2 Kings 21

Manasseh is an abominable idolater, verse 1. 1 &c. wherefore most grievious judgements are threatened, 10. Manasseh Sheddeh also much innocent blood, and dyeth. 16. Amon his son succeedeth in his room, and folleweth his fathers footsteps, 19. he is slain by his servants, 23. josias his son becometh king, 26.

1. Manasseh was twelve year, old [Heb. A son of twelve years] when he became king, and reigned five and fifty years at Jerusalem, [comprehend herein the time, in which he was prisoner at Bethel, 2 chron. 33.11] and his mothers name was Zephzi-Ba. [Hebr. Chephisi-Ba.]

2. And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, [see, 2 Kings 11. on verse 6.] after the abominations of the heather, which the Lord had driven out of possession before the face of the children of Israel.

3. For he built up again, [Heb. He returned and built, that is, he built again. [see Numb.11 on verse 4.] the high places [see Lev. 26 on verse 30] which Hizkia his father had destroyed and he reared up altars for Baal; [see Judges 2 on verse 11.] and made a groove, [see of the Idolatious grooves, Deut. Chap.7.on v.5. which God had expressly forbidden to be made. Deuteronomy 16:21.] according as Achab king of Israel had made; [see 1 kings 16. v.31,32,33.] and bowed himself down before all the host of heaven, [understand the fun and moon with the rest of the planets and stars. See Deut.4.v.19. and the annotate.] and served them.

4. And he built altars in the house of the Lord, [see Jer.32.34] of which the Lord had said; at Jerusalem will I put my name. [Understand the name of the Lord only, and not likewise the names of Idols. See the meaning of these words 1 kings 8. on v.29. see also Deut.12.5,11]

5. Moreover, he built altars for all the host of heaven in both the courts of the house of the Lord. [Whereof the first, or inner court was the priest’s court, standing next to the temple; the other the people’s court, without joining to the first. See of both 1 Kings 6 on v.36.]

6. Yea, he made his son pass thorow the fire; [to wit in the valley of the son of Hinnom, 2 chron.22.6 to the honor of the idol Molech. See Lev.18. on verse 21.] and practiced juggling; [see of the signification of the Hebrew word, Lev.19 on verse 26.] and gave heed to the crying of birds; [see of the signification of the Hebrew word, Lev.19. on verse26.] and he appointed sooth-sayers and Necromancers, [Heb. He made, see of the Hebrew word sooth-sayers and the next following, lev19 on v.31. these Manasseh is said to have made, because he publicly ordained and appoint-pointed them, that thy might be ready to wait and attend upon all men with their devilish arts] he did very much evil in the eyes of the Lord, to provoke (him) [this word is here inserted out of 2 Chron.33.6.] to anger.

7. he set also a carved images of the grove, [Or, the carved image, pointing at a certain image of the idolatrous grove] which he had made [see above v3. in the house of which the LORD had said to David and to Solomon his son; I his house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, [i.e. out of all places and cities, that are inhabited by the tribes] will I put my name [see above on verse 4.] for ever [That is, during the time of the law. See Gen.13 on v.15.]

8. Neither will I proceed to remove the foot of Israel out of this land, which I gave their fathers; [or as it is said 2 Chron.33.8. to make them remove or to take them away, that is, to make the Israelites remove, wander and shift up and down out of this land: as befell the ten tribes, above chapter 18.11.] only if they observer what to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law, understand the moral ceremonial and judicial lawes. See 2 chron.33 the annotate on verse 8.] Which my servant Moseh commanded them.

9. But they hearkened not: for Manasseh made them to erre, (so) that they did worse then the heathen, [to wit, because they most treacherously rejected the light of the true knowledge of God, and the prescript or platform of pure religion, which the heathen had not, and exceeded the heathen in the abomination of the idolatry, who served not many strange idols, containing themselves for the most part with their own. Th. Doing worse; which may also be understood of king Manasseh, as below v.11.] which the Lord had destroyed before the face of the children of Israel.

10. then the Lord spake by the ministry [Heb. Hand] of his servants the prophets, saying,

11. Because Manasseh king of Juda hath done these abominations, doing worse then all that the Amorites [under the name of this one nation are often all infidels and heathenish nations of the land of Canaan comprehended. See Gen. 15 on verse 16.] did which were before him, yea hath made Juda also to sin with his dung-Gods: [see Lev.26 on verse 30.]

12. Therefore, thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: behold, I bring an evil upon Jerusalem and Juda, that every one that beareth it, both his cars shall tingle. [understand such an evil that shall cause so great astonishment, fear and terror in all men’s hearts, that their senses shall be amazed and distracted as a man’s hearing is wont to be deafened by an excessive loud sound and a vehement noise made just before or against his ear. See the same comparison, 1 Samuel 8:11. Jer.19.3.]

13. And I will draw the measuring-line of Samaria over Jerusalem, [By the measuring –line, here is meant the measure, or rule; that is the quality and likeness of the judgment. The meaning is, such a judgment as I brought upon the ten tribes, and their chief city Samaria, will bring upon Juda and Jerusalem, that the land shall be laid wast, the city taken, and the inhabitants carried away captive. ‘tis a comparison taken from carpenters and Masons or bricklayers who both rear and raise their work by line and measure. Compare Isaia. 34.11. Amos 7v7,8. Zach.1.16.] and the plummet of the house of Achah, [the former similitude is still retained, to shew that the like judgment should befall Jerusalem, as befell Achab’s house] and I will wipe Jerusalem, as they wipe a dish; they wipe it, and turn it upside down upon it’s hallowness. [Or, rands,brims. Heb. Upon its face. The meaning is, as dishes are employed for a clean use, are washed and scoured from all filth, and after that turned upside down that no unclean thing may fall into them: so shall Jerusalem by transportation be purged from wicked inhabitants, and the government thereof turned upside down, that the uppermost part shall lie under.]

14. And I will forsake the remnant of the inheritance, [understand the tribe of Juda, or the Jews, who alone, which those that sided with them, were left of the Israelites, bearing the name of the people of god. God calleth this tribe his inheritance, because they were as dear unto him, as an inheritance is to a man] and will deliver them into the hand of their enemies: and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies:

15. because they did that which was evil in mine eyes, and provoked me to anger from that day, that their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.

16. Besides, Manasseh shed also very much innocent blood, [to wit, of those that would not follow his abominations] till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; [Heb. Mouth to mouth. See above chap.10 on v.21] beside his sin, [understand idolatry, which by the way of special eminency is called sin, because it directly opposeth and crosseth the Majesty of God, is in the highest degree hated and forbidden, and left unpunished by him, se e 1 kings 11 on v.6 and 12 on v.30.] which he made Juda to sin doing that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord.

17. Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did and his sin, [understand especially his idolatry against God, and his tyranny against men] which he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? [Understand herewith his captivity, repentance and conversion, and actions that followed thereon, of which see also, 2 chron. 33.11, 12]

18. And Manasseh fell asleep which his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his (own) house, in the garden of Uzza: And Amon his son became King in his stead.

19. Amon was two and twenty years old, [Heb. A son of two and twenty years] when he became King, and he reigned two years at Jerusalem: And his mothers name was Messullement, a daughter of Haruz of Jotha, [some are of opinion that this was Jotbath, where the Israelites had a camping place, when they journeyed from Egypt thorow the wilderness towards the land of Canaan, Numbers 33:33. Deut.30.7.]

20. And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord; Acording as Manasseh his father had done.

21. for he walked in all the way [to wit, the evil way of Idolatry, unbelief and manifold wicked practices. See 1 kings 15 on v. 26.] which his father had walked and he served the dung-Gods, which his father had served and he bowed himself down before them.

22. So he forsook the Lord god of his father; and he walked not in the way of the LORD. [see 1 King 11on verse 33.]

23. And the servants of Amon made a conspiracy against him: and they slew the king in his own house.

24. But the people of the land smote all that had made the conspiracy against king Amon: and the people of the land Josia his son king in his stead.

25. 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 Juda.

26. And they buried him in his Sepulchre, in the garden of Uzza; And Josia his son became king in his stead.