INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 21 In this chapter a short history is given of the two wicked reigns of Manasseh and Amon; Manasseh is charged with great idolatry, with enchantments and witchcrafts, and seducing the children of Israel, 2 Kings 21:1 and a prophecy is given out of the destruction of Jerusale... [ Continue Reading ]
MANASSEH WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD WHEN HE BEGAN TO REIGN,.... So that he was born three years after Hezekiah's recovery from his sickness, and in the seventeenth year of his reign: AND REIGNED FIFTY FIVE YEARS IN JERUSALEM: among which must be reckoned the time of his captivity in Babylon; his reign wa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE DID THAT WHICH WAS EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD,.... Was guilty of idolatry: AFTER THE ABOMINATION OF THE HEATHEN, WHOM THE LORD CAST OUT BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: the old Canaanites; he committed idolatry in imitation of them, and as the Phoenicians now did before the children of Isra... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE BUILT UP AGAIN THE HIGH PLACES WHICH HEZEKIAH HIS FATHER HAD DESTROYED,.... The temples and altars upon them, see 2 Kings 18:4, AND HE REARED UP ALTARS FOR BAAL; in the high places he rebuilt: AND MADE A GROVE, AS DID AHAB KING OF ISRAEL: which was either an idol itself, or a shade of tree... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE BUILT ALTARS IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD,.... In the holy place, as distinct from the courts in the next verse; and these were sacred to the idols of the Gentiles: OF WHICH THE LORD SAID, IN JERUSALEM WILL I PUT MY NAME; in the temple there, devoted to his service, called by his name, and where... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE BUILT ALTARS FOR ALL THE HOST OF HEAVEN,.... Sun, moon, and stars: IN THE TWO COURTS OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD; in the court of the priests, and in the court of the people; and all this must be supposed to be done, not as soon as he began to reign, but when he was grown up to man's estate, an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE MADE HIS SON PASS THROUGH THE FIRE,.... To Molech, after the manner of the old Canaanites and Phoenicians; his son Amon, that succeeded him, and other children, as appears from 2 Chronicles 33:6, where mention is made of the place where it was done, the valley of the son of Hinnom: AND OBSER... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 7 AND HE SET A GRAVEN IMAGE OF THE GROVE THAT HE HAD MADE IN THE HOUSE,.... Which was either an image that had been placed in a grove planted by him, and now removed into the house or temple of the Lord; or, as some think, this was a representation of a grove, a carved grove of gold or silver,... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER WILL I MAKE THE FEET OF ISRAEL MOVE ANY MORE OUT OF THE LAND WHICH I GAVE THEIR FATHERS,.... Or suffer them to be carried captive into another land, as in the times of the judges; that is, on the following condition: ONLY IF THEY WILL OBSERVE TO DO ACCORDING TO ALL THE LAW THAT MY SERVANT M... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THEY HEARKENED NOT,.... To the voice of God in his law by Moses, and were not obedient to it: AND MANASSEH SEDUCED THEM TO DO MORE EVIL THAN DID THE NATIONS WHOM THE LORD DESTROYED BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: he set up more idols, and drew the people into more and greater idolatries, than th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE BY HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS,.... Who prophesied in the days of Manasseh; and were, according to the Jewish chronology f, Joel, Nahum, and Habakkuk: SAYING: as follows. f Seder Olam Rabba, c. 20. p. 55.... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE MANASSEH KING OF JUDAH HATH DONE THESE ABOMINATIONS,.... Before named, 2 Kings 21:3, AND HATH DONE WICKEDLY ABOVE ALL THAT THE AMORITES DID THAT WERE BEFORE HIM; one of the seven nations of Canaan, a principal of them, and which is put for all the rest: AND HATH MADE JUDAH ALSO TO SIN WITH... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL,.... Who, though kind and gracious to Israel as their covenant God, is yet just and righteous, as well as he is a sovereign Being and Lord of all: BEHOLD, I AM BRINGING SUCH EVIL UPON JERUSALEM AND JUDAH, THAT WHOSOEVER HEARETH OF IT, BOTH HIS EARS SHALL... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL STRETCH OVER JERUSALEM THE LINE OF SAMARIA,.... The Targum is, the line of destruction; and the sense is, that the same measure should be measured to Jerusalem as was to Samaria; that is, the same lot and portion should befall one as the other, that is, be utterly destroyed: AND THE PLUM... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL FORSAKE THE REMNANT OF MINE INHERITANCE,.... The whole land of Canaan was the Lord's inheritance; ten tribes in it were already removed, only Judah with Benjamin was left, and the Lord threatens to forsake that remnant: AND DELIVER THEM INTO THE HANDS OF THEIR ENEMIES, AND THEY SHALL BEC... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THEY HAVE DONE THAT WHICH WAS EVIL IN MY SIGHT,.... Committed idolatry: AND HAVE PROVOKED ME TO ANGER, SINCE THE DAY THEIR FATHERS CAME FORTH OUT OF EGYPT, EVEN TO THIS DAY; being always prone to idolatry, so provoking to God, and which they were guilty of quickly after they came out of Egy... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, MANASSEH SHED INNOCENT BLOOD VERY MUCH,.... Putting to death the prophets that reproved him and his people for their idolatries, and such who would not comply therewith; and it is commonly said, both by Jewish and Christian writers, that Isaiah was slain, and even sawn asunder by him, Hebr... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE REST OF THE ACTS OF MANASSEH AND ALL THAT HE DID,.... Both good and bad, for he repented, and was humbled, and did many good things afterwards, though not recorded in this book: AND HIS SIN THAT HE SINNED; his idolatry: ARE THEY NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS OF JUD... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MANASSEH SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS,....] Or died, after a reign of fifty five years, and a life of sixty seven: AND WAS BURIED IN THE GARDEN OF HIS OWN HOUSE, IN THE GARDEN OF UZZA; whether the burial of him here was his own choice, judging himself unworthy to lie with the kings of Judah, who had... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AMON WAS TWENTY TWO YEARS OLD WHEN HE BEGAN TO REIGN,.... Being born in the forty fifth of his father's life, and in the thirty third of his reign: AND HE REIGNED TWO YEARS IN JERUSALEM; which, as Abarbinel observes, was the usual time the sons of wicked kings reigned, and instances in the son... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE DID THAT WHICH WAS EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD,.... Committed idolatry: AS HIS FATHER MANASSEH DID: he imitated him in that, but not in his repentance and humiliation, 2 Chronicles 33:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WALKED IN ALL THE WAYS THAT HIS FATHER WALKED IN,.... In his wicked way, his idolatry, witchcraft, and murders; AND SERVED THE IDOLS THAT HIS FATHER SERVED, AND WORSHIPPED THEM; Baal, Ashtoreth, and all the host of heaven, and all the carved images his father made, which it seems he only rem... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE FORSOOK THE LORD GOD OF HIS FATHERS,.... Of David, Solomon, c. AND WALKED NOT IN THE WAY OF THE LORD prescribed by him in his law for the worship of him.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SERVANTS OF AMON CONSPIRED AGAINST HIM,.... Some of his domestic servants, and perhaps his courtiers, not on account of his idolatry, but for some ill usage of them: AND SLEW THE KING IN HIS OWN HOUSE: which they had an opportunity to do, being his servants.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND SLEW ALL THEM THAT HAD CONSPIRED AGAINST KING AMON,.... On occasion of his death, there seems to have been an insurrection of the people in a body, to avenge the death of their king, who might be beloved on account of his idolatry, so depraved was the nation; or it may be... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE REST OF THE ACTS OF AMON WHICH HE DID, ARE THEY NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS OF JUDAH?] 2 Kings 21:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WAS BURIED IN HIS SEPULCHRE, IN THE GARDEN OF UZZA,.... Where his father Manasseh was buried, 2 Kings 21:18, AND JOSIAH HIS SON REIGNED IN HIS STEAD; of whom many things are said in the two following Chapter s.... [ Continue Reading ]