---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  2 Kings 21"
description: "CHAPTER 21   :-. MANASSEH"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/2-kings/21"
---

CHAPTER 21

. MANASSEH'S
WICKED REIGN,
AND GREAT IDOLATRY.

**1-3. Manasseh was twelve years old
when he began to reign**—He must have been born three years after
his father's recovery; and his minority, spent under the influence of
guardians who were hostile to the religious principles and reforming
policy of his father, may account in part for the anti-theocratic
principles of his reign. The work of religious reformation which
Hezekiah had zealously carried on was but partially accomplished.
There was little appearance of its influence on the heart and manners
of the people at large. On the contrary, the true fear of God had
vanished from the mass of the people; corruption and vice increased,
and were openly practised (, c.) by the degenerate leaders, who, having got the young
prince Manasseh into their power, directed his education, trained him
up in their views, and seduced him into the open patronage of
idolatry. Hence, when he became sovereign, he introduced the worship
of idols, the restoration of high places, and the erection of altars
or pillars to Baal, and the placing, in the temple of God itself, a
graven image of Asherah, the sacred or symbolic tree, which
represented "all the host of heaven." This was not
idolatry, but pure star-worship, of Chaldaic and Assyrian origin
[KEIL]. The sun, as among
the Persians, had chariots and horses consecrated to it () and incense was offered to the stars on the housetops
([2 Kings 23:12](../../../kjv/2-kings/23/12); [2 Chronicles 33:5](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/33/5);
[Jeremiah 19:13](../../../kjv/jeremiah/19/13); [Zephaniah 1:5](../../../kjv/zephaniah/1/5)),
and in the temple area with the face turned toward the sunrise ([Zephaniah 1:5](../../../kjv/zephaniah/1/5)).

**5. the two courts of the house of
the Lord**—the court of the priests, and the large court of the
people.

**6. made his son pass through the
fire**—(See on [2 Kings 21:2](../../../kjv/2-kings/21/2)).
**observed times**—from an
observation of the clouds.
**used enchantments**—jugglery
and spells.
**dealt with familiar
spirits**—*Septuagint,* "ventriloquists," who
pretended to ask counsel of a familiar spirit and gave the response
received from him to others.
**and wizards**—wise or
knowing ones, who pretended to reveal secrets, to recover things lost
and hidden treasure, and to interpret dreams. A great influx of these
impostors had, at various times, poured from Chaldea into the land of
Israel to pursue their gainful occupations, especially during the
reigns of the latter kings; and Manasseh was not only their liberal
patron, but zealous to appear himself an adept in the arts. He raised
them to be an influential class at his court, as they were in that of
Assyria and Babylon, where nothing was done till they had ascertained
the lucky hour and were promised a happy issue.

**7. And he set a graven image**—The
placing of the Asherah within the precincts of the temple, which was
dedicated to the worship of the true God, is dwelt upon as the most
aggravated outrage of the royal idolater.

**8. Neither will I make the feet of
Israel move . . . out of the land which I gave their fathers**—alluding
to the promise ([2 Samuel 7:10](../../../kjv/2-samuel/7/10)).
**only if they will observe,**
&c.—This condition was expressed from the first plantation of
Israel in Canaan. But that people not only did not keep it, but
through the pernicious influence of Manasseh, were seduced into
greater excesses of idolatrous corruption than even the original
Canaanites.

**10-17. And the Lord spake by his
servants the prophets**—These were Hosea, Joel, Nahum, Habakkuk,
and Isaiah. Their counsels, admonitions, and prophetic warnings, were
put on record in the national chronicles () and now form part of the sacred canon.

**12. whosoever heareth of it, both
his ears shall tingle**—a strong metaphorical form of announcing
an extraordinary and appalling event (see [1 Samuel 3:11](../../../kjv/1-samuel/3/11);
[Jeremiah 19:3](../../../kjv/jeremiah/19/3); also [Jeremiah 19:3](../../../kjv/jeremiah/19/3)).

**13. the line of Samaria, and the
plummet of the house of Ahab**—Captives doomed to destruction
were sometimes grouped together and marked off by means of a
measuring-line and plummet ([2 Samuel 8:2](../../../kjv/2-samuel/8/2);
[Isaiah 34:11](../../../kjv/isaiah/34/11); [Amos 7:7](../../../kjv/amos/7/7));
so that the line of Samaria means the line drawn for the destruction
of Samaria; the plummet of the house of Ahab, for exterminating his
apostate family; and the import of the threatening declaration here
is that Judah would be utterly destroyed, as Samaria and the dynasty
of Ahab had been.
**I will wipe Jerusalem,**
&c.—The same doom is denounced more strongly in a figure
unmistakably significant.

**14. I will forsake the remnant of
mine inheritance**—The people of Judah, who of all the chosen
people alone remained. The consequence of the Lord's forsaking them
would be their fall into the power of their enemies.

**10-17. And the Lord spake by his
servants the prophets**—These were Hosea, Joel, Nahum, Habakkuk,
and Isaiah. Their counsels, admonitions, and prophetic warnings, were
put on record in the national chronicles () and now form part of the sacred canon.

**16. Moreover Manasseh shed innocent
blood**—Not content with the patronage and the practice of
idolatrous abomination, he was a cruel persecutor of all who did not
conform. The land was deluged with the blood of good men; among whom
it is traditionally said Isaiah suffered a horrid death, by being
sawn asunder (see on ).
. AMON'S
WICKED REIGN.

**10-17. And the Lord spake by his
servants the prophets**—These were Hosea, Joel, Nahum, Habakkuk,
and Isaiah. Their counsels, admonitions, and prophetic warnings, were
put on record in the national chronicles () and now form part of the sacred canon.

**19-24. Amon was twenty and two years
old when he began to reign**—This prince continued the idolatrous
policy of his father; and, after an inglorious reign of two years, he
was massacred by some of his own domestics. The people slew the
regicide conspirators and placed his son Josiah on the throne.

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