done H6213 that which was evil H7451 in my sight, H5869 and have provoked H4480 me to anger, H3707 since the day H3117 their fathers H1 came forth H3318 out of Egypt, H4714 even unto this day. H3117
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 and served H5647 Baalim: H1168 And they forsook H5800 the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers, H1 which brought them out H3318 of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 and followed H3212 H310 other H312 gods, H430 of the gods H430 of the people H5971 that were round about H5439 them, and bowed H7812 themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD H3068 to anger. H3707 And they forsook H5800 the LORD, H3068 and served H5647 Baal H1168 and Ashtaroth. H6252
They did not destroy H8045 the nations, H5971 concerning whom the LORD H3068 commanded H559 them: But were mingled H6148 among the heathen, H1471 and learned H3925 their works. H4639 And they served H5647 their idols: H6091 which were a snare H4170 unto them. Yea, they sacrificed H2076 their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 unto devils, H7700 And shed H8210 innocent H5355 blood, H1818 even the blood H1818 of their sons H1121 and of their daughters, H1323 whom they sacrificed H2076 unto the idols H6091 of Canaan: H3667 and the land H776 was polluted H2610 with blood. H1818 Thus were they defiled H2930 with their own works, H4639 and went a whoring H2181 with their own inventions. H4611 Therefore was the wrath H639 of the LORD H3068 kindled H2734 against his people, H5971 insomuch that he abhorred H8581 his own inheritance. H5159
But thou didst trust H982 in thine own beauty, H3308 and playedst the harlot H2181 because of thy renown, H8034 and pouredst out H8210 thy fornications H8457 on every one that passed by; H5674 his it was. And of thy garments H899 thou didst take, H3947 and deckedst H6213 thy high places H1116 with divers colours, H2921 and playedst the harlot H2181 thereupon: the like things shall not come, H935 neither shall it be so. Thou hast also taken H3947 thy fair H8597 jewels H3627 of my gold H2091 and of my silver, H3701 which I had given H5414 thee, and madest H6213 to thyself images H6754 of men, H2145 and didst commit whoredom H2181 with them, And tookest H3947 thy broidered H7553 garments, H899 and coveredst H3680 them: and thou hast set H5414 mine oil H8081 and mine incense H7004 before H6440 them. My meat H3899 also which I gave H5414 thee, fine flour, H5560 and oil, H8081 and honey, H1706 wherewith I fed H398 thee, thou hast even set H5414 it before H6440 them for a sweet H5207 savour: H7381 and thus it was, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069 Moreover thou hast taken H3947 thy sons H1121 and thy daughters, H1323 whom thou hast borne H3205 unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed H2076 unto them to be devoured. H398 Is this of thy whoredoms H8457 a small matter, H4592 That thou hast slain H7819 my children, H1121 and delivered H5414 them to cause them to pass through H5674 the fire for them? And in all thine abominations H8441 and thy whoredoms H8457 thou hast not remembered H2142 the days H3117 of thy youth, H5271 when thou wast naked H5903 and bare, H6181 and wast polluted H947 in thy blood. H1818
Neither left H5800 she her whoredoms H8457 brought from Egypt: H4714 for in her youth H5271 they lay H7901 with her, and they bruised H6213 the breasts H1717 of her virginity, H1331 and poured H8210 their whoredom H8457 upon her. Wherefore I have delivered H5414 her into the hand H3027 of her lovers, H157 into the hand H3027 of the Assyrians, H1121 H804 upon whom she doted. H5689 These discovered H1540 her nakedness: H6172 they took H3947 her sons H1121 and her daughters, H1323 and slew H2026 her with the sword: H2719 and she became famous H8034 among women; H802 for they had executed H6213 judgment H8196 upon her. And when her sister H269 Aholibah H172 saw H7200 this, she was more corrupt H7843 in her inordinate love H5691 than she, and in her whoredoms H8457 more than her sister H269 in her whoredoms. H2183 She doted H5689 upon the Assyrians H1121 H804 her neighbours, H7138 captains H6346 and rulers H5461 clothed H3847 most gorgeously, H4358 horsemen H6571 riding H7392 upon horses, H5483 all of them desirable H2531 young men. H970 Then I saw H7200 that she was defiled, H2930 that they took both H8147 one H259 way, H1870 And that she increased H3254 her whoredoms: H8457 for when she saw H7200 men H582 pourtrayed H2707 upon the wall, H7023 the images H6754 of the Chaldeans H3778 pourtrayed H2710 with vermilion, H8350 Girded H2289 with girdles H232 upon their loins, H4975 exceeding H5628 in dyed attire H2871 upon their heads, H7218 all of them princes H7991 to look to, H4758 after the manner H1823 of the Babylonians H1121 H894 of Chaldea, H3778 the land H776 of their nativity: H4138 And as soon as she saw H4758 them with her eyes, H5869 she doted H5689 upon them, and sent H7971 messengers H4397 unto them into Chaldea. H3778 And the Babylonians H1121 H894 came H935 to her into the bed H4904 of love, H1730 and they defiled H2930 her with their whoredom, H8457 and she was polluted H2930 with them, and her mind H5315 was alienated H3363 from them. So she discovered H1540 her whoredoms, H8457 and discovered H1540 her nakedness: H6172 then my mind H5315 was alienated H3363 from her, like as my mind H5315 was alienated H5361 from her sister. H269 Yet she multiplied H7235 her whoredoms, H8457 in calling to remembrance H2142 the days H3117 of her youth, H5271 wherein she had played the harlot H2181 in the land H776 of Egypt. H4714 For she doted H5689 upon their paramours, H6370 whose flesh H1320 is as the flesh H1320 of asses, H2543 and whose issue H2231 is like the issue H2231 of horses. H5483 Thus thou calledst to remembrance H6485 the lewdness H2154 of thy youth, H5271 in bruising H6213 thy teats H1717 by the Egyptians H4714 for the paps H7699 of thy youth. H5271
We have sinned, H2398 and have committed iniquity, H5753 and have done wickedly, H7561 and have rebelled, H4775 even by departing H5493 from thy precepts H4687 and from thy judgments: H4941 Neither have we hearkened H8085 unto thy servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 which spake H1696 in thy name H8034 to our kings, H4428 our princes, H8269 and our fathers, H1 and to all the people H5971 of the land. H776 O Lord, H136 righteousness H6666 belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion H1322 of faces, H6440 as at this day; H3117 to the men H376 of Judah, H3063 and to the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem, H3389 and unto all Israel, H3478 that are near, H7138 and that are far off, H7350 through all the countries H776 whither thou hast driven H5080 them, because of their trespass H4604 that they have trespassed H4603 against thee. O Lord, H136 to us belongeth confusion H1322 of face, H6440 to our kings, H4428 to our princes, H8269 and to our fathers, H1 because we have sinned H2398 against thee. To the Lord H136 our God H430 belong mercies H7356 and forgivenesses, H5547 though we have rebelled H4775 against him; Neither have we obeyed H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 our God, H430 to walk H3212 in his laws, H8451 which he set H5414 before H6440 us by H3027 his servants H5650 the prophets. H5030 Yea, all Israel H3478 have transgressed H5674 thy law, H8451 even by departing, H5493 that they might not obey H8085 thy voice; H6963 therefore the curse H423 is poured H5413 upon us, and the oath H7621 that is written H3789 in the law H8451 of Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of God, H430 because we have sinned H2398 against him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 21
Commentary on 2 Kings 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 21
2Ki 21:1-18. Manasseh's Wicked Reign, and Great Idolatry.
1-3. Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign—He must have been born three years after his father's recovery; and his minority, spent under the influence of guardians who were hostile to the religious principles and reforming policy of his father, may account in part for the anti-theocratic principles of his reign. The work of religious reformation which Hezekiah had zealously carried on was but partially accomplished. There was little appearance of its influence on the heart and manners of the people at large. On the contrary, the true fear of God had vanished from the mass of the people; corruption and vice increased, and were openly practised (Isa 28:7, &c.) by the degenerate leaders, who, having got the young prince Manasseh into their power, directed his education, trained him up in their views, and seduced him into the open patronage of idolatry. Hence, when he became sovereign, he introduced the worship of idols, the restoration of high places, and the erection of altars or pillars to Baal, and the placing, in the temple of God itself, a graven image of Asherah, the sacred or symbolic tree, which represented "all the host of heaven." This was not idolatry, but pure star-worship, of Chaldaic and Assyrian origin [Keil]. The sun, as among the Persians, had chariots and horses consecrated to it (2Ki 23:11); and incense was offered to the stars on the housetops (2Ki 23:12; 2Ch 33:5; Jer 19:13; Zep 1:5), and in the temple area with the face turned toward the sunrise (Eze 8:16).
5. the two courts of the house of the Lord—the court of the priests, and the large court of the people.
6. made his son pass through the fire—(See on 2Ki 16:3).
observed times—from an observation of the clouds.
used enchantments—jugglery and spells.
dealt with familiar spirits—Septuagint, "ventriloquists," who pretended to ask counsel of a familiar spirit and gave the response received from him to others.
and wizards—wise or knowing ones, who pretended to reveal secrets, to recover things lost and hidden treasure, and to interpret dreams. A great influx of these impostors had, at various times, poured from Chaldea into the land of Israel to pursue their gainful occupations, especially during the reigns of the latter kings; and Manasseh was not only their liberal patron, but zealous to appear himself an adept in the arts. He raised them to be an influential class at his court, as they were in that of Assyria and Babylon, where nothing was done till they had ascertained the lucky hour and were promised a happy issue.
7. And he set a graven image—The placing of the Asherah within the precincts of the temple, which was dedicated to the worship of the true God, is dwelt upon as the most aggravated outrage of the royal idolater.
8. Neither will I make the feet of Israel move … out of the land which I gave their fathers—alluding to the promise (2Sa 7:10).
only if they will observe, &c.—This condition was expressed from the first plantation of Israel in Canaan. But that people not only did not keep it, but through the pernicious influence of Manasseh, were seduced into greater excesses of idolatrous corruption than even the original Canaanites.
10-17. And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets—These were Hosea, Joel, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Isaiah. Their counsels, admonitions, and prophetic warnings, were put on record in the national chronicles (2Ch 33:18) and now form part of the sacred canon.
12. whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle—a strong metaphorical form of announcing an extraordinary and appalling event (see 1Sa 3:11; Jer 19:3; also Hab 1:5).
13. the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab—Captives doomed to destruction were sometimes grouped together and marked off by means of a measuring-line and plummet (2Sa 8:2; Isa 34:11; Am 7:7); so that the line of Samaria means the line drawn for the destruction of Samaria; the plummet of the house of Ahab, for exterminating his apostate family; and the import of the threatening declaration here is that Judah would be utterly destroyed, as Samaria and the dynasty of Ahab had been.
I will wipe Jerusalem, &c.—The same doom is denounced more strongly in a figure unmistakably significant.
14. I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance—The people of Judah, who of all the chosen people alone remained. The consequence of the Lord's forsaking them would be their fall into the power of their enemies.
16. Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood—Not content with the patronage and the practice of idolatrous abomination, he was a cruel persecutor of all who did not conform. The land was deluged with the blood of good men; among whom it is traditionally said Isaiah suffered a horrid death, by being sawn asunder (see on Heb 11:37).
2Ki 21:19-26. Amon's Wicked Reign.
19-24. Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign—This prince continued the idolatrous policy of his father; and, after an inglorious reign of two years, he was massacred by some of his own domestics. The people slew the regicide conspirators and placed his son Josiah on the throne.