2 Chronicles 33:11

_WHEREFORE THE LORD BROUGHT UPON THEM THE CAPTAINS OF THE HOST OF THE KING OF ASSYRIA, WHICH TOOK MANASSEH AMONG THE THORNS, AND BOUND HIM WITH FETTERS, AND CARRIED HIM TO BABYLON._ The captains of the host of the king of Assyria. This king was Esarhaddon (Rawlinson's 'Ancient Monarchies,' 2:, p. 466; 'Nineveh and Babylon,' p. 621), who, after having devoted the first years of his reign to the consolidation of his government at home, turned his attention to repair the loss of the tributary provinces west of the Euphrates, which, on the disaster and death of Sennacherib, had taken the opportunity of shaking off the Assyrian yoke. Having overrun Palestine and removed the remnant that were left in the kingdom of Israel, he despatched his generals, the chief of whom was Tartan (Isaiah 20:1), with a portion of his army, for the reduction of Judah also. In a successful attack upon

1-20 We have seen Manasseh's wickedness; here we have his repentance, and a memorable instance it is of the riches of God's pardoning mercy, and the power of his renewing grace. Deprived of his liberty, separated from his evil counsellors and companions, without any prospect but of ending his days in a wretched prison, Manasseh thought upon what had passed; he began to cry for mercy and deliverance. He confessed his sins, condemned himself, was humbled before God, loathing himself as a monster of impiety and wickedness. Yet he hoped to be pardoned through the abundant mercy of the Lord. Then Manasseh knew that Jehovah was God, able to deliver. He knew him as a God of salvation; he learned to fear, trust in, love, and obey him. From this time he bore a new character, and walked in newness of life. Who can tell what tortures of conscience, what pangs of grief, what fears of wrath, what ag...

The Assyrian monuments contain no record of this expedition; but there can be little doubt that it fell into the reign of Esarhaddon (2 Kings 19:37 note), who reigned at least thirteen years. Esarhaddon mentions Manasseh among his tributaries; and he was the only king of Assyria who, from time to time, held his court at Babylon. AMONG THE THORNS - Translate - “ with rings;” and see 2 Kings 19:28 note....

EXPOSITION The first twenty verses of this chapter are taken up with the account of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah and Hephzibah, who, beginning to reign at the early age of twelve years, reigned in all fifty-five years; the remaining five verses with the account of the reign of his son Amon. The parallel to this chapter is 2 Kings 21:1. The repeated references in this chapter to Manasseh's neglect, and to his people's neglect, after his example, of injunction, promise, and threat of the Word of the Lord and of the Law, make it a prominent instance of the spirit of the compiler, and an indication of one of the main objects he had in view, and kept in view in writing these chronicles. 2 CHRONICLES 33:1 The parallel adds the name of Manasseh's mother, the

WHEREFORE THE LORD BROUGHT UPON THEM THE CAPTAINS OF THE HOST OF THE KING OF ASSYRIA,.... Who was Esarhaddon, the son and successor of Sennacherib; this, according to the Jewish chronology f, was in the twenty second year of Manasseh's reign: WHICH TOOK MANASSEH AMONG THE THORNS; in a thicket of briers and thorns, where, upon his defeat, he had hid himself; a fit emblem of the afflictions and troubles his sins brought him into: AND BOUND HIM WITH FETTERS; hands and feet; with chains of brass, as the Targum, such as Zedekiah was bound with, 2 Kings 25:7, not chains of gold, with which Mark Antony bound a king of Armenia, for the sake of honour g: AND CARRIED HIM TO BABYLON; for now the king of Assyria was become master of that city, and added it to his monarchy, and made it the seat of his residence; at least some times that and somet

2 Chronicles 33:1. _Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: but did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,_ Yet who could have had a better father than Manasseh had? He was given to Hezekiah during those fifteen years which God graciously added to that good king's life. Manasseh was, therefore, doubtless carefully trained, and looked upon as being one who would maintain God's worship, and the honour of his father's name. But grace does not run in the blood; and the best of parents may have the worst of children. Thus Manasseh, though he was the son of Hezekiah, «did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,» 2 Chronicles 33:2. Like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had

7. DECLINE AND APOSTASY UNDER MANASSEH AND AMON CHAPTER 33 _ 1. Manasseh's wicked reign (2 Chronicles 33:1)_ 2. Manasseh's imprisonment and restoration (2 Chronicles 33:11) 3. His reign after restoration and his death (2 Chronicles 33:14) 4. The reign of Amon (2 Chronicles 33:21) Manasseh, the twelve year old son of Hezekiah, did not follow the ways of his father, but did evil in the sight of the LORD. He had no godly Jehoiada, like Joash, to stand by him and guide him. He was surrounded, no doubt, by counsellors, but they were evil counse

2 Chronicles 33:1. THE REIGN OF MANASSEH (see notes on 2 Kings 21:1). 2 Chronicles 33:1 is based upon 2 Kings 21:1, which is fairly accurately followed; but 2 Chronicles 33:11 is almost wholly from the hand of the Chronicler; it deals with Manasseh's captivity and consequent repentance; in answer to his prayer, Manasseh is restored and devotes the rest of his life to the loyal service of Yahweh. As far as Manasseh's repentance and subsequent good works are concerned, it is difficult to believe that

CAPTAINS. princes. See note on "Gezer", 1 Kings 9:15. THE KING OF ASSYRIA. Esar-haddon. AMONG THE THORNS. with hooks, or rings.. monument has been found showing this king Esar-haddon leading two captives with hooks or rings through their lips. And in an inscription he says: "I transported (from Syria) into Assyria men and women innumerable... I counted among the vassals of my realm twelve kings of Syria, beyond the mountains, Balou king of Tyre, Manasseh king of Judah"....

_Assyria_ No Assyrian inscription at present known speaks of the captivity of Manasseh, but we have monumental evidence that there was a great insurrection against Asshur-bani-pal, the grandson of Sennacherib, in which Western Asia (and _perhaps_Manasseh) was involved. The restoration of Manasseh after this to his kingdom is not incredible, for Neco I. of Egypt was first put in fetters and afterwards sent back to Egypt. (Schrader, _Keilinschriften und das AT._, pp. 366 ff.) _among the thorns_ R.V., IN CHAINS, but better, WITH HOOKS (as R.V. mg.); cp. 2 Kings 19:28 (Isaiah 37:29). Assyrian kings sometimes thrust a book into the nostrils of their captives and so led them about. The practice is illustrated on many Assyrian reliefs in the British Museum. The same mistranslatio