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Dave Burnette's Commentary

2 Kings Chapter 21

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Jeremiah
Date Penned: (586 BC)
Overview: A History of the Kings of Israel and Judah (c 1-25)
Theme: The Surviving Kingdom (c 18-25)
Message: Manasseh Rules Judah (v 1-25)

2 Kings 21 Commentary 

(21:1) Manasseh Forgets God - Manasseh followed the example of his grandfather Ahaz more than that of his father. He adopted the wicked practices of the Babylonians and Canaanites, including sacrificing his own son (21:6). Manasseh did not listen to the words of God's prophets but willfully led his people into sin. (See his profile for more information about his life.) The "high places" were shrines in the hills for worshiping idols


(21:6) Manasseh Exercises Evil - Manasseh was an evil king, and he angered God with his sin. Listed among Manasseh's sins are occult practices--fortune-telling, enchantments, and the use of mediums and wizards. These acts are strictly forbidden by God (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:9-13) because they demonstrate a lack of faith in him, involve sinful actions, and open the door to demonic influences. Today, many books, television shows, movies, and games emphasize fortune-telling, seances, and other occult practices. Don't let the desire to know the future or the belief that superstition is harmless lead you into condoning occult practices. They are counterfeits of God's power and have at their root a system of beliefs totally opposed to God.


(21:7) Image of the Grove - The phrase "image of the grove" is a reference to an image of Asherah (Ashtoreth), a Canaanite mother-goddess and mistress of Baal. Her images were made of wood and planted as poles near her pagan shrines. In Exodus 34:13 and Deuteronomy 12:3, the Israelites were expressly forbidden to associate with Asherah practices in any way.


(21:16) Isiah Is Killed - Tradition says that during Manasseh's massive slaughter, Isaiah was sawed in two while trying to hide in a hollow log (see Hebrews 1:37-38). Other prophets may also have been killed at this time.


 


Dave Burnette's Life Application

We Reap what We Sow

 

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter, making application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Today we continue the book of 2 Kings with Chapter 21.  In our text, we see Manasseh rules Judah and does evil in the sight of the Lord to the point where the Lord wiped him out and turned him upside down. In making an application, we see the principle of sowing and reaping. Manasseh's father, Hezekiah, had the blessings of God on his life as a testimony before him as he obeyed God. Yet, Manasseh chose the wrong path and paid the price with his chastised life and, eventually, his death. No doubt, a shortened life versus his father's longer life shows us that we reap what we sow. How about you? Do you see that we reap what we sow? Let us learn from our text today and the Life of Manasseh to remember that we reap what we sow

 

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2 Kings 21

2 Kings 21

 1Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.

 2And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

 3For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

 4And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.

 5And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

 6And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

 7And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:

 8Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if 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.

 9But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.

 10And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying,

 11Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:

 12Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.

 13And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.

 14And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;

 15Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.

 16Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

 17Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

 18And Manasseh 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 stead.

 19Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.

 20And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did.

 21And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them:

 22And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD.

 23And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house.

 24And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.

 25Now 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?

 26And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.