2 Kings 21:16
in 2 Kings 21Moreover, 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; besides his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.
KJV
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 Lord.
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This verse in 2 Kings 21
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood--Not content with the patronage and the practice of idolatrous abomination, he was a cruel persecutor of all who did not conform. The land was deluged with the blood of good men; among whom it is traditionally said Isaiah suffered a horrid death, by being sawn asunder (see on Heb 11:37).
This site's exposition
shed innocent blood very much
Manasseh sheds innocent blood very much, filling Jerusalem from one end to another, alongside the sin of leading Judah into idolatry. Jewish tradition, recorded by writers including Jamieson, Fausset and Brown and John Wesley, holds that Isaiah was sawn asunder in this persecution, a tradition many read as standing behind the unnamed man in Hebrews 11:37 who was sawn asunder for his faith. The verse names blood-guilt as its own charge, distinct from the idolatry, and both stand behind the exile the book is building toward.
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 Awakening3 voices
32 ) up to the brim, and all this against the crown and dignity of the King of kings, the peace of his kingdom, and the statutes in these cases made and provided. A prediction of the judgment God would bring upon them for this: They have done that which was evil, and therefore I am bringing evil upon them (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number
Blood - The blood of those prophets and righteous men who either reproved his sinful practices, or refused to comply with his wicked commands. His sin - His idolatry, which is called sin, by way of eminency. The tradition of the Jews is, that he caused Isaiah in particular to be sawn asunder.
Moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood very much,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Probably much of the blood he shed was theirs that opposed idolatry and witnessed against it, that would not bow the knee to Baal. The blood of the prophets is, in a particular manner, charged upon Jerusalem, and it is probable that he put to death many of them.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Shed innocent blood very much - Like the deities he worshipped, he was fierce and cruel; an unprincipled, merciless tyrant: he slew innocent people and God’s prophets.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Compare Jer 2:30; Heb 11:37; Isa 57:1-4. According to tradition, Isaiah was among the first to perish. More than a century afterward, the final judgment upon Jerusalem was felt to be in an special way the punishment of Manasseh’s bloody persecution of God’s people (marginal reference).
The words behind it
24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְגַם֩ | vegam | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| דָּ֨ם | dam | blood | H1818 → | 360 times |
| נָקִ֜י | naki | innocent | H5355 → | 43 times |
| שָׁפַ֤ךְ | shafakh | he shed | H8210 → | 114 times |
| מְנַשֶּׁה֙ | menasheh | Manasseh | H4519 → | 146 times |
| הַרְבֵּ֣ה | harbeh | much | H7235 → | 227 times |
| מְאֹ֔ד | meod | very | H3966 → | 300 times |
| עַ֛ד | ʾad | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| מִלֵּ֥א | mile' | he had filled | H4390 → | 249 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| פֶּ֣ה | peh | mouth | H6310 → | 498 times |
| לָפֶ֑ה | lapeh | to mouth | H6310 → | 498 times |
| לְבַ֤ד | levad | <to> apart | H905 → | 200 times |
| מֵֽחַטָּאתוֹ֙ | mechatato | from sin his | H2403 → | 295 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הֶחֱטִ֣יא | hecheti' | he caused to sin | H2398 → | 238 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוּדָ֔ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת | laasot | to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| הָרַ֖ע | hara' | the evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| בְּעֵינֵ֥י | beeinei | in [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וְגַם֩and also
vegamH1571 →769 times
דָּ֨םblood
damH1818 →360 times
נָקִ֜יinnocent
nakiH5355 →43 times
שָׁפַ֤ךְhe shed
shafakhH8210 →114 times
מְנַשֶּׁה֙Manasseh
menashehH4519 →146 times
הַרְבֵּ֣הmuch
harbehH7235 →227 times
מְאֹ֔דvery
meodH3966 →300 times
עַ֛דuntil
ʾadH5704 →1261 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
מִלֵּ֥אhe had filled
mile'H4390 →249 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖םJerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
פֶּ֣הmouth
pehH6310 →498 times
לָפֶ֑הto mouth
lapehH6310 →498 times
לְבַ֤ד<to> apart
levadH905 →200 times
מֵֽחַטָּאתוֹ֙from sin his
mechatatoH2403 →295 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הֶחֱטִ֣יאhe caused to sin
hecheti'H2398 →238 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוּדָ֔הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹתto do
laasotH6213 →2628 times
הָרַ֖עthe evil
hara'H7451 →662 times
בְּעֵינֵ֥יin [the] eyes of
beeineiH5869 →887 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 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
2 Kings 21:11“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,
it leads to
- 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,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Kings 21:26
He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.)
- 2 Kings 24:3–4
Through
Numbers 35:33Do not pollute the land where you live, for bloodshed pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land on which the blood is shed, except by the blood of the…
it leads to
- Luke 11:50–51
As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world,
- Psalms 106:38
They shed innocent blood— the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.
- Isaiah 26:21
For behold, the LORD is coming out of His dwelling to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer conceal her slain.
- Genesis 9:6
Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.
- Ezekiel 22:24–27
“Son of man, say to her, ‘In the day of indignation, you are a land that has not been cleansed, upon which no rain has fallen.’
- Luke 11:50–51
Through
Jeremiah 2:34Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things
it leads to
- Jeremiah 19:4
because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in this place to other gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have ever…
- Jeremiah 19:4
About 2 Kings

Who and where
3 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…
- PlaceJerusalemJerusalemThe city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital, where Solomon built the temple, where Christ was crucified and rose,…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Apostolic Constitutions, CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 2.22; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 22.6; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
