2 Kings 21:11
in 2 Kings 21“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,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, that were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols;
KJV
Because 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:
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This verse in 2 Kings 21
Commentary
6 notes on this verseBecause Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations,.... Before named, 2Ki 21:3, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did that were before him; one of the seven nations of Canaan, a principal of them, and which is put for all the rest: and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: the worship of them, as the Targum; which he did both by his edicts, and by his example.
This site's exposition
by his servants the prophets
on 2 Kings 21:10-12
The Lord speaks through his prophets, whom Jewish chronology names as Joel, Nahum and Habakkuk for this period, and the charge against Manasseh says he has done wickedly above the Amorites and made Judah sin with his idols, echoing the language the book has already repeated of the northern kings who made Israel to sin. Verse 12 pronounces the ears tingle formula, which falls only three times in Scripture: over Eli's house at 1 Samuel 3:11, over Manasseh's Jerusalem here, and over the temple's ruin at Jeremiah 19:3. Each occurrence announces judgment on a house that had carried the Lord's own name.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
John ChrysostomHOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 22.6 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
For so Manasses had perpetrated innumerable pollutions, having both stretched out his hands against the saints, and brought abominations into the temple, and filled the city with murders, and wrought many other things beyond excuse; yet nevertheless after so long and so great wickedness, he washed away from himself all these things. How and in what manner? By repentance, and consideration. For there is not, yea, there is not any sin, that doth not yield and give way to the power of repentance, or rather to the grace of Christ. Since if we would but only change, we have Him to assist us. And if thou art desirous to become good, there is none to hinder us; or rather there is one to hinder us, the devil, yet hath he no power, so long as thou choosest what is best, and so attractest God to thine aid.
A commentator
Apostolic ConstitutionsCONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 2.22 · Written before 380.
proposed
For it is written thus in the fourth book of Kings and the second book of Chronicles, or of Days: "Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, following the abominable practices of the nations that the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
15 Because 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. 16 Moreover 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 L ORD .
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:97%@v15-16
Manasseh had done wickedly himself, though he knew better things, had even justified the Amorites, whose copy he wrote after, by outdoing them in impieties, and debauched the people of God, whom he had taught to sin and forced to sin; and besides that (though that was bad enough) he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Through His servants the prophets. Nachum and Chavakuk, but because Menashe was wicked, they were not referred to with his name to explain that they were [prophesying] in his time.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Will ring. An expression of cymbals, 1 See Rashi in I Shmuel:11. tintiner, in O. F.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יַעַן֩ | yaan | because | H3282 → | 99 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂ֜ה | ʾasah | he has done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| מְנַשֶּׁ֤ה | menasheh | Manasseh | H4519 → | 146 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יְהוּדָה֙ | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| הַתֹּעֵב֣וֹת | hatoevot | the abominations | H8441 → | 117 times |
| הָאֵ֔לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| הֵרַ֕ע | hera' | he has done evil | H7489 → | |
| מִכֹּ֛ל | mikol | more than all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשׂ֥וּ | ʾasu | they did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| הָאֱמֹרִ֖י | haemori | the Amorite[s] | H567 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לְפָנָ֑יו | lefanav | [was] <to> before him | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| וַיַּחֲטִ֥א | vaiyachati' | and he has caused to sin | H2398 → | 238 times |
| גַֽם־ | gam- | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוּדָ֖ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| בְּגִלּוּלָֽיו׃ פ | begilulav | with idols his | H1544 → | 48 times |
יַעַן֩because
yaanH3282 →99 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עָשָׂ֜הhe has done
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
מְנַשֶּׁ֤הManasseh
menashehH4519 →146 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
יְהוּדָה֙Judah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
הַתֹּעֵב֣וֹתthe abominations
hatoevotH8441 →117 times
הָאֵ֔לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
הֵרַ֕עhe has done evil
hera'H7489 →
מִכֹּ֛לmore than all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
עָשׂ֥וּthey did
ʾasuH6213 →2628 times
הָאֱמֹרִ֖יthe Amorite[s]
haemoriH567 →
אֲשֶׁ֣רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לְפָנָ֑יו[was] <to> before him
lefanavH6440 →2123 times
וַיַּחֲטִ֥אand he has caused to sin
vaiyachati'H2398 →238 times
גַֽם־also
gam-H1571 →769 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוּדָ֖הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
בְּגִלּוּלָֽיו׃ פwith idols his
begilulavH1544 →48 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezekiel 16:45You are the daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and children. You are the sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 12:31
You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 12:31
Through
Jeremiah 15:4I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 24:9
I will make them a horror and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a disgrace and an object of scorn, ridicule, and cursing wherever I have banished them.
- 2 Kings 21:11–13
“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,
- 2 Kings 23:26–27
Nevertheless, the LORD did not turn away from the fury of His burning anger, which was kindled against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to provoke Him to anger.
- 2 Kings 24:3–4
Surely this happened to Judah at the LORD’s command, to remove them from His presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all that he had done,
- 2 Kings 21:16–17
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…
- Jeremiah 24:9
Through
2 Kings 21:9But 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.
it leads to
- Proverbs 29:12
If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.
- Proverbs 29:12
Through
1 Kings 21:26He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.)
it leads to
- Genesis 15:16
In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
- Genesis 15:16
About 2 Kings
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PersonLate monarchyManassehJudah's longest-reigning and worst king, who filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; the book names his apostasy as the cause of 586…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Apostolic Constitutions, CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 2.22; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 22.6; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.