2 Kings 21
Key Verses 14 I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance and give them
into the hands of enemies. They will be looted and plundered by all their
enemies; 15 they have done evil in my eyes and have aroused my anger from the
day their ancestors came out of Egypt until this day.”
1.
[1-9] How long did Manasseh rule and what did he do during his rule
(1-2)? List the evil things that he did (3-6) and discuss the source or origin
of these ungodly practices. How and why did the Lord establish the temple in
Jerusalem (7b-8; ref. Deu 12:10; Josh 21:44)? How was that hope shattered (7a,
9)? What is its implication?
Manasseh reigned about 687 to 642 B.C. During this
time, Assyria was still strong (Sennacherib dies in about 681 B.C., followed by
Esarhaddon 681–669 B.C. and then by Ashurbanipal 669–627 B.C.) Though Manasseh rebels against Assyria at
least once (cf. 2 Chr 33:10–13), he was “a loyal vassal of Assyria throughout
his long reign. He is the longest-ruling southern monarch. He begins as
co-regent with Hezekiah (696–686 BC) before ruling as sole regent (686–642 BC)
Unlike his predecessors, Manasseh is unique compared to notorious northern
monarchs. The chronicler’s narrative accounts of Manasseh’s
captivity and resultant repentance (2 Chr. 33:10–19) are absent.
His mother was “Hephzibah (“In whom I delight).” There is o further information.
New American Comm accounts for the seven religious
offenses of Manasseh:
First, he
reverts to worshiping idols in the same manner as the nations Israel expelled from the land. By doing
so the covenant people prove as unworthy of the promised land as their
predecessors.
Second, Manasseh allows high places to flourish again. Now his standards are no higher than those of Jeroboam
I.
Third, he sinks to Ahab’s religious level, reintroducing the worship of
Baal and his consort Asherah (cf. 1 Kgs 20–22;
Deut 16:21). Polytheism reenters Judahite society with royal approval.
Fourth, Manasseh also bows down “to all the starry hosts.” Astral deities were popular throughout the ancient world before, during,
and after this time. This is worshiping of Sun, the Moon, and perhaps Venus, which was common
in the northern kingdom, Assyria under which she served as a vassal.
Fifth, Manasseh builds altars to these gods in the temple of the Lord, as Ahaz his grandfather does in 2 Kgs 16:10–16. If these are Assyrian
deities, he probably hopes to please the gods he thinks can make him as powerful
like his masters, or at least he hopes to please his masters.
Sixth, he also imitates Ahaz’s practice of child sacrifice (cf. 2 Kgs 16:3), and,
seventh, he consults “mediums and spiritists,” both in direct violation of Moses’ law
(cf. Lev 18:21; Deut 18:9–13).
He violates three fundamental tenets of Old
Testament life.
First, he
certainly fails to follow David’s example, thus breaking the Davidic Covenant (cf. 2 Sam 7:7–17).
Second, he defiles with idolatry the central sanctuary chosen by the Lord (cf. Deut 12:1–32; 1 Kgs
9:1–9), a sin that will lead to destruction and exile (cf. 1 Kgs 9:6–9).
Third, he rejects
Moses’ covenant, which means the promised land will be forfeited (cf. Deut 28:49–63).
Thus, Manasseh not only acts opposite of Hezekiah, but he also scorns the
examples of Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon as well.
In comparisons made to other monarchs
He rebuilds high places Hezekiah had removed (2 Kgs 18:4) and at
which Israel had sinned (1 Kgs 14:23; 2 Kgs 17:9), indicating his rebellious practice
against his father.
Manasseh is
also explicitly compared to Ahab (vv. 3, 13). The two are the first kings in each kingdom to ‘erect’ altars to Baal (1 Kgs 16:32; 2 Kgs 21:3), and the only
kings who made “sacred poles” (1 Kgs 16:33; 2 Kgs 21:3, 7). More pointedly, only these two kings are
said to have ‘acted abominably’ or ‘committed abominations’. Even Manasseh’s shedding of ‘innocent blood’ (v.
16) evokes the murder of innocent Naboth. Truly, Manasseh is the southern Ahab.
Manasseh is compared to Jeroboam, whose sins seal the kingdom’s fate (1 Kgs 14:14–16). Both kings ‘cause Israel
to sin’ (1 Kgs 14:16; 2 Kgs 21:11) and for this, their respective kingdoms are judged under the covenant
The way of Jeroboam I –Ahab in the northern kingdom came to Judah in Ahaz, and
then to Manasseh: sin reached to the full measure of God’s judgment through
these kings.
The primary goal of establishing the temple in
Jerusalem was to give them rest, free from all invasions of other kingdoms, as
the Lord sits in the midst of them; Now His place is being attacked
by Asherah idol, He would not stay there and the rest that He was providing
them and what He hoped to provide them with is gone and there won’t be rest for
them anymore; they will be wanderers—alluding them that they would lose the country and would wander as they
did before establishing the kingdom in this land. (m)
2.
[10-16] What was the Lord’s charge against Manasseh through his servants
(10-11; Ref. 2, 9b; Amorites Josh 24; Josh 2:10;
10:12; 24:15). What would he do to Jerusalem
and Judah (12)? In what extent (13-14;Amos 7:7-9; Isa 28:17)? Why (15-16)?
Compare it with that of Israel (Ref. 17:7-24)?
The Lord’s charge against Manasseh: following
the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the
Israelites. (2) As the result, they did ‘more evil than the Amorites who
preceded him’ (11b) and more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed
before the Israelites.(9b)
Three times, the Lord pointed out that Judah fell into sin
that was as bad as or even worse than
that of those who lived in this land before they were driven out; or the sins
of the people of the world. (M)
Amorites: they are the main force in the
land of Canaan along with the Canaanites on the sea coast. All pagan worships were
of Amorites and Canaanites origin. They were the fiercest among those who lived
in the land of Canaan. They were the reason for God’s will to destroy the land
of promise (16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back
here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."
Gen 15:16 NIV) and eventually the Lord Himself drove them away (Josh 2:10;
10:12). This will was discerned by Joshua and said this to Israel (But if
serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day
whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are
living. But as for me
and my household, we will serve the LORD." (Jos 24:15 NIV) (m)
12 Therefore this is what the LORD, the God
of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will
tingle.
God confronted Manasseh with His charge
against him through Prophets. There was no known prophets minister during
Manasseh’s era, but gave him more than one confronting voice (‘servants the prophets’) for the breaches of covenant commands.
Three
charges form the basis
of YHWH’s judgment.
The first indict Manasseh (v. 11ab) and provides a succinct summary of all of vv. 2–8.
The second (v. 11c)
recalls v. 9 as it indicts the people and reveals the leader’s influence
on them.
The third (v. 15) turns
the focus
to the people alone, although Manasseh introduces several new cultic offenses, the
people are part of a long history of similar action that stretches back to
Egypt (Jer. 7:25–26).
Now God is giving an explicit message of
coming judgment. This judgment will be in Jerusalem and on Judah.
Similar
judgment was announced to King Ahab and Jeroboam
1 Kings 14:10 “ ‘Because
of this, I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last
male in Israel—slave or free.; 14:14 “The LORD will raise up for himself a
king over Israel who will cut off the family of Jeroboam.
1 Kings 21: 21 He
says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free. q 22 I will make
your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.
At this time, it is not on the person (Manasseh),
king, but on Jerusalem and the people of Judah as a whole. – as God uttered his prophecy, the fate of
Judah was sealed for final judgment no matter what happens thereafter. So three
things that tipped them over to God’s utter judgment: first their idol worship invaded the
temple of the Lord; second their sins were as bad as or even far worse than
those whom the Lord destroyed and drove out; third, not just the king but also
entire people came together went bad, Manasseh leading the way.
17:7-24 explains why the nation Israel would
go on exile: here the nation Israel was indicted on three steps: here sins of
Ahab and Jeroboam were the culprits of leading the kingdom to downfall.
Strikingly the list of the charges against Judah (Manasseh) was almost the same
as the charge that God made against Israel. except that there is no mention of the
direct offense against the temple. (m)
Having judged Israel and Judah with a very
similar charge, so will the Lord judge the world with the same plumb line of
judgment. There are three kinds of kingdoms of the world; ones that do not have
any connection to or revelation from the Lord; second, the kingdoms that had
revelations and yet they chose ‘their own set up’ apart from what God had
ordained (Israel), third, Judah, a kingdom who had the full revelation of God’s
word and promises and covenants. Paul indicted all these three in 1:18-3:20 of
his letter to Romans. He also expressed his heart-breaking sorrow over his own
people’s rejection of God’s grace in Christ (9:1-5). They all alike failed to keep up with the Law
of God, or the holiness of the Lord, and were or would be put under God’s punishing
hands. (m)
The Lord will use his plumb line that measured
and determined the boundary of destruction on Ahab, to Judah now. Here the Lord
pointed out that the sins of Judah(Manasseh) reached beyond the threshold of
God’s forbearance (measured by the plumb line) and has decided to bring disaster
to Jerusalem and Judah. As he did to Ahab’s dynasty, He will do the same thing,
thorough destruction of the kingdom Judah.
in this way, what the Lord did to Ahab’s family served to reveal his will to
the kings after him, including the kings of Judah as well. The kings of Judah
would not be exempt just because they had the original ‘commands, promises,
setups—the temple and sacrificial system’ (m)
i.
3.
[17-18] What other events were noted in 2 Chr 33:9-19? Discuss what God’s purpose might be in doing
this (ref. 2 Chr33:10). Where was he buried (18; Ref. 2 Sam 6:1-8; Cf. 15:38;
16:20; 22:20; 23:30)?
Other events may refer to what the verse “16
Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem
from end to end” speak about?” : a reference that may lead to the legend that
among Manasseh’s victims is Isaiah, whom tradition says was sawn in two. (cf.
9:7, 26) (NAC)
The second one may be the story recorded in 2
Chr 33:9-19
Chronicler summed up his reign in v 10 But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that “they did more evil than the
nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.” As Judah was measured by the plumb line
(2 Kings 21:13), they fell below even to what the nations, which the Lord destroyed
for their sins, did. As the Lord destroyed the nations before, Israel/Judah shall
face the same judgment at the hands of the Lord.
But before he would this, the Lord did
something on behalf of Manasseh and the people of Jerusalem.
God brought the commanders of Assyria (which he served as a vassal, and starry
hosts of which he adopted and served) and they put shackled and nose hook on
him. He suffered a great deal. In suffering, he sought the Lord and He heard
his prayer and restored him back to his position (this is very similar to what
happened King nebuchadnezzar; Dan 4:28-37). –here we can see the God forced the
change of his heart toward Him, why? The ultimate sentence to the nation had
been delivered and yet God was delaying that delivery for His right time (another
53 years)
18 Manasseh rested with his ancestors and
was buried in his palace garden, the garden of Uzza. And Amon his son succeeded
him as king.
Up to
the time of Hezekiah all Judahite kings are buried in the city of David. But from Hezekiah onwards, no king (not
even righteous Hezekiah and Josiah) is specifically noted as buried in the city
of David.
The garden of Uzza: Uzza was struck down for disregarding the sacred ark [2 Sam
6:6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out
and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD’s
anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck
him down, and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 Then David was angry
because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that
place is called Perez Uzzah.]
In search of record where Judean kings were
buried
12:21 He died and was
buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded
him as king. (2Ki 12:21 NIV—Joash)
15:38 Jotham
rested with his
ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David, the city of his
father. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king. (2Ki 15:38 NIV) 2 Kings 16:20 Ahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried
with them in the City of David. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king. (2Ki
16:20 NIV)
Josiah's servants brought his body in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem and
buried him in his own tomb. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and anointed him
and made him king in place of his father. (2Ki 23:30 NIV)
From Hezekiah,
no king was said to buried in the city of David. Since even the two kings Hezekiah and Josiah
(the two godly kings) there was no record of ‘being buried in the city of David’,
we can think of two things: first, there is no spiritual connotation on
describing burial sites of all the kings. But this is highly unlikely because
in the book of Kings, always, without omission, where kings were buried are
recorded. Ex. Azariah (Uzziah died in leprosy) rested with his ancestors and was buried near
them in the City of David. And Jotham his son
succeeded him as king. (2Ki 15:7 NIV). Second, since burial sites of all the
kings before Hezekiah, whether they were good or bad, were noted to be in the
city of David. But no one from Hezekiah on was buried in the city of David
(22:20; 23:30). Considering the fact that they were not buried in the city of David,
we are to think that there was a change during the king Manasseh and that
affected the rest of the kings of Judah.
Here two things are to be noted
First, Manasseh violated the temple and God delivered
a word of judgment on Jerusalem and its temple.
Second, during the time of King Hezekiah,
God said this:
5 “Go back and
tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your
father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal
you. On
the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. 6 I will add fifteen years to your life.
And I
will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for
my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’ ”:
This means that Davidic kings failed to
defend and preserve the city of David as well as the temple of the Lord in it. God
Himself will defend and protect the city of David and the temple in it. In
other words, from this point on, the protection of the city and the temple were
under God’s hand or His protection. In this regard, it was not important for
the rest of the kings of Judah, Hezekiah, and on, lived in the city of David by
God’s direct care, not under the care of Davidic kings. This is further emphasized
by denoting the details of how Manasseh attacked the temple by setting up
altars in the temple.
“7 He took the carved
Asherah pole he had made and put it in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and to
his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of
all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. 8 I
will not again make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I gave
their ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them and will
keep the whole Law that my servant Moses gave them.”(2 Kings 21)
In other words, the city of David, and the
temple in it was bound together for God chose one family ‘David’ and his sons
to protect God’s temple, yet David’s descendants (here Manasseh) willingly violated
and desecrated the temple with idols. Once it is desecrated and once God
rejected, the temple lost its purpose. This theme was further noted in what Hezekiah
did. If Hezekiah failed to protect the temple from foreign invasion/threats (by
taking all golds from the temple to buy the favor of Assyria), here Manasseh actively
violated the temple by resorting to pagan gods by placing them in the temple of
the Lord; This is not anymore a syncretism but paganism, replacing God with
Baal/ Asherah, the gods of Amorites, the original inhabitant of the land of God’s promise,
which God Himself drove them out so that Israel, His chosen might establish the
kingdom serving God as their Lord/King.
Lastly, from this point on the Lord himself
will preserve, protect and reestablish what He promised to His people Israel
and to David. By doing so, God made it clear that David’s decedents in flesh failed
and there is no more hope left through David’s physical descendants. (m)
4.
[19-26] How was the reign of Amon summarized (19-22)? What happened
surrounding his death (23-26; Cf. 2 kings 12:20)? Discuss what the motive of
each of these two factions might be and the fruits of their efforts.
Ammon’s life was following his father Manasseh’s
footsteps. As the result, He forsook the LORD, the God of his ancestors, and did
not walk in obedience to him.
What happened around his death is worthy to
consider.
23 Amon’s officials conspired against
him and assassinated the king in his palace. 24 Then the people of the
land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son
king in his place.
Joash killed the high priest the son of
Jehoiada and he were killed by two of his subjects. This event betrayed the factions
within the kingdom; one likely sided with the high priest and the other (king) upheld
his authority (ch 12)
Here we see that some within his subjects had a disagreement with Amon’s way of ruling; either something of his international
policy or his ungodly practice of faith. Whatever it might be, those who sided
with the king killed the murders and established his son, Joash, as king. This
revealed the shaky condition of the Davidic dynasty and there was quite a number of people who
made an effort to sustain the Davidic dynasty. Here I discern that there
are two opposing forces at work; men’s effort to keep the dynasty and the force
against the king who does not follow the way of the Lord. These might be seen as their desperate
effort to keep the Davidic kingdom afloat in God’s fold. Both of them were right in
their efforts to keep the kingdom in God and under the Davidic dynasty. Ultimately,
we know, neither of them would succeed in their effort; this is evidenced by
the fact that in a matter of a half-century, the kingdom will disappear. Only
by God’s will, the kingdom will be sustained and when God drops or take away His
hedge around the kingdom, the kingdom will be swallowed up by the powers of the
world as well as by sin and its judgment. (m)
5.
Discuss Manasseh’s rule in the history of kingdom Judah.
Manasseh followed the way of Jeroboam, Ahab, whom God
destroyed for their sins. Also, he adopted the practice of Amorites. These
practices led to the violation of the temple itself. He and the nation joined
together in this and they all moved from syncretic belief to paganism. Also,
since they violated the temple itself with pagan gods and this sin went beyond
the threshold of God’s patience, God delivered His word of judgment for Jerusalem
and its temple. Judah will be sent to exile as the final stage of Covent curses
(Lev 26).
Amon’s death speaks of the shaky ground of the Davidic dynasty.
Loyalty to the dynasty and loyalty to the Lord seems to be in conflict with each
other. This confusion came since they ‘deserted YHWH’ as their Lord. As the
Lord said it was neither their loyalty to the Davidic dynasty nor their incomplete
obedience to the Law of Covenant that would sustain the kingdom. Simply this conflict speaks of ‘total failure’
of keeping the purpose and hope of God in and through the Davidic dynasty within
their efforts.
Amnon’s burial in Uzza speaks of the failure of handling or
serving the Ark of God, the embodiment of the Law of Covenant blessing. As Uzza
died of such failure, so shall Judaic dynasty will suffer. (m)
What does this teach us all? In the hearts of men, there
shall be no god but YHWH. Anyone/kingdom who violates this shall suffer. God
Himself will uphold His glory among peoples and nations through His mighty hand.
Amen.
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