2 Kings 21

King James Version

Full text for 2 Kings Chapter 21

1¶ Manasseh [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.

10¶ And 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.

19¶ Amon [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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

King Manasseh of Judah reigned for 55 years, committing extensive evil by restoring idolatry, building altars to false gods within the Temple, practicing child sacrifice, and engaging in forbidden arts. His wickedness provoked the LORD, who declared a severe judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah, promising their destruction and abandonment. After Manasseh's death, his son Amon continued his father's wicked ways for two years before being assassinated by his servants, leading to Josiah's succession.

Medium Summary

Second Kings chapter 21 details the exceedingly wicked reign of King Manasseh of Judah, who ascended the throne at age twelve and reigned for fifty-five years. He systematically undid his father Hezekiah's reforms, rebuilding high places, erecting altars for Baal and the host of heaven, and even placing a graven image within the LORD's own house in Jerusalem. Manasseh further engaged in abominable practices such as child sacrifice, divination, and witchcraft, leading Judah into greater sin than the nations previously dispossessed by the LORD. Consequently, the LORD, speaking through His prophets, pronounced a severe judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah, declaring that they would be wiped clean like a dish and delivered into the hands of their enemies. This judgment was a direct result of Manasseh's unparalleled wickedness and Judah's persistent provocation since their exodus from Egypt, compounded by Manasseh's shedding of much innocent blood. Upon Manasseh's death, his son Amon succeeded him, reigning for two years and continuing his father's idolatrous practices. Amon was ultimately assassinated by his own servants, but the people of the land avenged his death and made his son Josiah king.

Long Summary

Second Kings chapter 21 chronicles the reigns of Manasseh and Amon, two kings of Judah who prominently defied the LORD. Manasseh began his reign at the age of twelve and ruled for an extensive fifty-five years in Jerusalem, during which he committed widespread evil in the sight of the LORD. He systematically reversed the religious reforms of his righteous father, Hezekiah, by rebuilding the high places that had been destroyed. Furthermore, Manasseh erected altars for Baal, made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, serving them as King Ahab of Israel had done. His apostasy extended even to the sacred precincts of the Temple, where he built altars for false gods in both courts, despite the LORD's declaration that His name would reside in Jerusalem forever. Manasseh also engaged in abhorrent practices, including making his son pass through the fire, observing times, using enchantments, and dealing with familiar spirits and wizards, thus provoking the LORD to anger. He even placed a graven image of the grove he had made within the very house of the LORD. Through his actions, Manasseh seduced the people of Judah to commit more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before Israel. Consequently, the LORD spoke through His prophets, announcing a devastating judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah. He declared that He would stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab, wiping the city clean like a dish and forsaking His inheritance. This severe punishment was a direct consequence of their persistent evil and provocation since the time of their fathers' exodus from Egypt. The text also notes that Manasseh shed an immense amount of innocent blood, filling Jerusalem from end to end. After his death, Manasseh was buried in the garden of Uzza, and his son Amon succeeded him. Amon reigned for two years, continuing his father's wicked ways, serving and worshipping the same idols, and forsaking the LORD God of his fathers. Amon's reign ended abruptly when his servants conspired against him and slew him in his own house. However, the people of the land retaliated against the conspirators and subsequently made Josiah, Amon's son, king in his stead, burying Amon in the garden of Uzza.

Core Concepts

  • Manasseh's ApostasyManasseh's reign was characterized by extreme wickedness, as he systematically undid his father Hezekiah's reforms, reintroducing idolatry, building altars to false gods, and engaging in forbidden practices like child sacrifice and divination.
  • Temple DefilementManasseh desecrated the LORD's house in Jerusalem by building altars to the host of heaven within its courts and placing a graven image there, directly violating God's command regarding His chosen dwelling place.
  • Divine JudgmentDue to Manasseh's profound wickedness and Judah's sin, the LORD pronounced a severe judgment, declaring that Jerusalem would be utterly destroyed and forsaken, likened to the fate of Samaria and the house of Ahab.
  • Shedding Innocent BloodManasseh's reign was marked by extreme violence, as he shed "innocent blood very much," filling Jerusalem from one end to another, a significant addition to his other abominations.
  • Amon's Brief, Wicked ReignManasseh's son, Amon, continued his father's idolatrous practices for two years, forsaking the LORD and serving idols. His reign ended with his assassination by his own servants.
  • Succession and RetributionAmon's assassination led to the people of the land slaying his conspirators and establishing his son Josiah as the new king, marking a transition point in Judah's history.
  • Provocation of the LORDThe cumulative wickedness of Manasseh and Judah, including their idolatry and abominations, is repeatedly cited as provoking the LORD to anger, leading to the pronouncement of severe consequences.