2 Reis 21
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Reis 21
NJB (MT versing) Manasseh Succeeds Hezekiah Manasseh Reigns in Judah The Wicked reign of Manasseh King Manasseh of Judah The Reign of Manasseh in Judah (687-642) 21:1-9 21:1-9 21:1-9 21:1-9 21:1-2 The King's Idolatries Rebuked 21:3-9 21:10-15 21:10-16 21:10-15 21:10-15 21:10-15 21:16-18 21:16 21:16 21:16 21:17-18 21:17-18 21:17-18 21:17-18 Amon Succeeds Manasseh Amon's Reign and Death The Wicked Reign of Amon King Amon of Judah The Reign of Amon in Judah (642-640) 21:19-26 21:19-22 21:19-26 21:19-22 21:19-22 21:23-24 21:23-24 21:23-24 21:25-26 21:25-26 21:25-26 Etc.
2 Reis 21:1-9
21:1 "Manasseh" This was the name (BDB 586; NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 930-931) of Joseph's oldest son and, therefore, one of the tribes of Israel. Here, it is the name of the son of Hezekiah and a king of Judah (cf. 2 Chronicles 33). ▣ "twelve years old" This means that this evil king was born in the fifteen year period of YHWH's grace to Hezekiah. One can only speculate what happened. Godly Hezekiah is followed by wicked Manasseh but this was characteristic of Judah's kings (i.e., Asa ‒ Josiah). This may be referred to in Ezekiel 18. God's plans are mysterious (cf. Isa. 55:9-11) but He does have a plan! SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN ▣ "reigned fifty-five years" This is the longest reign of any Judean king. He reigned during the time of Sennacherib, Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal. SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF THE DIVIDED MONARCHY SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF ASSYRIA ▣ "Hephzibah" The word means "My delight is in her" (BDB 343). ▣ "according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord dispossessed" The children of Abraham were also dispossessed because of their idolatry (cf. Gen. 15:12-16). See my exegetical note from 2 Chronicles 32 below. 2 Chr. 33:2-7 "all the abominations of the nations"What a list of pagan gods and superstitions (cf. Lev. 19:26,31; 20:6; Deut. 18:9-12; 2 Kgs. 21:3-7; Jer. 7:30-31)! rebuilt the high places (Canaanite) altars for the Ba'als (male god) made Asherim (female god) worshiped the host of heaven (Assyrian, Babylonian, i.e., sun, moon, constellations), 2 Chr. 33:5; the "host of heaven" can refer to angels, cf.1 Kgs. 22:19, but here to astral deities, cf. Deut. 4:19; 17:3; 2 Kgs. 12:16; 21:3; 23:4; Jer. 8:2 worshiped Molech (cf. Lev. 18:21; 20:2-4; Deut. 18:10; Jer. 7:31; 32:35), 2 Chr. 33:6 practiced witchcraft (cf. Deut. 18:10; see article in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, p. 957), 2 Chr. 33:6 used divination (cf. Lev. 19:26; Deut. 18:10; Jer. 27:9; NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 945-951), 2 Chr. 33:6 practices sorcery (cf. Exod. 22:18; Lev. 19:26; Jer. 27:9; NIDOTTE, vol. 2, pp. 735-738), 2 Chr. 33:6 dealt with mediums (cf. Lev. 19:31; 20:6,27; Deut. 18:11; Isa. 8:19; 19:3), 2 Chr. 33:6 dealt with spiritists (cf. Lev. 19:31; 20:6,27; Deut. 18:11; Isa. 8:19; 19:3; NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 303-304), 2 Chr. 33:6 He even put some of these pagan altars in the temple, 2 Chr. 33:4,7,15. SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE SPECIAL TOPIC: MOON WORSHIP SPECIAL TOPIC: MOLECH SPECIAL TOPIC: DIVINER See full notes at Deut. 18:10-11. SPECIAL TOPIC: ABOMINATION (OT) 21:3 "he rebuilt the high places" These were local altars and places of worship for the fertility gods of Canaan, Ba'al and Asherah. In the period of the Judges these same sites were used to worship YHWH. See Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, "High Places," pp. 284-285. ▣ "made an Asherah" This was a wooden symbol of the female consort to Ba'al (BDB 81; NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 569-570). It was a carved tree according to v. 7. But, Deuteronomy 16:21 has "plant," therefore, it is possible it was a live tree. SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE ▣ "the host of heaven" This refers to the worship of Babylonian astrology and the signs of the zodiac (cf. Deut. 4:19; 17:3; 2 Kgs. 17:16; 23:4). SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord OF HOSTS 21:4 "He built altars in the house of the Lord" Manasseh placed these idolatrous altars in Solomon's temple. Possibly it was mandated by Assyrian treaty obligations. ▣ "I will put My name" In Deuteronomy YHWH chooses Jerusalem as the site of His temple. This was to be the only sacrificial altar in the land (i.e., 2 Kgs. 21:7; Deut. 12:5,11,14,18,21,26; 14:23-25; 15:20; 16:2,11,15; 17:8,10; 18:6; 26:2; 31:11; 1 Kgs. 8:16,29; 9:3). One altar for the one true God"! SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF YHWH (OT) 21:5 "altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord" This was Babylonian astral worship. Unbelievable! Solomon's Temple had only two courts, therefore, these were located in the priests' area. ▣ "the two courts" The temple described in 1 Kings 6 does not have two courts. Some assume that the one court was later separated or extended, cf. 2 Chr. 20:5, "new court"); see Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, p. 317 that this reflects Ezekiel's temple (cf. Ezek. 40:19) 21:6 All of these practices were condemned in the Torah. See the notes online at Deut. 18:10-12! ▣ "He made his son pass through the fire" This was the worship of the fertility god Molech (cf. Lev. 18:21; 2 Kgs. 16:3; 17:17). This was a Phoenician fire god that the Canaanites adopted. The oldest son was burned to this god (the LXX has "sons"). This was done in the valley outside of Jerusalem to insure the fertility of crops, herds, and humans. It is the place Jesus called Gehenna. It became the garbage dump for Jerusalem. SPECIAL TOPIC: MOLECH SPECIAL TOPIC: GEHENNA ▣ "witchcraft" TEV, Peshitta, NET "divination" NKJV, NRSV, NJB, REB, JPSOA "southsaying" This could mean: This term (BDB 778 II, KB 857, #1) is etymologically related to the root "cloud" (BDB 777 I). Therefore, divination by observing clouds. Scholars believe it refers to an Arabian root meaning "the hum of insects" or "sound of the wind" (KB 857, #3). From a Ugaritic root to "recite music" or "recite magic spells" (KB 857, #4). ▣ NASB, NJB, REB, JPSOA "divination" "witchcraft" NRSV, Peshitta "augury" "magic" "omen reading" This (BDB 638 II, KB 690) was an attempt to know the answer to questions or know the future by means of observing certain natural phenomenon or use of a cup (cf. Gen. 44:5). ▣ NASB, NRSV, NJB "mediums" "spirtists" NRSV, Peshitta "fortune tellers" REB, JPSOA "ghosts" "familiar spirits" This term can refer to personal and impersonal means of speaking to the dead (BDB 15, KB 20 II, NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 303-304). Literally the term is "a bottle" (i.e., like sounds from a bottle), often translated "familiar spirit." In the LXX it is translated "ventriloquist" (cf. Lev. 19:31; 20:6,27; Deut. 18:11; 2 Kgs. 23:24; 1 Chr. 10:13; 2 Chr. 33:6; Isa. 19:3). ▣ "spiritists" NKJV, TEV "mediums" NRSV, Peshitta "wizards" "spirit guides" "spirits" "familiar spirits" Literally "a knowing one" (BDB 396, KB 393). These are always linked to "mediums" (cf. Lev. 19:31; 20:6,27; Deut. 18:11; 1 Sam. 28:3,9; 2 Kgs. 23:24; 2 Chr. 33:6; Isa. 8:19; 19:3). 21:8 "the feet of Israel wander" This has two connotations. YHWH will forgive and no more exile YHWH's people will walk in His covenant and not deviate from it ▣ "if only they will. . ." The covenant is conditional on human response. Manasseh's idolatry, in part, caused the exile (cf. Deuteronomy 27-28). SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT ▣ "the law" See SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATION. ▣ "My servant Moses" See SPECIAL TOPIC: MY SERVANT and SPECIAL TOPIC: THE MOSAIC AUTHORSHIP OF THE PENTATEUCH. 21:9 "But they did not listen" There is no greater sin than rebellion in the presence of great light and truth! SPECIAL TOPIC: THE UNPARDONABLE SIN SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SIN UNTO DEATH ▣ "Manasseh seduced them" What an opportunity and responsibility leadership possesses (cf. v. 16). He was Judah's most idolatrous and wicked king!
2 Reis 21:10-15
21:10 "the prophets" Notice that none are named. See SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHECY (OT). 21:11 "the Amorites" This is a collective term (BDB 57) for all Canaanite tribes (cf. Gen. 15:16), as is "Canaanite." "Amorite" often refers to those tribes that dwelled in the hill country as opposed to the coastal plain. SPECIAL TOPIC: PRE-ISRAELITE INHABITANTS OF PALESTINE 21:12 "both his ears will tingle" This was an idiom of surprising judgment (cf. 1 Sam. 3:11; Jer. 19:3; NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 342). Notice the three images/idioms of YHWH's sure judgment. tingling ears the measuring lines the dish cleaning 21:13 "I will stretch. . .the line" This is an idiom of judgment using a construction term for measurement (cf. Isa. 34:11; Lam. 2:8; Amos 7:7-8). As YHWH judged Samaria, so too, Jerusalem. YHWH is no respecter of persons. The Canaanites sinned; He removed them from His land (cf. Gen. 15:12-21; now because His people have sinned in the same way, they, too, will be removed (i.e., exile)! The two VERBS which follow this idiom of judgment are very graphic. wipe out, clear ‒ BDB 562, KB 567, used three times (NIDOTTE, vol. 2, pp. 913-914) turn over ‒ BDB 245, KB 753, Qal PERFECT 21:14 "the remnant" Here, this refers to Judah and Benjamin. The curses of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 are now in effect. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE REMNANT, THREE SENSES 21:15 "they have done evil" Israel's rebellion was no new thing (cf. Amos 5:25-26)!
2 Reis 21:16-18
21:16 "shed very much innocent blood" Tradition says Manasseh killed Isaiah by putting him inside a log and sawing the log in two (Josephus, Antiq. 10.3.1 and the non-canonical book, "The Ascension of Isaiah"), which is alluded to in Heb. 11:37. It is possible the faithful would not tolerate Manasseh's idolatry or it may refer to children offered to Molech. SPECIAL TOPIC: MOLECH ▣ "from one end to another" This is literally, "mouth to mouth" (BDB 804). 21:18 Manasseh was buried in Uzza's garden. This was because the cave where David and his descendants were buried was full the evil of Manasseh caused him to be buried separately
2 Reis 21:19-26
21:19 "Amon" His name (BDB 54 III) means "to support," "help," or "nurse." This name could be related to the Egyptian god, Amnon of Thebes. ▣ "Meshullemeth" This name (BDB 1024) means "at peace" or "safe." ▣ "Haruz" This name (BDB 358 IV) means "industrious." 21:22 "did not walk in the way" "Walk" refers to lifestyle faith. "The way" refers to God's guidance and was the early name of the church in Acts. 21:23 "The servants of Amon conspired against him" This was the pro-Egyptian faction pro-YHWH group 21:24 "the people of the land" This term, in this context, refers to land owners and influential persons. See notes at 2 Kgs. 11:14,17,18,19,20.