2 พงศ์กษัตริย์ 21:23 วิจารณ์

In this chapter we have a short but sad account of the reigns of two of the kings of Judah, Manasseh and Amon. I. Concerning Manasseh, all the account we have of him here is, 1. That he devoted himself to sin, to all manner of wickedness, idolatry, and murder (Kg2 21:1-9 and Kg2 21:16). 2. That therefore God devoted him, and Jerusalem for his sake, to ruin (Kg2 21:10-18). In the book of Chronicles we have an account of his troubles, and his repentance. II. Concerning Amon we are only told that he lived in sin (Kg2 21:19-22), died quickly by the sword, and left good Josiah his successor (Kg2 21:23-26). By these two reigns Jerusalem was much debauched and much weakened, and so hastened apace towards its destruction, which slumbered not.

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 21 In this chapter a short history is given of the two wicked reigns of Manasseh and Amon; Manasseh is charged with great idolatry, with enchantments and witchcrafts, and seducing the children of Israel, Kg2 21:1 and a prophecy is given out of the destruction of Jerusalem for his sins, Kg2 21:10, and an account is given of his death and burial, Kg2 21:17, and of his son and successor Amon, and the evils committed by him, Kg2 21:19 and of the conspiracy against his life, which succeeded, and Josiah his son reigned in his stead, Kg2 21:23.

And the servants of Amon conspired against him,.... Some of his domestic servants, and perhaps his courtiers, not on account of his idolatry, but for some ill usage of them: and slew the king in his own house: which they had an opportunity to do, being his servants.

There is no sin more grievous than idolatry, for it is an impiety against God, and yet even this sin has been forgiven, on sincere repentance. But if anyone sins in direct opposition and on purpose to try whether God will punish the wicked or not, such a one shall have no remission, although he says to himself, “All is well, and I will walk according to the customs of my evil heart.” Such a one was Amon the son of Manasseh. For the Scripture says, “And Amon reasoned an evil reasoning of transgression and said, My father from his childhood was a great transgressor and repented in his old age; and now I will walk as my soul lusts, and afterwards I will return to the Lord.” And he did evil in the sight of the Lord above all who were before him. And the Lord God soon destroyed him utterly from his good land. And his servants conspired against him and killed him in his own house, and he reigned two years only.

Manasseh succeeds his father Hezekiah, reigns fifty-five years, and fills Jerusalem and the whole land with abominable idolatry and murder, Kg2 21:1-9. God denounces the heaviest judgments against him and the land, Kg2 21:10-15. Manasseh's acts and death, Kg2 21:16-18. Amon his son succeeds him, and reigns two years; is equally profligate with his father; is slain by his servants, and buried in the garden of Uzza; and Josiah his son reigns in his stead, Kg2 21:19-26.

The servants of Amon conspired - What their reason was for slaying their king we cannot tell. It does not seem to have been a popular act, for the people of the land rose up and slew the regicides. We hear enough of this man when we hear that he was as bad as his father was in the beginning of his reign, but did not copy his father's repentance.

MANASSEH'S WICKED REIGN, AND GREAT IDOLATRY. (2Ki. 21:1-18) Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign--He must have been born three years after his father's recovery; and his minority, spent under the influence of guardians who were hostile to the religious principles and reforming policy of his father, may account in part for the anti-theocratic principles of his reign. The work of religious reformation which Hezekiah had zealously carried on was but partially accomplished. There was little appearance of its influence on the heart and manners of the people at large. On the contrary, the true fear of God had vanished from the mass of the people; corruption and vice increased, and were openly practised (Isa 28:7, &c.) by the degenerate leaders, who, having got the young prince Manasseh into their power, directed his education, trained him up in their views, and seduced him into the open patronage of idolatry. Hence, when he became sovereign, he introduced the worship of idols, the restoration of high places, and the erection of altars or pillars to Baal, and the placing, in the temple of God itself, a graven image of Asherah, the sacred or symbolic tree, which represented "all the host of heaven." This was not idolatry, but pure star-worship, of Chaldaic and Assyrian origin [KEIL]. The sun, as among the Persians, had chariots and horses consecrated to it (Kg2 23:11); and incense was offered to the stars on the housetops (Kg2 23:12; Ch2 33:5; Jer 19:13; Zep 1:5), and in the temple area with the face turned toward the sunrise (Eze 8:16).

His servants conspired against him and slew him in his palace; whereupon the people of the land, i.e., the population of Judah (הארץ עם = יהוּדה עם, Ch2 26:1), put the conspirators to death and made Josiah the son of Amon king, when he was only eight years old.