2 Kings 21

1 Manasseh [a son of Hezekiah, a grandson of Jacob’s tribe] was twelve [at the age of twelve, as a young boy] years old when he became [began to reign, started ruling] king, and he reigned [ruled, governed] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital] fifty-five [fifty and five, a long period] years. His mother’s [female parent, maternal figure] name was Hephzibah. word study 2 And he did [what was morally wrong] evil in the sight [before the eyes, in full view] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] by following [imitating, copying] the abominations [disgusting practices, idolatrous rituals] of the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] that the LORD [Yehovah] had driven out [dispossessed, cast out] before the Israelites. word study 3 For he rebuilt [restored, reestablished] the high places [cultic platforms, idolatrous shrines] that his father Hezekiah [a king of Judah, a faithful servant of God] had destroyed [demolished, torn down], and he raised up [erected, set up] altars [places of sacrifice, worship sites] for Baal [a false god, a pagan deity]. He made [constructed, fashioned] an Asherah pole [a sacred tree], as King Ahab [a wicked king, a servant of evil] of Israel [God’s chosen people, a nation of covenant] had done [practiced, followed], and he worshiped [bowed down, paid homage] and served [obeyed, followed] all the host [army, multitude] of heaven [the sky, the spiritual realm]. word study 4 Manasseh also built [constructed, established] altars [places of sacrifice] in the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], of which the LORD [the supreme God] had said, “In Jerusalem [the city of peace] I will put [place, establish] My Name [My identity, honor, and character].” word study 5 In both [two, double] courtyards [outer squares, courts] of the house [dwelling place, temple] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], he built [established, constructed] altars [places of sacrifice, worship] to all [every, the entire] the host [army, heavenly bodies] of heaven [the sky, the spiritual realm]. word study 6 He sacrificed [offered as a burnt offering] his own son [child, descendant] in the fire [burning, flame], practiced [engaged in, observed] sorcery [magic, divination] and divination [seeking guidance from omens], and consulted [sought counsel from] mediums [those who contact the dead] and spiritists [wizards, necromancers]. He did great [abundant, multiplied] evil [wickedness, moral harm] in the sight [presence, eye] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], provoking [angering, stirring up] Him to anger [wrath, indignation]. word study 7 Manasseh even took the carved [graven, engraved] Asherah pole [idol, image of the goddess] he had made [crafted, constructed] and set [placed, established] it up in the temple [house of worship, sacred place], of which the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] had said to David [the king of Israel, a man after God’s heart] and his son Solomon [the king of wisdom], “In this temple [house, dwelling place] and in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the chosen city], which I have chosen [selected, appointed] out of all the tribes [clans, families] of Israel [God’s people, the descendants of Jacob], I will establish [set, put] My Name [My identity, My reputation] forever [for all eternity, always]. word study 8 I will never again [not at all, under no circumstances] cause the feet [steps, paths] of the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob] to wander [move aimlessly, roam] from the land [the earth, the promised territory] that I gave [bestowed, granted] to their fathers [ancestors, forefathers], if only they are careful [diligent, obedient] to do [obey, fulfill] all I have commanded [instructed, ordained] them—the whole Law [instruction, teachings] that My servant [attendant, messenger] Moses [the leader of Israel] commanded [directed, guided] them.” word study 9 But the people did not listen [hearkened not, refused to obey] and Manasseh led them astray [seduced them, caused them to err], so that they did greater evil [more wickedly, a deeper level of sin] than the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] that the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] had destroyed [annihilated, desolated] before the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. word study 10 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] spoke [to communicate, like a king commanding] through His servants [faithful attendants, bondslaves] the prophets [spokespersons for God, messengers], saying [to command, to promise], word study 11 “Since Manasseh [the king of Judah, a descendant of Jacob] king of Judah has committed all these [disgusting, abominable] abominations, acting more wickedly [doing evil above all] than the Amorites [a Canaanite tribe, the original inhabitants] who preceded him, and with his idols [false gods, objects of worship] has caused Judah [the tribe, the people] to sin [to miss the mark, to go wrong], word study 12 this is what the LORD [Yehovah, the God of covenant], the God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] of Israel [the people of God’s promise], says: ‘Behold [look, take notice], I am bringing [causing to come, inflicting] such [great, severe] calamity [evil, disaster, adversity] upon Jerusalem [the city of peace, God’s dwelling place] and Judah [the tribe of praise, God’s people] that the news [report, announcement] will reverberate [tingle, resound] in the ears [hearing, understanding] of all [every, everyone] who hear [listen, obey] it. word study 13 I will stretch out [extend, spread out] over Jerusalem [the city of peace] the measuring line [cord, rule] used against Samaria [watch mountain] and the plumb line [level, plummet] used against the house [dynasty, family] of Ahab [a king of Israel], and I will wipe out [erase, blot out] Jerusalem [the capital city] as one wipes out [cleans, removes] a bowl [dish, container]—wiping it [removing its contents] and turning it [overturning, reversing] upside down [completely, totally]. word study 14 So I will forsake [abandon, leave to their fate] the remnant [what is left, a surviving group] of My inheritance [possessions, heritage] and deliver them into the hands [power, control] of their enemies [adversaries, those who oppose]. And they will become [be made, come to be] plunder [spoils, booty] and spoil [loot, prey] to all [every, the whole of] their enemies [foes, those who hate], word study 15 because they have done [that which is morally wrong] evil in My sight [before My eyes, in My presence] and have provoked [stirred up, angered] Me to anger [intense displeasure, wrath] from the day [the time, the period] their fathers came out [departed, left] of Egypt [the land of bondage, oppression] until [as far as, up to] this day [the present time, the current era].’” word study 16 Moreover, Manasseh [exceedingly, very much] shed so much innocent [guiltless, morally clean] blood that he filled Jerusalem [from one side to the other] from [mouth to mouth, lip to lip] end to end, in addition to the sin [guilt, punishment for sin] that he had caused Judah [the tribe, the people] to commit, doing [making, bringing about] evil [bad, morally wrong] in the sight [before the eyes, in the presence] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 17 As for the rest [remainder, what is left] of the acts of Manasseh [a king of Judah], along with all [everything, the entirety] his accomplishments [deeds, achievements] and the sin [transgression, rebellion] that he committed [did, made], are they not written [recorded, inscribed] in the Book [scroll, written document] of the Chronicles [history, accounts] of the Kings [rulers, monarchs] of Judah [the tribe, the region]? word study 18 And Manasseh [slept with his ancestors] rested with his fathers [his ancestral heritage] and was buried [laid to rest, interred] in his palace garden [the garden of his own house], the garden of Uzza [a place of strength]. And his son [a descendant, offspring] Amon [a name meaning master, lord] reigned [ruled, exercised sovereign power] in his place [underneath, as his successor]. word study 19 Amon was twenty-two [two and twenty] years old when he became king [to reign, rule as a king], and he reigned [exercised royal authority] in Jerusalem [the city of peace] two [a pair, dual] years. His mother’s [female parent, maternal figure] name was Meshullemeth [wife of Manasseh] daughter of Haruz [an Israelite man]; she was from Jotbah [a city in Judah, meaning’pleasing’]. word study 20 And he did [that which was] evil [bad, morally wrong] in the sight [eye, perception] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], as [just like, in the same manner] his father [ancestor, parent] Manasseh [Moses’ descendant] had done [made, committed]. word study 21 He walked [in the footsteps of, followed] in all the ways [paths, manner of life] of his father, and he served [worshiped, was in bondage to] and worshiped [bowed down to, gave reverence to] the idols [false gods, carved images] his father had served [given allegiance to, been devoted to]. word study 22 He abandoned [forsook, turned away from] the LORD [Yehovah, the God of Israel], the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of his fathers [ancestors, heritage], and did not walk [follow, obey] in the way [path, manner of life] of the LORD [Yehovah, the divine guide]. word study 23 Then the servants [or slaves, bondmen] of Amon conspired [plotted, made a secret design] against him and killed [slew, put to death] the king [ruler, monarch] in his palace [own house, royal residence]. word study 24 But the people [nation, inhabitants] of the land [earth, territory] killed [slew, smote] all those who had conspired [plotted, tied together] against King [royal ruler] Amon, and they made his son [descendant, offspring] Josiah [whom Jehovah heals] king [ruler, monarch] in his place [stead, position]. word study 25 As for the rest [remainder, what is left] of the acts [accomplishments, deeds] of Amon [the king of Judah, son of Manasseh], along with his accomplishments [achievements, works], are they not [is it not the case] written [recorded, inscribed] in the Book [scroll, written document] of the Chronicles [history, events] of the Kings [rulers, monarchs] of Judah [the tribe, the region]? word study 26 And he was buried [in his sepulchre, laid to rest] in his tomb [grave, final resting place] in the garden [enclosed area] of Uzza [meaning strength], and his son [descendant, offspring] Josiah [whom Jehovah heals] reigned [ruled as king, advised] in his place [stead, underneath, as his successor]. word study