2 Crônicas 33
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Crônicas 33
NJB (LXX versing) Manasseh Succeeds Hezekiah in Judah Manasseh Reigns in Judah The Bad Beginning of Manasseh; His Punishment and Repentance King Manasseh of Judah Manasseh Undoes the Work of Hezekiah 33:1-9 33:1-9 33:1-9 33:1-9 33:1-2 33:3-10 Manasseh's Idolatry Rebuked Manasseh Restored After Repentance Manasseh Repents 33:10-13 33:10-13 33:10-13 33:10-13 Manasseh's Captivity and Conversion 33:11-13 33:14-17 33:14-17 33:14-17 33:14-17 33:14 33:15-17 Death of Manasseh The End of Manasseh's Reign 33:18-20 33:18-20 33:18-20 33:18-20 33:18-20 Amon Becomes King in Judah Amon's Reign and Death The Evil Reign of Amon King Amon of Judah The Obduracy of Amon 33:21-25 33:21-25 33:21-25 33:21-23 33:21-25 33:24-25 Etc.
2 Crônicas 33:1-9
33:1 "Manasseh" One wonders if Hezekiah named his son after a northern tribe in an attempt to unify the tribes. Manasseh was the longest reigning Judean king and one of the most wicked (cf. 2 Kings 21). Hezekiah's prayer for healing resulted in the birth of this evil son. However, like no other, Manasseh shows the character of YHWH's mercy and the power of prayer and repentance! Josephus, Antiq. 10.3.1., mentions his mother's name as "Hephzibah of Jerusalem," following 2 Kgs. 21:1. In Isa. 67:4 this name, "my delight is in her," becomes the new name of restored Jerusalem. 33:2-7 "all the abominations of the nations" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ABOMINATION (OT). What a list of pagan gods and superstitions (cf. Lev. 19:26,31; 20:6; Deut. 18:9-12; 2 Kgs. 21:3-7; Jer. 7:30-31)! rebuilt the high places (Canaanite) altars for the Ba'als (male god) made Asherim (female god) worshiped the host of heaven (Assyrian, Babylonian, i.e., sun, moon, constellations), 2 Chr. 33:5; the "host of heaven" can refer to angels, cf.1 Kgs. 22:19, but here to astral deities, cf. Deut. 4:19; 17:3; 2 Kgs. 12:16; 21:3; 23:4; Jer. 8:2 worshiped Molech (cf. Lev. 18:21; 20:2-4; Deut. 18:10; Jer. 7:31; 32:35), 2 Chr. 33:6 practiced witchcraft (cf. Deut. 18:10; see article in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, p. 957), 2 Chr. 33:6 used divination (cf. Lev. 19:26; Deut. 18:10; Jer. 27:9; NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 945-951), 2 Chr. 33:6 practices sorcery (cf. Exod. 22:18; Lev. 19:26; Jer. 27:9; NIDOTTE, vol. 2, pp. 735-738), 2 Chr. 33:6 dealt with mediums (cf. Lev. 19:31; 20:6,27; Deut. 18:11; Isa. 8:19; 19:3), 2 Chr. 33:6 dealt with spiritists (cf. Lev. 19:31; 20:6,27; Deut. 18:11; Isa. 8:19; 19:3; NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 303-304), 2 Chr. 33:6 He even put some of these pagan altars in the temple, 2 Chr. 33:4,7,15. SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE SPECIAL TOPIC: MOON WORSHIP SPECIAL TOPIC: MOLECH SPECIAL TOPIC: DIVINER See full notes at Deut. 18:10-11. 33:5 "the two courts" See 2 Chronicles 4:9. 33:6 "the valley of Ben-hinnom" See SPECIAL TOPIC: WHERE ARE THE DEAD? (Gehenna, II. D). 33:7 YHWH chose Jerusalem as the permanent site of His temple. Below is an excerpt from my exegetical commentary on Deut. 12:5. "the place which the Lord your God shall choose" God chose (BDB 103, KB 119, Qal IMPERFECT, cf. vv. 11,14,18,21,26; 14:25; 15:20; 16:2,6,11,15; 17:8,10; 18:6; 26:2; 31:11) the worship site (cf. Exod. 20:24). The tabernacle (ark) traveled with Israel: Gilgal, Josh. 4:19; 10:6,15 Shechem, Josh 8:33 Shiloh, Josh 18:1; Jdgs. 18:31; 1 Sam. 1:3 Bethel, (possibly) Jdgs. 20:18,26-28; 21:2 Kiriath-jearim, ark, 1 Sam. 6:21; 7:1-2 (priests at Nob, cf. 1 Samuel 21-22) Jerusalem David captures the citadel of Jebus (cf. 2 Sam. 5:1-10) David brings the ark to Jerusalem (cf. 2 Samuel 6) David purchases the site of the temple (2 Sam. 24:15-25; 2 Chr. 3:1) Many modern scholars have tried to assert that Deuteronomy was written late to accommodate Hezekiah and Josiah's reforms of centralizing Israel's worship. However, Deuteronomy does not name Jerusalem as the specific site that YHWH will choose. In context the theological contrast is between: the local Ba'al shrines and the one shrine of Israel the monotheism of Israel versus the polytheism of Canaan (and the rest of the ancient Near East) 33:8 "remove the foot of Israel" This is idiomatic for Israel's occupation of Canaan. This promise of a land goes back initially to Gen. 12:9 SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT PROMISES TO THE PATRIARCHS "if" New Testament believers must recognize the difference between the conditional, performance-based OT (i.e., the cursing and blessing, Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28; also known as "the two ways, cf. Deuteronomy 30) and the conditional, grace covenant of the NT. The character of YHWH does not change but His way of salvation does (i.e., "the new covenant," cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-36). SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (OT) "the law, the statutes and the ordinances" See SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATION. 33:9 What a shocking verse (cf. 2 Kgs. 21:9)! It reminds me of 1 Corinthians 5:1. Even people identified with Jewish/Christian faith do terrible things. This is a good place to remind all of us of Matt. 7:13-27!
2 Crônicas 33:10-13
33:10 This verse is alluding to YHWH's sending His prophets to speak for Him (2 Chr. 33:18; 2 Kgs. 21:10, whom he killed, see Josephus, Antiq. 10.3.1.) to His people, but they would not (i.e., Matt. 5:12; 23:37). SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHETS (OT) 33:11-19 These are found only in Chronicles. Nothing of this (i.e., captivity or repentance and restoration) is found in 2 Kings. 33:11 "the Lord brought. . .Assyria" This is clearly seen in Isa. 10:5 and 8:5-10; as He will use Babylon (cf. Jer. 51:20-23 and Isa. 41:15-16; even later, Media-Persia, Cyrus II, cf. Isa. 44:28-45:1). "hooks. . .bronze chains" Assyria was a cruel nation. If nations submitted to their control, Assyria gave them some local autonomy but if they resisted, Assyria ravaged the population. killed the very young and old skinned the leadership publicly deported/exiled large segments of the population by hooking them together (i.e., hook in the nose or lip; this imagery is used of YHWH's defeat of Sennacherib before Jerusalem, cf. 2 Kgs. 19:28) Manasseh was humiliated in this way. It is surprising that he was taken to "Babylon" (2 Chr. 33:11) and not Assyria (see R. K. Harrison, Old Testament Times, pp. 238-239). Josephus, Antiq. 10.1.2., asserts YHWH sent "the king of Babylon and Chaldea" against Judah. There were several revolts in the early years of the new Assyrian king, Ashurbanipal (i.e., Egypt and Babylon). 33:12 This may be the most powerful affirmation of the spiritual effectiveness of prayer repentance There is an apocryphal, non-canonical Jewish book called Prayer of Manasseh, which, though not inspired, surely catches the essence of Manasseh's repentance. See R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament, pp. 1255-1258. Just imagine, the most wicked king of Judah, who knew better (i.e., Hezekiah's son) yet led Israel into terrible idolatry (cf. 2 Chr. 33:2-7), was forgiven and brought back to Jerusalem (v. 13) by the merciful YHWH. Yes, obedience is crucial but repentance unleashes divine mercy! This reminds me of the companion of Deut. 5:9 (i.e., third and fourth) with Deut. 5:10; 7:9 (i.e., to the thousandth). Judgment is YHWH's strange work (cf. Isa. 28:21c; Lam. 3:33).
2 Crônicas 33:14-17
33:14-17 These verses document the acts of Manasseh after his repentance and divine return to Jerusalem. physical building projects fortified the outer wall of Jerusalem encircled Ophel with a high wall stationed soldiers into the other fortified cities of Judah spiritual reforms removed the pagan idols removed the pagan altars set up (LXX, Vulgate, "fixed") the altar of the Lord (1) sacrificed peace offerings (2) sacrificed thank offerings ordered Judah to serve only YHWH 33:17 The residual effect of Manasseh's sin continued among the population of Judah. Manasseh set in motion the idolatry and disobedience that resulted in the fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar and the deportation of her population several times (cf. 2 Kgs. 21:10-15,16; 23:26; 24:3; Jer. 15:4).
2 Crônicas 33:18-20
33:18-20 This is the summary of Manasseh's reign. It highlights both his sin (2 Chr. 33:19) and faith (vv. 18-19a). 33:20 "they buried him in his own house" It means, "not in the royal tombs," but somewhere on the palace grounds. In 2 Kgs. 21:8, it has "in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza." The LXX puts the first part of this phrase here (see REB). This is followed by the Vulgate, but the Peshitta has the same as the MT.
2 Crônicas 33:21-25
33:21-25 This is a brief account of the short reign of Amon (cf. 2 Kgs. 21:19-24). He tried to restore the pagan worship of his father. He would not listen to the seers and would not humble himself before YHWH. He was assassinated by his servants in his palace. These servants were killed by the people of Jerusalem, who then coronated Josiah. 33:25 "the people of the land" This phrase has different meanings in different parts of the OT. local non-Israelite people ‒ Gen. 23:7,12,13; Ezra 9:1,11; 10:2,11 poor farmers or herdsmen ‒ 2 Kgs. 24:14; 25:12 land owners and leaders ‒ 2 Kgs. 11:14,18,19,20; 21:24; 23:30,35; 2 Chr. 23:20-21; 26:21; 33:25; 36:1; Jer. 1:18; 34:19; 37:2; 44:2 In Chronicles, #3 is meant.