Worthy.Bible » Parallel » 2 Chronicles » Chapter 33

2 Chronicles 33:1-25 King James Version (KJV)

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:

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.

3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

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

6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

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:

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 law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.

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.

10 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.

11 Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,

13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.

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 all the fenced cities of Judah.

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.

16 And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.

17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.

19 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.

20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

21 Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.

22 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them;

23 And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.

24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.

25 But 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.


2 Chronicles 33:1-25 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 Manasseh H4519 was twelve H8147 H6240 years H8141 old H1121 when he began to reign, H4427 and he reigned H4427 fifty H2572 and five H2568 years H8141 in Jerusalem: H3389

2 But did H6213 that which was evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 like unto the abominations H8441 of the heathen, H1471 whom the LORD H3068 had cast out H3423 before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478

3 For he built H1129 again H7725 the high places H1116 which Hezekiah H3169 his father H1 had broken down, H5422 and he reared up H6965 altars H4196 for Baalim, H1168 and made H6213 groves, H842 and worshipped H7812 all the host H6635 of heaven, H8064 and served H5647 them.

4 Also he built H1129 altars H4196 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 whereof the LORD H3068 had said, H559 In Jerusalem H3389 shall my name H8034 be for ever. H5769

5 And he built H1129 altars H4196 for all the host H6635 of heaven H8064 in the two H8147 courts H2691 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068

6 And he caused H5674 his children H1121 to pass through H5674 the fire H784 in the valley H1516 of the son H1121 of Hinnom: H2011 also he observed times, H6049 and used enchantments, H5172 and used witchcraft, H3784 and dealt H6213 with a familiar spirit, H178 and with wizards: H3049 he wrought H6213 much H7235 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 to provoke him to anger. H3707

7 And he set H7760 a carved image, H6459 the idol H5566 which he had made, H6213 in the house H1004 of God, H430 of which God H430 had said H559 to David H1732 and to Solomon H8010 his son, H1121 In this house, H1004 and in Jerusalem, H3389 which I have chosen H977 before all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 will I put H7760 my name H8034 for ever: H5865

8 Neither will I any more H3254 remove H5493 the foot H7272 of Israel H3478 from out H5921 of the land H127 which I have appointed H5975 for your fathers; H1 so that H518 they will take heed H8104 to do H6213 all that I have commanded H6680 them, according to the whole law H8451 and the statutes H2706 and the ordinances H4941 by the hand H3027 of Moses. H4872

9 So Manasseh H4519 made H8582 Judah H3063 and the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem H3389 to err, H8582 and to do H6213 worse H7451 than the heathen, H1471 whom the LORD H3068 had destroyed H8045 before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478

10 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 to Manasseh, H4519 and to his people: H5971 but they would not hearken. H7181

11 Wherefore the LORD H3068 brought H935 upon them the captains of H8269 the host of H6635 the king H4428 of Assyria, H804 which took H3920 Manasseh H4519 among the thorns, H2336 and bound him H631 with fetters, H5178 and carried H3212 him to Babylon. H894

12 And when he was in affliction, H6887 he besought H2470 the LORD H3068 his God, H430 and humbled H3665 himself greatly H3966 before H6440 the God H430 of his fathers, H1

13 And prayed H6419 unto him: and he was intreated H6279 of him, and heard H8085 his supplication, H8467 and brought him again H7725 to Jerusalem H3389 into his kingdom. H4438 Then Manasseh H4519 knew H3045 that the LORD H3068 he was God. H430

14 Now after this H310 he built H1129 a wall H2346 without H2435 the city H5892 of David, H1732 on the west side H4628 of Gihon, H1521 in the valley, H5158 even to the entering in H935 at the fish H1709 gate, H8179 and compassed H5437 about Ophel, H6077 and raised it up H1361 a very great height, H3966 and put H7760 captains H8269 of war H2428 in all the fenced H1219 cities H5892 of Judah. H3063

15 And he took away H5493 the strange H5236 gods, H430 and the idol H5566 out of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and all the altars H4196 that he had built H1129 in the mount H2022 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and in Jerusalem, H3389 and cast H7993 them out H2351 of the city. H5892

16 And he repaired H1129 the altar H4196 of the LORD, H3068 and sacrificed H2076 thereon peace H8002 offerings H2077 and thank offerings, H8426 and commanded H559 Judah H3063 to serve H5647 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478

17 Nevertheless H61 the people H5971 did sacrifice H2076 still in the high places, H1116 yet unto the LORD H3068 their God H430 only.

18 Now the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Manasseh, H4519 and his prayer H8605 unto his God, H430 and the words H1697 of the seers H2374 that spake H1696 to him in the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 behold, they are written in the book H1697 of the kings H4428 of Israel. H3478

19 His prayer H8605 also, and how God was intreated H6279 of him, and all his sin, H2403 and his trespass, H4604 and the places H4725 wherein he built H1129 high places, H1116 and set up H5975 groves H842 and graven images, H6456 before H6440 he was humbled: H3665 behold, they are written H3789 among the sayings H1697 of the seers. H2374 H2335

20 So Manasseh H4519 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and they buried H6912 him in his own house: H1004 and Amon H526 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.

21 Amon H526 was two H8147 and twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 when he began to reign, H4427 and reigned H4427 two H8147 years H8141 in Jerusalem. H3389

22 But he did H6213 that which was evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 as did H6213 Manasseh H4519 his father: H1 for Amon H526 sacrificed H2076 unto all the carved images H6456 which Manasseh H4519 his father H1 had made, H6213 and served H5647 them;

23 And humbled H3665 not himself before H6440 the LORD, H3068 as Manasseh H4519 his father H1 had humbled H3665 himself; but Amon H526 trespassed H819 more and more. H7235

24 And his servants H5650 conspired H7194 against him, and slew H4191 him in his own house. H1004

25 But the people H5971 of the land H776 slew H5221 all them that had conspired H7194 against king H4428 Amon; H526 and the people H5971 of the land H776 made H4427 Josiah H2977 his son H1121 king H4427 in his stead.


2 Chronicles 33:1-25 American Standard (ASV)

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem.

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

3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baalim, and made Asheroth, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

4 And he built altars in the house of Jehovah, whereof Jehovah said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

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

6 He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; and he practised augury, and used enchantments, and practised sorcery, and dealt with them that had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger.

7 And he set the graven image of the idol, which he had made, in the house of God, of which God 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, will I put my name for ever:

8 neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the ordinances `given' by Moses.

9 And Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did evil more than did the nations whom Jehovah destroyed before the children of Israel.

10 And Jehovah spake to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed.

11 Wherefore Jehovah brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

12 And when he was in distress, he besought Jehovah his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

13 And he prayed unto him; and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Jehovah he was God.

14 Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate; and he compassed Ophel about `with it', and raised it up to a very great height: and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah.

15 And he took away the foreign gods, and the idol out of the house of Jehovah, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of Jehovah, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

16 And he built up the altar of Jehovah, and offered thereon sacrifices of peace-offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve Jehovah, the God of Israel.

17 Nevertheless the people sacrificed still in the high places, but only unto Jehovah their God.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel.

19 His prayer also, and how `God' was entreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up the Asherim and the graven images, before he humbled himself: behold, they are written in the history of Hozai.

20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

21 Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.

22 And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, as did Manasseh his father; and Amon sacrificed unto all the graven images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them.

23 And he humbled not himself before Jehovah, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more.

24 And his servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his own house.

25 But 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.


2 Chronicles 33:1-25 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 A son of twelve years is Manasseh in his reigning, and fifty and five years he hath reigned in Jerusalem;

2 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, like the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel,

3 and he turneth and buildeth the high places that Hezekiah his father hath broken down, and raiseth altars for Baalim, and maketh shrines, and boweth himself to all the host of the heavens, and serveth them.

4 And he hath built altars in the house of Jehovah of which Jehovah had said, `In Jerusalem is My name to the age.'

5 And he buildeth altars to all the host of the heavens in the two courts of the house of Jehovah.

6 And he hath caused his sons to pass over through fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and observed clouds and used enchantments and witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and a wizard; he hath multiplied to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger.

7 And he placeth the graven image of the idol that he made in the house of God, of which God said unto David, and unto Solomon his son, `In this house, and in Jerusalem that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I put My name to the age,

8 and I add not to turn aside the foot of Israel from off the ground that I appointed to your fathers, only, if they watch to do all that I have commanded them -- to all the law, and the statutes, and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.'

9 And Manasseh maketh Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, to do evil above the nations that Jehovah destroyed from the presence of the sons of Israel.

10 And Jehovah speaketh unto Manasseh and unto his people, and they have not attended,

11 and Jehovah bringeth in against them the heads of the host that the king of Asshur hath, and they capture Manasseh among the thickets, and bind him with brazen fetters, and cause him to go to Babylon.

12 And when he is in distress he hath appeased the face of Jehovah his God, and is humbled exceedingly before the God of his fathers,

13 and prayeth unto Him, and He is entreated of him, and heareth his supplication, and bringeth him back to Jerusalem, to his kingdom, and Manasseh knoweth that Jehovah -- He `is' God.

14 And after this he hath built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west of Gihon, in the valley, and at the entering in at the fish-gate, and it hath gone round to the tower, and he maketh it exceeding high, and he putteth heads of the force in all the cities of the bulwarks in Judah.

15 And he turneth aside the gods of the stranger, and the idol, out of the house of Jehovah, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of Jehovah and in Jerusalem, and casteth `them' to the outside of the city.

16 And he buildeth the altar of Jehovah, and sacrificeth upon it sacrifices of peace-offerings and thank-offering, and saith to Judah to serve Jehovah, God of Israel;

17 but still the people are sacrificing in high places, only -- to Jehovah their God.

18 And the rest of the matters of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the matters of the seers, those speaking unto him in the name of Jehovah, God of Israel, lo, they are `on the book of' the matters of the kings of Israel;

19 and his prayer, and his entreaty, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places in which he had built high places, and established the shrines and the graven images before his being humbled, lo, they are written beside the matters of Hozai.

20 And Manasseh lieth with his fathers, and they bury him in his own house, and reign doth Amon his son in his stead.

21 A son of twenty and two years `is' Amon in his reigning, and two years he hath reigned in Jerusalem,

22 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, as did Manasseh his father, and to all the graven images that Manasseh his father had made hath Amon sacrificed, and serveth them,

23 and hath not been humbled before Jehovah, like the humbling of Manasseh his father, for Amon himself hath multiplied guilt.

24 And his servants conspire against him, and put him to death in his own house,

25 and the people of the land smite all those conspiring against king Amon, and the people of the land cause Josiah his son to reign in his stead.


2 Chronicles 33:1-25 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.

2 And he did evil in the sight of Jehovah, like the abominations of the nations that Jehovah had dispossessed from before the children of Israel.

3 And he built again the high places that Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars to the Baals, and made Asherahs, and worshipped all the host of heaven and served them.

4 And he built altars in the house of Jehovah, of which Jehovah had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

5 And he built altars to all the host of heaven in both courts of the house of Jehovah.

6 He also caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; and he used magic and divination and sorcery, and appointed necromancers and soothsayers: he wrought evil beyond measure in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger.

7 And he set the graven image of the idol that 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 out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever;

8 neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land that I have appointed to your fathers; if they will only take heed to do all that I commanded them through Moses, according to all the law and the statutes and the ordinances.

9 And Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, to do more evil than the nations that Jehovah had destroyed from before the children of Israel.

10 And Jehovah spoke to Manasseh and to his people; but they did not hearken.

11 And Jehovah brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with fetters, and bound him with chains of brass, and carried him to Babylon.

12 And when he was in affliction, he besought Jehovah his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,

13 and prayed to him. And he was intreated of him and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Jehovah, he was God.

14 And after this he built the outer wall of the city of David, on the west, toward Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance of the fish-gate, and carried it round Ophel, and raised it up a very great height; and he put captains of war in all the fortified cities of Judah.

15 And he removed the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of Jehovah, and all the altars that he had built on the mount of the house of Jehovah and in Jerusalem, and cast [them] out of the city.

16 And he reinstated the altar of Jehovah, and sacrificed on it peace-offerings and thank-offerings, and commanded Judah to serve Jehovah the God of Israel.

17 Nevertheless, the people sacrificed still on the high places, although to Jehovah their God only.

18 And the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers that spoke to him in the name of Jehovah the God of Israel, behold, they [are written] in the acts of the kings of Israel.

19 And his prayer, and [how God] was intreated of him, and all his sin and his unfaithfulness, and the places in which he built high places, and set up Asherahs and graven images, before he was humbled, behold, they are written among the words of Hozai.

20 And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house; and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.

22 And he did evil in the sight of Jehovah, as Manasseh his father had done; and Amon sacrificed to all the graven images that Manasseh his father had made, and served them.

23 And he did not humble himself before Jehovah, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; for he, Amon, multiplied trespass.

24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.

25 But the people of the land smote all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.


2 Chronicles 33:1-25 World English Bible (WEB)

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.

2 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, after the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel.

3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all the host of the sky, and served them.

4 He built altars in the house of Yahweh, of which Yahweh said, In Jerusalem shall my name be forever.

5 He built altars for all the host of the sky in the two courts of the house of Yahweh.

6 He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; and he practiced sorcery, and used enchantments, and practiced sorcery, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he worked much evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger.

7 He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had made, in the house of God, of which God 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, will I put my name forever:

8 neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the ordinances [given] by Moses.

9 Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did evil more than did the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel.

10 Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed.

11 Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

12 When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

13 He prayed to him; and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh he was God.

14 Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate; and he compassed Ophel about [with it], and raised it up to a very great height: and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah.

15 He took away the foreign gods, and the idol out of the house of Yahweh, and all the altars that he had built in the mountain of the house of Yahweh, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

16 He built up the altar of Yahweh, and offered thereon sacrifices of peace-offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel.

17 Nevertheless the people sacrificed still in the high places, but only to Yahweh their God.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel.

19 His prayer also, and how [God] was entreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places in which he built high places, and set up the Asherim and the engraved images, before he humbled himself: behold, they are written in the history of Hozai.

20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his place.

21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.

22 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did Manasseh his father; and Amon sacrificed to all the engraved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them.

23 He didn't humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more.

24 His servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his own house.

25 But 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.


2 Chronicles 33:1-25 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he was ruling for fifty-five years in Jerusalem.

2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, copying the disgusting ways of the nations whom the Lord had sent out of the land before the children of Israel.

3 For he put up again the high places which had been pulled down by his father Hezekiah; and he made altars for the Baals, and pillars of wood, and was a worshipper and servant of all the stars of heaven;

4 And he made altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, In Jerusalem will my name be for ever.

5 And he made altars for all the stars of heaven in the two outer squares of the house of the Lord.

6 More than this, he made his children go through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; and he made use of secret arts, and signs for reading the future, and unnatural powers, and gave positions to those who had control of spirits and to wonder-workers: he did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, moving him to wrath.

7 And he put the image he had made in the house of God, the house of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, the town which I have made mine out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:

8 And never again will I let the feet of Israel be moved out of the land which I have given to their fathers; if only they will take care to do all my orders, even all the law and the orders and the rules given to them by Moses.

9 And Manasseh made Judah and the people of Jerusalem go out of the true way, so that they did more evil than those nations whom the Lord gave up to destruction before the children of Israel.

10 And the word of the Lord came to Manasseh and his people, but they gave no attention.

11 So the Lord sent against them the captains of the army of Assyria, who made Manasseh a prisoner and took him away in chains to Babylon.

12 And crying out to the Lord his God in his trouble, he made himself low before the God of his fathers,

13 And made prayer to him; and in answer to his prayer God let him come back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh was certain that the Lord was God.

14 After this he made an outer wall for the town of David, on the west side of Gihon in the valley, as far as the way into the town by the fish doorway; and he put a very high wall round the Ophel; and he put captains of the army in all the walled towns of Judah.

15 He took away the strange gods and the image out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars he had put up on the hill of the Lord's house and in Jerusalem, and put them out of the town.

16 And he put the altar of the Lord in order, offering peace-offerings and praise-offerings on it, and said that all Judah were to be servants of the Lord, the God of Israel.

17 However, the people still made offerings in the high places, but only to the Lord their God.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words which the seers said to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, are recorded among the acts of the kings of Israel.

19 And the prayer which he made to God, and how God gave him an answer, and all his sin and his wrongdoing, and the places where he made high places and put up pillars of wood and images, before he put away his pride, are recorded in the history of the seers.

20 So Manasseh went to rest with his fathers, and they put his body to rest in his house, and Amon his son became king in his place.

21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king; and he was ruling for two years in Jerusalem.

22 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as Manasseh his father had done; and Amon made offerings to all the images which his father Manasseh had made, and was their servant.

23 He did not make himself low before the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done, but went on sinning more and more.

24 And his servants made a secret design against him, and put him to death in his house.

25 But the people of the land put to death all those who had taken part in the design against King Amon, and made his son Josiah king in his place.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 33

Commentary on 2 Chronicles 33 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 33

In this chapter we have the history of the reign,

  • I. Of Manasseh, who reigned long.
    • 1. His wretched apostasy from God, and revolt to idolatry and all wickedness (v. 1-10).
    • 2. His happy return to God in his affliction; his repentance (v. 11-13), his reformation (v. 15-17), and prosperity (v. 14), with the conclusion of his reign (v. 18-20).
  • II. Of Amon, who reigned very wickedly (v. 21-23), and soon ended his days unhappily (v. 24, 25).

2Ch 33:1-10

We have here an account of the great wickedness of Manasseh. It is the same almost word for word with that which we had 2 Ki. 21:1-9, and took a melancholy view of. It is no such pleasing subject that we should delight to dwell upon it again. This foolish young prince, in contradiction to the good example and good education his father gave him, abandoned himself to all impiety, transcribed the abominations of the heathen (v. 2), ruined the established religion, unravelled his father's glorious reformation (v. 3), profaned the house of God with his idolatry (v. 4, 5), dedicated his children to Moloch, and made the devil's lying oracles his guides and his counsellors, v. 6. In contempt of the choice God had made of Sion to be his rest for ever and Israel to be his covenant-people (v. 8), and the fair terms he stood upon with God, he embraced other gods, profaned God's chosen temple, and debauched his chosen people. He made them to err, and do worse than the heathen (v. 9); for, if the unclean spirit returns, he brings with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself. That which aggravated the sin of Manasseh was that God spoke to him and his people by the prophets, but they would not hearken, v. 10. We may here admire the grace of God in speaking to them, and their obstinacy in turning a deaf ear to him, that either their badness did not quite turn away his goodness, but still he waited to be gracious, or that his goodness did not turn them from their badness, but still they hated to be reformed. Now from this let us learn,

  • 1. That it is no new thing, but a very sad thing, for the children of godly parents to turn aside from that good way of God in which they have been trained. Parents may give many good things to their children, but they cannot give them grace.
  • 2. Corruptions in worship are such diseases of the church as it is very apt to relapse into again even when they seem to be cured.
  • 3. The god of this world has strangely blinded men's minds, and has a wonderful power over those that are led captive by him; else he could not draw them from God, their best friend, to depend upon their sworn enemy.

2Ch 33:11-20

We have seen Manasseh by his wickedness undoing the good that his father had done; here we have him by repentance undoing the evil that he himself had done. It is strange that this was not so much as mentioned in the book of Kings, nor does any thing appear there to the contrary but that he persisted and perished in his son. But perhaps the reason was because the design of that history was to show the wickedness of the nation which brought destruction upon them; and this repentance of Manasseh and the benefit of it, being personal only and not national, is overlooked there; yet here it is fully related, and a memorable instance it is of the riches of God's pardoning mercy and the power of his renewing grace. Here is,

  • I. The occasion of Manasseh's repentance, and that was his affliction. In his distress he did not (like king Ahaz) trespass yet more against God, but humbled himself and returned to God. Sanctified afflictions often prove happy means of conversion. What his distress was we are told, v. 11. God brought a foreign enemy upon him; the king of Babylon, that courted his father who faithfully served God, invaded him now that he had treacherously departed from God. He is here called king of Assyria, because he had made himself master of Assyria, which he would the more easily do for the defeat of Sennacherib's army, and its destruction before Jerusalem. He aimed at the treasures which the ambassadors had seen, and all those precious things; but God sent him to chastise a sinful people, and subdue a straying prince. The captain took Manasseh among the thorns, in some bush or other, perhaps in his garden, where he had hid himself. Or it is spoken figuratively: he was perplexed in his counsels and embarrassed in his affairs. He was, as we say, in the briers, and knew not which way to extricate himself, and so became an easy prey to the Assyrian captains, who no doubt plundered his house and took away what they pleased, as Isaiah had foretold, 2 Ki. 20:17, 18. What was Hezekiah's pride was their prey. They bound Manasseh, who had been held before with the cords of his own iniquity, and carried him prisoner to Babylon. About what time of his reign this was we are not told; the Jews say it was in his twenty-second year.
  • II. The expressions of his repentance (v. 12, 13): When he was in affliction he had time to bethink himself and reason enough too. He saw what he had brought himself to by his sin. He found the gods he had served unable to help him. He knew that repentance was the only way of restoring his affairs; and therefore to him he returned from whom he had revolted.
    • 1. He was convinced the Jehovah is the only living and true God: Then he knew (that is, he believed and considered) that the Lord he was God. He might have known it at a less expense if he would have given due attention and credit to the word written and preached: but it was better to pay thus dearly for the knowledge of God than to perish in ignorance and unbelief. Had he been a prince in the palace of Babylon, it is probable he would have been confirmed in his idolatry; but, being a captive in the prisons of Babylon, he was convinced of it and reclaimed from it.
    • 2. He applied to him as his God now, renouncing all others, and resolving to cleave to him only, the God of his fathers, and a God on covenant with him.
    • 3. He humbled himself greatly before him, was truly sorry for his sins, ashamed of them, and afraid of the wrath of God. It becomes sinners to humble themselves before the face of that God whom they have offended. It becomes sufferers to humble themselves under the hand of that God who corrects them, and to accept the punishment of their iniquity. Our hearts should be humbled under humbling providences; then we accommodate ourselves to them, and answer God's end in them.
    • 4. He prayed to him for the pardon of sin and the return of his favour. Prayer is the relief of penitents, the relief of the afflicted. That is a good prayer, and very pertinent in this case, which we find among the apocryphal books, entitled, The prayer of Manasses, king of Judah, when he was holden captive in Babylon. Whether it was his or no is uncertain; if it was, in it he gives glory to God as the God of their fathers and their righteous seed, as the Creator of the world, a God whose anger is insupportable, and yet his merciful promise unmeasurable. He pleads that God has promised repentance and forgiveness to those that have sinned, and has appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved, not unto the just, as to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but to me (says he) that am a sinner; for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea: so he confesses his sin largely, and aggravates it. He prays, Forgive me, O Lord! forgive me, and destroy me not; he pleads, Thou art the God of those that repent, etc., and concludes, Therefore I will praise thee for ever, etc.
  • III. God's gracious acceptance of his repentance: God was entreated of him, and heard his supplication. Though affliction drive us to God, he will not therefore reject us if in sincerity we seek him, for afflictions are sent on purpose to bring us to him. As a token of God's favour to him, he made a way for his escape. Afflictions are continued no longer than till they have done their work. When Manasseh is brought back to his God and to his duty he shall soon be brought back to his kingdom. See how ready God is to accept and welcome returning sinners, and how swift to show mercy. Let not great sinners despair, when Manasseh himself, upon his repentance, found favour with God; in him God showed forth a pattern of long-suffering, as 1 Tim. 1:16; Isa. 1:18.
  • IV. The fruits meet for repentance which he brought forth after his return to his own land, v. 15, 16.
    • 1. He turned from his sins. He took away the strange gods, the images of them, and that idol (whatever it was) which he had set up with so much solemnity in the house of the Lord, as if it had been master of that house. He cast out all the idolatrous altars that were in the mount of the house and in Jerusalem, as detestable things. Now (we hope) he loathed them as much as ever he had loved them, and said to them, Get you hence, Isa. 30:22. "What have I to do any more with idols? I have had enough of them.'
    • 2. He returned to his duty; for he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had either been abused and broken down by some of the idolatrous priests, or, at least, neglected and gone out of repair. He sacrificed thereon peace-offerings to implore God's favour, and thank-offerings to praise him for his deliverance. Nay, he now used his power to reform his people, as before he had abused it to corrupt them: He commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. Note, Those that truly repent of their sins will not only return to God themselves, but will do all they can to recover those that have by their example been seduced and drawn away from God; else they do not thoroughly (as they ought) undo what they have done amiss, nor make the plaster as wide as the wound. We find that he prevailed to bring them off from their false gods, but not from their high places, v. 17. They still sacrificed in them, yet to the Lord their God only; Manasseh could not carry the reformation so far as he had carried the corruption. It is an easy thing to debauch men's manners, but not so easy to reform them again.
  • V. His prosperity, in some measure, after his repentance. He might plainly see it was sin that ruined him; for, when he returned to God in a way of duty, God returned to him in a way of mercy: and then he built a wall about the city of David (v. 14), for by sin he had unwalled it and exposed it to the enemy. He also put captains of war in the fenced cities for the security of his country. Josephus says that all the rest of his time he was so changed for the better that he was looked upon as a very happy man.
  • Lastly, Here is the conclusion of his history. The heads of those things for a full narrative of which we are referred to the other writings that were then extant are more than of any of the kings, v. 18, 19. A particular account, it seems, was kept,
    • 1. Of all his sin, and his trespass, the high places he built, the groves and images he set up, before he was humbled. Probably this was taken from his own confession which he made of his sin when God gave him repentance, and which he left upon record, in a book entitled, The words of the seers. To those seers that spoke to him (v. 18) to reprove him for his sin he sent his confession when he repented, to be inserted in their memoirs, as a token of his gratitude to them for their kindness in reproving him. Thus it becomes penitents to take shame to themselves, to give thanks to their reprovers, and warning to others.
    • 2. Of the words of the seers that spoke to him in the name of the Lord (v. 10, 18), the reproofs they gave him for his sin and their exhortations to repentance. Note, Sinners ought to consider, that, how little notice soever they take of them, an account is kept of the words of the seers that speak to them from God to admonish them of their sins, warn them of their danger, and call them to their duty, which will be produced against them in the great day.
    • 3. Of his prayer to God (this is twice mentioned as a remarkable thing) and how God was entreated of him. This was written for the generations to come, that the people that should be created might praise the Lord for his readiness to receive returning prodigals. Notice is taken of the place of his burial, not in the sepulchres of the kings, but in his own house; he was buried privately, and nothing of that honour was done him at his death that was done to his father. Penitents may recover their comfort sooner than their credit.

2Ch 33:21-25

We have little recorded concerning Amon, but enough unless it were better. Here is,

  • I. His great wickedness. He did as Manasseh had done in the days of his apostasy, v. 22. Those who think this an evidence that Manasseh did not truly repent forget how many good kings had wicked sons. Only it should seem that Manasseh was in this defective, that, when he cast out the images, he did not utterly deface and destroy them, according to the law which required Israel to burn the images with fire, Deu. 7:5. How necessary that law was this instance shows; for the carved images being only thrown by, and not burnt, Amon knew where to find them, soon set them up, and sacrificed to them. It is added, to represent him exceedingly sinful and to justify God in cutting him off so soon,
    • 1. That he out-did his father in sinning: He trespassed more and more, v. 23. His father did ill, but he did worse. Those that were joined to idols grew more and more mad upon them.
    • 2. That he came short of his father in repenting: He humbled not himself before the Lord, as his father had humbled himself. He fell like him, but did not get up again like him. It is not so much sin as impenitence in sin that ruins men, not so much that they offend as that they do not humble themselves for their offences, not the disease, but the neglect of the remedy.
  • II. His speedy destruction. He reigned but two years and then his servants conspired against him and slew him, v. 24. Perhaps when Amon sinned as his father did in the beginning of his days he promised himself that he should repent as his father did in the latter end of his days. But his case shows what a madness it is to presume upon that. If he hoped to repent when he was old, he was wretchedly disappointed; for he was cut off when he was young. He rebelled against God, and his own servants rebelled against him. Herein God was righteous, but they were wicked, and justly did the people of the land put them to death as traitors. The lives of kings are particularly under the protection of Providence and the laws both of God and man.