Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Chronicles 33

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  Manasseh's wicked reign.
3  He sets up idolatry, and will not be admonished.
11  He is carried into Babylon.
12  Upon his prayer to God he is released and puts down idolatry.
18  His acts.
20  He dying, Amon succeeds him;
21  who is slain by his servants.
25  The murderers being slain, Josiah succeeds him.
Verse 1

Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:
A. M. 3306-3361. B.C. 693-643. Manasseh
32:33, 2 Kings 21:1-18, 1 Chronicles 3:13, Matthew 1:10
Manasses
twelve.
34:1,2, Ecclesiastes 10:16, Isaiah 3:4,12
Verse 2

But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
like unto
28:3, 36:14, Leviticus 18:24-30, 20:22,23, Deuteronomy 12:31, 18:9,14, 2 Kings 17:11,15, 21:2,9, Ezra 9:14, Psalms 106:35-40, Ezekiel 11:12
Verse 3

For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
he built again
Heb. he returned and built.
Ecclesiastes 2:19, 9:18
which Hezekiah
30:14, 31:1, 32:12, 2 Kings 18:4, 21:3
he reared
28:2-4, Judges 2:11-13
made groves
Deuteronomy 16:21, 1 Kings 14:23, Jeremiah 17:2
the host
Deuteronomy 4:19, 17:3, 2 Kings 23:5,6,11, Jeremiah 8:2, 19:13, Zephaniah 1:5, Acts 7:42
Verse 4

Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
he built
15, 34:3,4, 2 Kings 21:4,5, Jeremiah 7:30
In Jerusalem
6:6, 7:16, 32:19, Deuteronomy 12:11, 1 Kings 8:29, 9:3
Verse 5

And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
in the two
4:9, Jeremiah 32:34,35, Ezekiel 8:7-18
Verse 6

And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
caused
28:3, Leviticus 18:21, 20:2, Deuteronomy 12:31, 18:10, 2 Kings 21:6, 23:10, Jeremiah 7:31,32, Ezekiel 23:37,39
he observed
Leviticus 19:26, 20:6, Deuteronomy 18:10-14, 1 Samuel 15:23, 2 Kings 17:17, Isaiah 47:9-12, Galatians 5:20
dealt
2 Kings 21:6, 23:24, 1 Chronicles 10:13, Isaiah 8:19, 19:3
Verse 7

And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
he set a carved image
The Targumist says, "He set up an image, the likeness of himself, in the house of the sanctuary." In the parallel passage it is, "a graven image of the grove," or rather, Asherah or Astarte. Manasseh, as Bp. Patrick observes, seems to have studied to find out what God had forbidden in his law, that he might practice it: a most prodigious change from the height of piety in his father's time, into the sink of impiety in this!
in the house
2 Kings 21:7,8, 23:6
God had said
4, 1 Kings 8:29, Psalms 132:13,14
which I have
6:6, 1 Kings 8:44,48, 11:13,32, Psalms 78:68
Verse 8

Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.
will I
2 Samuel 7:10, 1 Chronicles 17:9
so that they
7:17-22, Deuteronomy 28:1-14, 30:15-20, Isaiah 1:19,20, Ezekiel 33:25,26
to do all
Deuteronomy 4:40, 5:1,31-33, 6:1, 8:1, 27:26, Luke 1:6, Galatians 3:10-13
by the hand
Leviticus 8:36, 10:11
Verse 9

So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
made Judah
1 Kings 14:16, 15:26, 2 Kings 21:16, 23:26, 24:3,4, Proverbs 29:12, Micah 6:16
to do worse
2, 2 Kings 21:9-11, Ezekiel 16:45-47
the heathen
Leviticus 18:24, Deuteronomy 2:21, Joshua 24:8, 2 Kings 17:8-11
Verse 10

And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
36:15,16, Nehemiah 9:29,30, Jeremiah 25:4-7, 44:4,5, Zechariah 1:4, Acts 7:51,52
Verse 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.
A. M. 3327. B.C. 677. the Lord
Deuteronomy 28:36, Job 36:8
the captains
Isaiah 10:8, 36:9
of the king
Heb. which were the king's.
Nehemiah 9:32,37, Isaiah 5:26-30, 7:18-20
among the thorns
The word bachochim may possibly her signify with fetters or chains, as the kindred word chachim denotes, Eze 19:4, 9. The Syriac and Arabic have alive, probably reading bechayim.
1 Samuel 13:6, Lamentations 3:7
bound him
2 Kings 23:33, 25:6, Job 36:8-11, Psalms 107:10-14
fetters
or, chains.
Verse 12

And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
And when
28:22, Leviticus 26:39-42, Deuteronomy 4:30,31, Jeremiah 31:18-20, Hosea 5:15, Micah 6:9, Luke 15:16-18
he besought
18,19, Psalms 50:15, Acts 9:11
the Lord
28:5
humbled
19,23, 32:26, Exodus 10:3, Luke 18:14,15, James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:5,6
Verse 13

And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.
he was intreated
1 Chronicles 5:20, Ezra 8:23, Job 22:23,27, 33:16-30, Psalms 32:3-5, 86:5, Isaiah 55:6-9, Jeremiah 29:12,13, Matthew 7:7,8, Luke 23:42,43, John 4:10
brought him
Ezra 7:27, Proverbs 16:7, 21:1, Matthew 6:33
knew
Deuteronomy 29:6, Psalms 9:16, 46:10, Jeremiah 24:7, Daniel 4:25,34,35, John 17:3, Hebrews 8:11
Verse 14

Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.
A. M. 3327-3361. B.C. 677-643. he built
32:5
Gihon
32:30, 1 Kings 1:33,45
fish gate
Nehemiah 3:3, 12:39, Zephaniah 1:10
Ophel
or, the tower.
27:3, Nehemiah 3:26,27
put
11:11,12, 17:19
Verse 15

And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
he took
3-7, 2 Kings 21:7, Isaiah 2:17-21, Ezekiel 18:20-22, Hosea 14:1-3, Matthew 3:8
Verse 16

And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.
repaired
29:18, 1 Kings 18:30
peace
Leviticus 3:1-17
thank
Leviticus 7:12-18
commanded
9, 14:4
See on ch
30:12, Genesis 18:19, Luke 22:32
Verse 17

Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only.
people
15:17, 32:12, 1 Kings 22:43, 2 Kings 15:4
Verse 18

Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.
A. M. 3306-3361. B.C. 698-643. the rest
20:34, 32:32, 1 Kings 11:41
his prayer
12,13,19
the seers
10, 1 Samuel 9:9, 2 Kings 17:13, Isaiah 29:10, 30:10, Amos 7:12, Micah 3:7
in the book
1 Kings 14:19, 15:31
Verse 19

His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.
his prayer also
11,12,19, Proverbs 15:8, Acts 9:11, 1 John 1:9
all his sins
1-10, Romans 5:16
before he
12, 30:11, 36:12, Psalms 119:67,71,75, Jeremiah 44:10, Daniel 5:22
the seers
or, Hosai. So the Targum and Vulgate: the Syraic has Hanun the prophet; and the Arabic, Saphan the prophet. This record is totally lost; for the captivity and repentance of Manasseh are related no where else; and the prayer of Manasseh in the Apocrypha was probably composed long afterwards: it is not acknowledged as canonical even by the Romish church, though it was anciently used as a form of confession, and as such still received by the Greek church.
Verse 20

So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
Manasseh
32:33, 2 Kings 21:18
Amon
2 Kings 21:19-25, 1 Chronicles 3:14, Matthew 1:10
Verse 21

Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.
A. M. 3361-3363. B.C. 643-641. two years
1, Luke 12:19,20, James 4:13-15
Verse 22

But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them;
as did Manasseh
1-10, 2 Kings 21:1-11,20, Ezekiel 20:18
for Amon sacrificed
Amon's conduct is recorded as like his father Manasseh, in sacrificing to graven images; by which some think it is an evidence that Manasseh did not truly repent, but they forget how many good kings had wicked sons. In one point of view Manasseh was defective, although it cannot be supposed that it affected his eternal state; for when he cast out the images, he did not utterly deface and destroy them, according to the law in De 7:5, which required, moreover, that the graven images should be burnt with fire. How necessary that law was, this instance shows; for the carved images being only thrown aside, and not burnt, Amon knew where to find them, soon set them up, and sacrificed to them.
Isaiah 44:13-20
Verse 23

And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.
humbled
1,12,19, Jeremiah 8:12
trespassed more and more
Heb. multiplied trespass.
28:22, Jeremiah 7:26, 2 Timothy 3:13
Verse 24

And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.
A. M. 3363. B.C. 641
24:25,26, 25:27,28, 2 Samuel 4:5-12, 2 Kings 21:23-26, Psalms 55:23, Romans 11:22
Verse 25

But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
slew
Genesis 9:5,6, Numbers 35:31,33
the people
26:1, 36:1
Josiah
34:1

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