Matthew Poole and continuators on 2 Kings 21

MAnasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem : and his mothers name was Hephzi-bah.

In which time the Years of his Imprisonment are comprehended, 2 Chron. 33. 11.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word]. 33. 1.

2 And 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.

Partly, by the instigation of the wicked Princes of Iudah, who in Hezekiah's time were secret Enemies to his Reformation, and now when their Fetters were knock't off by Hezekiah's death, break forth into open Hostility against it, and corrupt the Kings tender years with their wicked counsel; and principally, by his own vicious inclination.

3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he reared [illegible: 1+ letters]p altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshipped all the host of heaven , and served them.

The Stars, which the Gentiles had transformed into gods. See on Deut. 4. 19.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 18. 4.; 1 [illegible: 1 word]. 16. 33▪

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

i. e. In the Temple its self, in the Holy-place; because this is distinguished from the courts of the house, ver. 5.

That place I have peculiarly Consecrated to my Worship and Honour: which made it the greater Injustice, and Impiety, and Sacriledge, to Alienate it from God, and to Dedicate it, or any part of it, especially the Temple, to the service of Idols, whom God abhorreth.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 32. 34.; 2 Sam. 7. 13. 1 [illegible: 1 word] 8. 29. [illegible: 1 word] 9. 3.

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

The one of the Priests, the other of the People, 1 King. 6. 36.

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

Of which see the Notes on Lev. 18. 21. and 2 King. 16. 3.

i. e. Lucky or unlucky days or seasons for the dispatch of businesses, according to the superstitious practise of the Heathens. See Esth. 3. 7. See also Lev. 19. 26. Deut. 18. 10, 11.

Marginal references: Lev. 18. 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. and 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1+ letters].

7 And 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 the tribes of Israel, will I put my Name for ever.

Either, First, The Image of that Baal which was worshipped in the Grove. Or, Secondly, A representation of the Grove, as may seem by comparing chap. 23. 6. Or, Thirdly, The Graven Image of Asherah, a god or goddess so called, possibly the same called elsewhere Ashtaroth. See Iudg. 6. 25, 28. 2 King. 23. 6. 2 Chron. 15. 16.

Marginal references: 2 Sa[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1+ letters]. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. 1 King. [illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word]. and 9. 3. Chap. 23. 27, Psal. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. 13.

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

They shall no more be carried Captives into a strange Land, as it had happened before.

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

Partly, because they were not contented with those Idols which the Canaanites worshipped, but either themselves invented, or they borrowed from other Nations many new Idols and kinds of Idolatry; and partly, because as their light was far more clear, their obligations to God infinitely higher, and their helps and antidotes against Idolatry much stronger than the Canaanites had; so their sins, though the same in kind, were unspeakably worse in respect of these dreadful aggravations.

11 Because 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 .

i. e. The Canaanitish Nations, all so called from one eminent part of them. See on Gen. 15. 16.

By his Example, Encouragement, Counsel, Authority and Command.

Marginal references: Jer. 15. 4.

12 Therefore 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 .

By the great commotion which such terrible reports shall cause in the hearts and heads of the hearers. See on 1 Sam. 3. 11. Ier. 19. 3.

Marginal references: 1 Sam. 3. 11.

13 And 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 .

She shall have the same measure and lot, i. e. the same Judgments which Samaria had. The line is oft put for ones lot or portion, as Psal. 16. 6. 2 Cor. 10. 16. because mens portions or possessions used to be measured by Lines, Psal. 78. 55. Amos 7. 17. Or, it is a Metaphor from workmen who mark out by Lines what parts of the Building they would have thrown down, and what they would have stand. See Isa. 34. 11. Lam. 2. 8. Amos 7. 7, 8. Zech. 1. 16. Or, it is an allusion to that fact of David, who destroyed the Moabites by a measuring Line, 2 Sam. 8. 2.

As men do with a Dish that hath been used, first wholly empty it of all that is in it, then throughly cleanse and wipe it; and lastly, turn it upside down, that nothing may remain in it; so will I deal with Ierusalem, thoroughly empty and purge it from all its wicked Inhabitants, and that so as to cut off all hopes of restitution.

Marginal references: Isa. 34. 11.; Heb. over the House of Manasseh.; Heb he wipeth and turneth it upon the face thereof.

14 And 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;

i. e. The Kingdom of Iudah, the onely remainder of all the Tribes of Israel, which I did once chuse for my Inheritance, but now, notwithstanding that priviledge, will utterly reject and forsake them.

15 Because 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 .

This sore Judgment, though it was chiefly inflicted for the sins of Manasseh and his Generation, yet had a respect unto all their former sins, the guilt whereof was upon this occasion revived. See Exod. 32. 34.

16 Moreover, 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.

The Blood of those Prophets and Righteous Men who either reproved his sinful practises, or refused to comply with his wicked commands and worship.

i. e. His Idolatry, which is elsewhere called evil and corruption, and here sin, by way of emmency; which is the more considerable, because it is here compared with horrid cruelty, and implied to be worse than that, and more abominable in Gods sight, because it doth more directly and immediately strike at the Glory and Purity of the Divine Majesty, by respect unto which all sins are to be measured. And this expression God here useth in opposition to the gross error of most men, who look upon Idolatry as a small sin, as a meer mistake of the mind, as the fruit of a good intention, and as an excess proceeding from Zeal in Religion.

Marginal references: Heb. from mouth to mouth.

18 And 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.

Not in the Sepulchre of the Kings; either, by the peoples designation, who judged him unworthy of that honour; or rather, by his own choice and command, as a lasting Testimony of his sincere Repentance and Abhorrency of himself for his former Crimes.

Or, of King Uzziah, who possibly planted or enlarged it.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].