2 Chronicles 33
PATit.’ But Bochartus, I find, strongly opposes the opinion of the body of the sun’s going back: in his Canaan, lib. i. cap. 14. p. 4. where he observes, that tho Scripture in both places speaks of the shadow’s going back ten degrees; and tlien it is said, the sun went back, that is, the shadow of the sun, or the light of the sun, which succeeded to the going back of the shadow. And it must be confessed, that if the sun had gone back, it would not have been a miracle in Judca alone, but all the world over: and the king of Babylon needed not have sent to inquire about the wonder in that land, because it would have been a wonder in his land, and in all lands, as well as in Judca. And so it was, for I have observed there out of Herodotus, that in Egypt they knew something of the unusual motion of the sun: and, perhaps, they now observed it in Babylon, and only sent to inquire whether Isaiah foretold it, which was a great wonder. I have met also with one, who thinks, that the Babylonians being worshippers of the sun, it was part of Hezekiah’s sin, that he did not take this occasion to persuade the ambassadors to worship God, who made and commanded the sun; and could stop the course of it when he pleased. God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.] God suffered him to behave himself according to his own inclinations, without any specialmotion from him; that Hezekiah might know he was not so strong as he imagined, if he were left to himself without God. But it is generally thought, the last words relate rather to God: who made proof of him, as he had done of many other good men, whether he would entirely obey him, or not. He tries none in that sense of which St. James speaks; viz. for an ill intent, or to lead men to destruction; but for a good end, to improve them, and bring them to salvation. Thus he tempted Abraham, Gen. xxii. 1. and the children of Israel, Exod. xv. 25. xvi. 5. and Ezekiel, and many others, that it might appear how they stood affected to him: which God, no doubt, knew, and now saw the pride and vanity that lurked in Hezekiah’s heart: which was hid from every one but God himself, who now suffered him to discover it for his humiliation. For it was a greater crime to be again puffed up, as he had been before his dangerous sickness. chap, xxxm.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. was concluded with a festival, which sometimes was made anniversary. Many plain instances there are of this, par^ ticulaily in Minutius Felix, who mentions the unction, coronation, adoration, and prayers, whereby they were consecrated.
2 Chronicles 33:1
IfJLANASSEH was twelve years old when he began: to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. See 2 Kings, chap. xxi. 1. where his mother’s name is set down, which is here omitted.
2 Chronicles 33:2
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. The very same words are in the forenamed place, ver. 2. And here it follows, ver. 9. that he did worse than those abominable heathens; not only committing all the sins of his forefathers, but endeavouring to exceed them, and leave nothing, undone wholly to subvert the worship of God.
2 Chronicles 33:3
For he built again the high places, which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim. Imitated Ahab king of Israel, as it is explained there, 2 Kings xxi. 3. And made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven; and served them.] These groves, I suppose, were made„ about the temple, which was utterly forbidden, (Deut. xvi. 21.) being a heathenish rite, (Judg. vi. 25.) and mentioned by Isaiah (lxvi. 17.) among the abominable idolatries which they practised secretly in their gardens. Yet the Jews in aftertimes did plant trees about their proseuchce, their oratories, or places of prayer, as Scaliger observes in his Fragmenta, at the end of his book de Emend. Temporum, p. 25. But they w r cre not in the law touching the temple.
2 Chronicles 33:4
Also he built altars in the house of the Lord. In the court of the priests. (See 2 Kings xxi. 4.) Wliereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.] This was the greater profanation, because God’ had chosen this place to settle his presence in it. -
2 Chronicles 33:5
And he built altars for all the host of heaven, in the two courts of the house of the Lord. In the court of the people of Israel, and in the court of the gentiles. (See there, ver. 5.)
2 Chronicles 33:6
And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. There is mention made only of his son in the book of the Kings, but here of his* children, whom he consecrated to Moloch. Also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, anddealtwith a familiar spirit, and with wizards ■; he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.] He seems to have studied to find out what God had forbidden in his law, that he might practise it. (See there, 2 Kings xxi. 6.)
2 Chronicles 33:7
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.] This verso and the next are the same, with 2 Kings xxi. 7, 8. where see my annotations. I shall only add here, that this seems to have been an imago of more than ordinary note, which he set up with a great deal of ceremony. For among the heathens, whom he imitated, images did not become gods, that is, were not made objects of worship, till being placed in the most holy part of their temples, there they were consecrated by being anointed and crowned by sacrifices, prayers, and adorations; and then setting up candles burning before them: all which
2 Chronicles 33:8
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 lata, and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.
2 Chronicles 33:9
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. A most prodigious change, from the height of piety in his father’s time into the sink of impiety in this: which strange vicissitude of things should admonish us not to be secure, as Victorinus Strigelius notes. Who being professor of theology at Heidelburg, left this remark in his lectures on this place near a hundred and forty years ago:. “,Now we have the word of God abundantly, in all wisdom; and pious princes patronise both those that preach, and those that learn the gospel. But this plenty of the word we now enjoy (I tremble to speak it, but I must speak it; because it will come to pass) shall be taken away: and that sad mournful time will come, when the public assemblies of the church shall be scattered, and a few pious souls shall meet with fear in a corner, to communicate among themselves the fragments of the heavenly doctrine, and give God thanks for those remainders;” which we have seen fulfilled in that country, and in France, and other places.
2 Chronicles 33:10
And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people. By his servants the prophets. (See ver. 18.) The Jews say in Seder Olam Rabba, (cap. 20.) that Joel, Nahum, and Habakkuk, prophesied in his time^ but he was so wicked, that they would not so much as mention his name in the beginning of their prophecies, which is not a good reason. But they would not hearken.] Neither he nor his people regarded what they said.,
2 Chronicles 33:11
IVIierefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria. The royal family failing in Babylon, the king of Assyria (Esar-haddon) brought that kingdom under his yoke again, and held it thirteen years, as primate Usher observes in his Annals. And he hearing, from the ambassadors of Merodach-Baladan, what great treasures were in Jerusalem, and that Hezckiah was dead, and Manasseh had forsaken that God who did such great things for his father, sent an army against Jrim which he could not withstand.’, Which took Manasseh among the thorns.] In a thicket where he had hid himself, but was discovered. And bound him with fetters.] With iron chains fastened to his wrists, or to his legs, as we understand it. And carried him to Babylon.] Which the king of Assyria, it is likely, had made his scat, to secure his late conquests. This was in the twenty-second year of his reign, as the Jews compute in Seder Olam Rabba, cap. 24. when they carried away with him the idol in Dan, according to Judg. xviii. 30. But however that be, it is very evident the Assyrian monarchy was not fallen by the defection of the Mcdcs and other, nations, which I before mentioned, but still convol. n. tinued in great power; Babylon itself, which rebelled at the same time with the Medes, being again subdued to its obedience, as appears by their sending Manasseh bound hither. So that they had not only Coelo-Syria and Phoenicia, but Mesopotamia and Chaldea under their dominion, as Conringius observes,- in the book beforenamed, upon the foregoing chapter, ver. 21. How long their power continued the Scripture doth not tell us; but Manasseh, after his return from his captivity, seems to have been a free prince, subject unto none, maintaining forces in all his fenced cities, (ver. 14. of this chapter.)
2 Chronicles 33:12
And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. This was three-and-thirty years before his death, as the Jews make account, in the book beforementionerd." But both Kimchi andAbarbinel confess that this relies upon a weak foundation, as doth the other thing, that he was carried away in the twenty-second year’of his reign.'
2 Chronicles 33:13
And prayed unto him: and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Tlien Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God. So true it is that " vcxatio dat intellectum," trouble and vexation give understanding, and make men know God and themselves. Which is not universally true; for some are far from being brought to a right sense by their miseries: as Ahaz, this king’s grandfather, was never without some sore affliction or other, and yet never relented. But though R. Johadan was so charitable as to think that Manasseh had his part in the other world, yet the doctors in the title Sanhedrin (cap. 11. sect. 1.) exclude him from any portion in it, and say he was only restored to his kingdom, but not to life eternal. For this is the doctrine they there lay down, There were three kings, and four private men, who have no portion in eternal life: the three kings are Jeroboam, Ahab, and Manasseh; the four private men, Balaam, Doeg, Ahithophel, and Gehazi. But they have no ground for this sentence pronounced upon Manasseh, but the wickedness of his successor; from whence they argue the father’s repentance was not sincere. The folly of which sufficiently appears from this history of him and his father Hezekiah.
2 Chronicles 33:14
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 alt the fenced cities of Judah.] He provided for the safety of his kingdom, and in the first place built a wall for the defence of Jerusalem; which some think was that which his father made, (chap, xxxii. 5.) which he repaired and strengthened, after it had been thrown down, perhaps by the king of Assyria’s forces, when they carried him captive. The fish-gate was the gate where they sold fish (as the Targum expounds it), which was brought from Joppa. Concerning Ophel, sec xxvii. 3.
2 Chronicles 33:15
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 had profaned the house of the Lord, but had not shut up the doors as Ahaz did’; and therefore he is said only to have purged it from idols, but not to have opened it, as Jacobus Capcllus observes. 4P
Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are turitten in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. Who hath recorded his prayer, which he made to God in his sickness. And in the book of the Kings ofJudah and Israel.’] See xxvii. 7.
And Hezekiah slept ivith his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David. Which was a part of that honour which they did him, mentioned in the next words; for he deserved it above all the kings which they had since the time of David. And all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death.] Buried him, perhaps, with such solemnity and expenses as were made at the funeral of king Asa, chap. xvi. 14. Maimonides saith, they appointed a company of students in the law to sit at his sepulchre, and to mourn seven days together. (See Schickard, in his Jus Itegium, p. 173.) But this I look upon as merely rabbinical. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.