2 Chronicles 33 · Adam Clarke
Introduction Manasseh reigns fifty-five years, and restores idolatry, pollutes the temple, and practises all kinds of abominations, 2Chr 33:1-9 . He and the people are warned in vain, 2Chr 33:10 . He is delivered into the hands of the Assyrians, bound with fetters, and carried to Babylon, 2Chr 33:11 . He humbles himself, and is restored, 2Chr 33:12 , 2Chr 33:13 . He destroys idolatry, and restores the worship of God, 2Chr 33:14-16 . The people keep the high places, but sacrifice to the Lord on them, 2Chr 33:17 . His acts, prayer, and death, 2Chr 33:18-20 . His son Amon succeeds him; and after a wicked idolatrous reign of two years, is slain by his own servants in his own house, 2Chr 33:21-24 . The people rise up, and slay his murderers, and make Josiah his son king in his stead, 2Chr 33:25 . Verse 1 Manasseh was twelve years old - We do not find that he had any godly director; his youth was therefore the more easily seduced. But surely he had a pious education; how then could the principles of it be so soon eradicated?
Verse 3 Altars for Baalim - The Sun and Moon. And made groves, אשרות Asheroth, Astarte, Venus; the host of heaven, all the Planets and Stars. These were the general objects of his devotion.
Verse 5 He built altars - See the principal facts in this chapter explained in the notes on 2 Kings 21:1-17 (note).
Verse 7 A carved image - "He set up an image, the likeness of himself, in the house of the sanctuary." The Targumist supposes he wished to procure himself Divine honors.
Verse 12 And when he was in affliction - Here is a very large addition in the Chaldee: "For the Chaldeans made a brazen mule, pierced full of small holes, and put him within it, and kindled fires all around it; and when he was in this misery, he sought help of all the idols which he had made, but obtained none, for their were of no use. He therefore repented, and prayed before the Lord his God, and was greatly humbled in the sight of the Lord God of his fathers."
Verse 13 And prayed unto him - "While he was thus praying, all the presiding angels went away to the gates of prayer in heaven; and shut all the gates of prayer, and all the windows and apertures in heaven, lest that his prayer should be heard. Immediately the compassions of the Creator of the world were moved, whose right hand is stretched out to receive sinners, who are converted to his fear, and break their hearts' concupiscence by repentance. He made therefore a window and opening in heaven, under the throne of his glory; and having heard his prayer, he favourably received his supplication. And when his Word had shaken the earth, the mule was burst and he escaped. Then the Spirit went out from between the wings of the cherubim; by which, being inspired through the decree of the Word of the Lord, he returned to his kingdom in Jerusalem. And then Manasseh knew that it was the Lord God who had done these miracles and signs; and he turned to the Lord with his whole heart, left all his idols, and never served them more." This long addition gives the Jewish account of those particulars which the sacred writer has passed by: it is curious, though in some sort trifling. The gates of prayer may be considered childish; but in most of those things the ancient rabbins purposely hid deep and important meanings.
Verse 14 He built a wall - This was probably a weak place that he fortified; or a part of the wall which the Assyrians had broken down, which he now rebuilt.
Verse 15 He took away the strange gods - He appears to have done every thing in his power to destroy the idolatry which he had set up, and to restore the pure worship of the true God. His repentance brought forth fruits meet for repentance. How long he was in captivity, and when or by whom he was delivered, we know not. The fact of his restoration is asserted; and we believe it on Divine testimony.
Verse 17 The people did sacrifice - "Nevertheless the people did sacrifice on the high places, but only to the name of the Word of the Lord their God." - Targum.
Verse 18 The words of the seers that spake to him - "Which were spoken to him in the name of the Word of the Lord God of Israel." - Targum.
Verse 19 His prayer also - What is called the Prayer of Manasseh, king of Judah, when he was holden captive in Babylon, being found among our apocryphal books, I have inserted it at the end of the chapter, without either asserting or thinking that it is the identical prayer which this penitent king used when a captive in Babylon. But, as I have observed in another place, there are many good sentiments in it; and some sinners may find it a proper echo of the distresses of their hearts; I therefore insert it. Written among the sayings of the seers - "They are written in the words of Chozai." - Targum. So says the Vulgate. The Syriac has Hunan the prophet; and the Arabic has Saphan the prophet.
Verse 21 Amon - reigned two years - See on 2Kgs 21:19 (note).
Verse 22 Sacrificed unto all the carved images - How astonishing is this! with his father's example before his eyes, he copies his father's vices, but not his repentance.
Verse 23 Trespassed more and more - He appears to have exceeded his father, and would take no warning.
Verse 24 His servants conspired against him - On what account we cannot tell.