2 Kings 21: Manasseh's evil reign, Yahweh's word against Jerusalem, and Amon
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What happens?
Manasseh becomes king at twelve and reigns fifty-five years in Jerusalem. He builds again the high places his father destroyed, sets up altars for Baal and for all the army of the sky, even in the courts of Yahweh's house, makes his son pass through the fire, deals with those who call up the dead, and puts the image of Asherah in the house where Yahweh said he would put his name. Yahweh speaks through his servants the prophets: because of what Manasseh has done, he will bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that ears will tingle, and give them into the hands of their enemies. Manasseh also sheds very much innocent blood; his son Amon does evil as he did, and after two years Amon's servants kill him, and the people of the land make his son Josiah king.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 8 of the 26 verses. In verse 4 and in verses 7 and 8 the narrator gives what Yahweh had said about his house and Jerusalem: "I will put my name" there. Verse 10 says that Yahweh spoke through his servants the prophets, and verses 11 to 15 give those words as Yahweh's own (see the note on verse 10). No one else speaks in this chapter. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.
In plain English: Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah.
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2He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, after the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel.
In plain English: He did what was evil in Yahweh's eyes, following the disgusting practices (this Bible: abominations) of the nations that Yahweh had driven out before the children of Israel.
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3For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he raised up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel did, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them.
In plain English: He built again the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed. He set up altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and he bowed down to (this Bible: worshiped) all the army of the sky (or: the host of heaven; see the note) and served them.
The Hebrew words: "The army of the sky" is tsava ha-shamayim, word for word "the host of the heavens". The dictionary gives tsava as "a mass of persons (or figuratively, things)", "an army".
What changes: Read as the lights of the sky, it is the sun, the moon and the stars, as in : "the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the army of the sky". Read as beings in heaven, it is like the prophet Micaiah's words in : "I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him". The text here does not say which; names the sun, the moon and the planets alongside it.
Good to know: On the high places, see the note on , and on Asherah, the note on . tells that "Ahab made the Asherah".
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4He built altars in Yahweh’s house, of which Yahweh said, “I will put my name in Jerusalem.”God speaks
In plain English: He built altars in Yahweh's house, of which Yahweh had said, "In Jerusalem I will put my name."
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5He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts of Yahweh’s house.
In plain English: He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courtyards of Yahweh's house.
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6He made his son to pass through the fire, practiced sorcery, used enchantments, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits and with wizards. He did much evil in Yahweh’s sight, to provoke him to anger.
In plain English: He made his son pass through the fire. He practiced fortune-telling (this Bible: sorcery) and divination (this Bible: used enchantments), and dealt with those who call up the dead (this Bible: had familiar spirits) and with wizards. He did much evil in Yahweh's eyes, to make him angry.
Good to know: These are the practices in the list of and ; see the notes there and on Molech at . says Manasseh "made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom".
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7He set the engraved image of Asherah that he had made in the house of which Yahweh said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever;God speaks
In plain English: He set the carved image (this Bible: engraved image) of Asherah that he had made in the house of which Yahweh had said to David and to Solomon his son, "In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever.
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8I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander any more out of the land which I gave their fathers, if only they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.”God speaks
In plain English: I will no longer make the feet of Israel wander away from the land (literally: the ground) that I gave their fathers, if only they take care to do all that I have commanded them, and all the law that my servant Moses commanded them."
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9But they didn’t listen, and Manasseh seduced them to do that which is evil more than the nations did whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel.
In plain English: But they did not listen. Manasseh led them astray (this Bible: seduced them) to do more evil than the nations that Yahweh had destroyed before the children of Israel.
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10Yahweh spoke by his servants the prophets, saying,
In plain English: Yahweh spoke through (literally: by the hand of) his servants the prophets, saying,
Good to know: The text does not name these prophets. The narrator says that Yahweh spoke through them and gives the words as Yahweh's own, so verses 11 to 15 are in gold. In the same way says that "Yahweh testified to Israel and to Judah, by every prophet and every seer".
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11“Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations, and has done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has also made Judah to sin with his idols;God speaks
In plain English: "Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these disgusting things (this Bible: abominations), and has done more evil than all that the Amorites did who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols,
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12therefore Yahweh the God of Israel says, ‘Behold, I will bring such evil on Jerusalem and Judah that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle.God speaks
In plain English: therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'Look, I am bringing such disaster (this Bible: evil) on Jerusalem and Judah that both ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.
Good to know: has nearly the same words, when Yahweh tells the boy Samuel, "I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle", and so does .
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13I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plumb line of Ahab’s house; and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.God speaks
In plain English: I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria and the plumb line of Ahab's house. I will wipe Jerusalem clean as a man wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.
The Hebrew words: "The line" is qav, which the dictionary gives as a cord for measuring; this Bible says "line" or a longer form in 10 of the 12 verses that use it. "The plumb line" is mishqelet, "a weight, i.e. a plummet (with line attached)". Both are builders' tools.
Good to know: The same two tools are together in : "I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line". The text here does not explain the picture further.
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14I will cast off the remnant of my inheritance and deliver them into the hands of their enemies. They will become a prey and a plunder to all their enemies,God speaks
In plain English: I will abandon (this Bible: cast off) what is left of my inheritance and hand them over to their enemies. They will become prey and plunder for all their enemies,
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15because they have done that which is evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.’”God speaks
In plain English: because they have done what is evil in my eyes, and have kept making me angry from the day their fathers came out of Egypt until this day.'"
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16Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; in addition to his sin with which he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight.
In plain English: Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to the other (literally: mouth to mouth), besides his sin by which he made Judah sin, doing what was evil in Yahweh's eyes.
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17Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
In plain English: The rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and the sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
Good to know: to tells that the captains of the king of Assyria took Manasseh to Babylon in chains, that in his distress he "humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers" and prayed, and that Yahweh brought him back to Jerusalem. 2 Kings does not tell this.
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18Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza; and Amon his son reigned in his place.
In plain English: Manasseh lay down with his fathers and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza. Amon his son became king in his place.
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19Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
In plain English: Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
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20He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, as Manasseh his father did.
In plain English: He did what was evil in Yahweh's eyes, as Manasseh his father had done.
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21He walked in all the ways that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshiped them;
In plain English: He walked in all the way that his father had walked in. He served the idols that his father had served, and bowed down to them.
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22and he abandoned Yahweh, the God of his fathers, and didn’t walk in the way of Yahweh.
In plain English: He abandoned Yahweh, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of Yahweh.
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23The servants of Amon conspired against him, and put the king to death in his own house.
In plain English: The servants of Amon plotted (this Bible: conspired) against him and killed the king in his own house.
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24But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.
In plain English: But the people of the land struck down all who had plotted against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.
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25Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
In plain English: The rest of the acts of Amon, which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
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26He was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza, and Josiah his son reigned in his place.
In plain English: He was buried in his grave in the garden of Uzza, and Josiah his son became king in his place.
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