Bible Commentaries

2 CHRONICLES CHAPTER 33

Manasseh’s wicked reign, 2 Chronicles 33:1-10. His captivity, 2 Chronicles 33:11. His prayer and reformation, 2 Chronicles 33:12-17. His acts, 2 Chronicles 33:18,19, and death, 2 Chronicles 33:20. Amon’s wicked reign; is slain by his servants, 2 Chronicles 33:21-24. They being slain, Josiah succeedeth him, 2 Chronicles 33:25.

This and the following verses, to ver 11, are taken out of 2 Kings 21:1 &c.

Among the thorns; in some thicket where he thought to hide himself from the Assyrians till he could make an escape, as the Israelites formerly used to do, 1 Samuel 13:6. Or, with hooks; a metaphorical expression. Or, in his forts, i.e. in one of them.

Carried him to Babylon; either therefore Esar-haddon, Sennacherib’s successor, had recovered Babylon from Merodach-baladan; or rather, the king of Babylon is here called

the king of Assyria, because at this time he had added Assyria to his empire; who having been informed by his ambassadors of the great riches which were in Hezekiah’s treasures at Jerusalem, which he was desirous to enjoy; and withal, being assured of Manasseh’s degeneracy from the piety and virtue of his father, and from that God whose power alone made Hezekiah formidable, he thought this a fit season to invade Manasseh’s kingdom; which he did with success.

i.e. He was convinced by his own experience of God’s power, justice, and goodness, that Jehovah alone was the true God, and not those idols which he had worshipped, by which he had received great hurt, and no good.

He built a wall; he repaired and strengthened that wall which Hezekiah had built, 2 Chronicles 32:5, and which possibly the king of Assyria, when he last took Jerusalem, had caused to be thrown down, either wholly or in part.

On the west side of Gihon; on the west side of the city of David, to which Hezekiah had brought this water-course down, 2 Chronicles 32:30, into the great pool which he had made to receive it; and possibly this wall was built to secure the free use of it to the citizens when they should be distressed or besieged by an enemy.

Compassed about Ophel with a wall. Of Ophel see before, 2 Chronicles 27:3.

That thereby he might, as far as he could, repair the injuries which he had done to God by his impious commands, 2 Chronicles 33:9.

i.e. Of Judah, oft called Israel, as hath been noted before. He speaks not of that part of the canon, called the

Book of Kings, for these things are not mentioned there; but of their public records, where all things were particularly mentioned, and whence the most important things were taken by the prophets, and put into those canonical books

Or rather, of Hosai, a writer so called; for when the sacred penmen make a reference, they constantly refer us to some particular book or certain author, as to the chronicles of the kings of Israel, or Judah; to the prophecy of Ahijah, or Oded, &c.

In his own house, i.e. in his garden; of which See Poole "2 Kings 21:18".