UNROLL
Dusk over Jerusalem seen from across the Kidron valley: the city's flat roofs on its ridge and the long, plain stone house of the temple small at the top, thin threads of incense smoke rising straight up from many rooftops and from the temple courts into a deepening sky with the first stars.

The Book of

2 Kings 21

Hezekiah’s son undoes everything his father did, and he reigns longer than any king of Judah.

26 verses≈ 5 min3 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

Tap any post to go deeper

In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–8ElishaThe prophet's double portion
  2. 9–12JehuThe house of Ahab falls
  3. 13–17Last kings of IsraelSamaria falls
  4. 18–20HezekiahTrust in the LORD
  5. 21–23JosiahThe Book foundChapter 21
  6. 24–25ExileJerusalem falls

Manasseh Reigns in Judah

Morning in a cedar-beamed hall of the king's house in Jerusalem: the twelve-year-old Manasseh sits very straight on a cedar throne too big for him, his feet not reaching the floor, his mother Hephzibah standing at his shoulder, courtiers in dyed wool robes along the walls.

Judah

Manasseh of Judah · 55 years

  1. King at twelve

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

  2. His mother Hephzibah

    His mother’s name was Hephzibah.

  3. did evil

    The nations’ abominations

    And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

Hezekiah’s reform undone

18:4Hezekiahhis fatherHighplacesdestroyed, thenrebuiltBaalaltars raisedupAsherahpoleas Ahab haddoneHost of heavenworshiped and servedThe LORD’shousealtars in bothcourtyardsManassehtwelve years old

Whiteboard

Hezekiah tore down the high places, broke the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. His son “rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed,” raised altars for Baal and made an Asherah pole. Then he went further than any king before him: “In both courtyards of the house of the LORD, he built altars to all the host of heaven.”

He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

Manasseh even took the carved Asherah pole he had made and set it up in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever.

I will never again cause the feet of the Israelites to wander from the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they are careful to do all I have commanded them—the whole Law that My servant Moses commanded them.”

2 Kings 21:8

But the people did not listen and Manasseh led them astray, so that they did greater evil than the nations that the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.

Reflect

Undone in a generation

Hezekiah’s faith did not pass to his son by inheritance. His son Manasseh undid it all, and “the people did not listen.” What have you received from those who went before you that you need to make your own? And who is watching your faith now?

Manasseh’s Idolatries Rebuked

Early morning in a small square inside one of Jerusalem's plain stone gates: a lean prophet in a rough undyed wool cloak stands on the step of the gate room, one hand raised, speaking, while a handful of townspeople with water jars and baskets stop, some listening, some turning away.

And the LORD spoke through His servants the prophets, saying, “Since Manasseh king of Judah has committed all these abominations, acting more wickedly than the Amorites who preceded him, and with his idols has caused Judah to sin, this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah that the news will reverberate in the ears of all who hear it.

0:23

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

A builder's plumb line, a stone weight on a cord, hanging perfectly still against a newly built stone wall in morning light.

I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab, and I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a bowl—wiping it and turning it upside down.

I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a bowl—wiping it and turning it upside down.

2 Kings 21:13

So I will forsake the remnant of My inheritance and deliver them into the hands of their enemies. And they will become plunder and spoil to all their enemies, because they have done evil in My sight and have provoked Me to anger from the day their fathers came out of Egypt until this day.’”

Moreover, Manasseh shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end, in addition to the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, doing evil in the sight of the LORD.

As for the rest of the acts of Manasseh, along with all his accomplishments and the sin that he committed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

And Manasseh rested with his fathers and was buried in his palace garden, the garden of Uzza. And his son Amon reigned in his place.

Question

Quick question

Manasseh did more evil than any king before him, and his reign was the longest of all.

How long did Manasseh reign in Jerusalem?

Amon Reigns in Judah

Judah

Amon of Judah · 2 years

  1. King at twenty-two

    Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years.

  2. His mother Meshullemeth

    His mother’s name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz; she was from Jotbah.

  3. did evil

    As his father had done

    And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done.

  4. His father’s idols

    He walked in all the ways of his father, and he served and worshiped the idols his father had served.

  5. He abandoned the LORD

    He abandoned the LORD, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the LORD.

Then the servants of Amon conspired against him and killed the king in his palace. But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.

As for the rest of the acts of Amon, along with his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And he was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza, and his son Josiah reigned in his place.

Pray

The next generation

Before He judged, “the LORD spoke through His servants the prophets.” Thank Him that He warns before He acts, and that He kept David’s line alive through the worst of kings until a boy of eight sat on the throne. Pray for children who will not repeat the sins of their parents, and for the next generation to know the LORD for themselves.

You’ve experienced

2 Kings 21

0 of 25 chapters read

A verse to carry with you

I will never again cause the feet of the Israelites to wander from the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they are careful to do all I have commanded them—the whole Law that My servant Moses commanded them.

2 Kings 21:8

or swipe left