2 Kings 21:6
in 2 Kings 21He 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he made his son to pass through the fire, and practised augury, and used enchantments, and dealt with them that had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger.
KJV
And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
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This verse in 2 Kings 21
Commentary
7 notes on this verseMade his son pass through the fire - Consecrated him to Moloch. Observed times - ועונן veonen; he practiced divination by the clouds; by observing their course at particular times, their different kinds, contrary directions, etc., etc. Used enchantments - ונחש venichesh; he used incantations, spells, and charms. Dealt with familiar spirits - ועשה אוב veasah ob; he was a necromancer; was a raiser of spirits, whom he endeavored to press into his service; he had a Python.
This site's exposition
pass through the fire
Manasseh makes his son pass through the fire, most read as an offering to Molech, then works through the list Deuteronomy 18:10-11 names by name: observing times, enchantments, familiar spirits, and wizards. Every practice on that list carries its own prohibition in the Torah, and Manasseh performs all of them in sequence, as though testing each forbidden door in turn. Ahaz his grandfather had already made a son pass through the fire at 2 Kings 16:3, so the sin repeats within the family before it becomes Manasseh's own signature.
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 Awakening1 voice
And he made his son pass through the fire,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
He raised them to be an influential class at his court, as they were in that of Assyria and Babylon, where nothing was done till they had ascertained the lucky hour and were promised a happy issue.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
On the meaning of the phrase “passing through the fire,” see 2Ki 16:3, and Lev 20:2-5. To “observe times” was forbidden in the Law (marginal references), and was no doubt among the modes of divination practiced by the Canaanite nations. It has been explained as, (1) Predicting from the state of the clouds and atmosphere; (2) Fascination with the eye; (3) Watching and catching at chance words as ominous. Dealt with familiar spirits - This practice was forbidden by Moses Lev 19:31 under the penalty of death Lev 20:27. Its nature is best learned from Saul’s visit to the witch of Endor (1Sa 28:7, etc.). Wizards - “Wizards” - literally, “wise men” - are always joined with those who have familiar spirits. Probably they were a sort of necromancers.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהֶעֱבִ֤יר | veheevir | and he made pass | H5674 → | 556 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּנוֹ֙ | beno | son his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בָּאֵ֔שׁ | baesh | in the fire | H784 → | 378 times |
| וְעוֹנֵ֣ן | veonen | and he practiced soothsaying | H6049 → | |
| וְנִחֵ֔שׁ | venichesh | and he practiced divination | H5172 → | |
| וְעָ֥שָׂה | veasah | and he dealt with | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| א֖וֹב | ʾov | necromancer | H178 → | |
| וְיִדְּעֹנִ֑ים | veyideonim | and soothsayers | H3049 → | |
| הִרְבָּ֗ה | hirbah | he increased | H7235 → | 227 times |
| לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת | laasot | to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| הָרַ֛ע | hara' | the evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| בְּעֵינֵ֥י | beeinei | in [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לְהַכְעִֽיס׃ | lehakhis | to provoke [him] to anger | H3707 → | 54 times |
וְהֶעֱבִ֤ירand he made pass
veheevirH5674 →556 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּנוֹ֙son his
benoH1121 →4930 times
בָּאֵ֔שׁin the fire
baeshH784 →378 times
וְעוֹנֵ֣ןand he practiced soothsaying
veonenH6049 →
וְנִחֵ֔שׁand he practiced divination
venicheshH5172 →
וְעָ֥שָׂהand he dealt with
veasahH6213 →2628 times
א֖וֹבnecromancer
ʾovH178 →
וְיִדְּעֹנִ֑יםand soothsayers
veyideonimH3049 →
הִרְבָּ֗הhe increased
hirbahH7235 →227 times
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹתto do
laasotH6213 →2628 times
הָרַ֛עthe evil
hara'H7451 →662 times
בְּעֵינֵ֥יin [the] eyes of
beeineiH5869 →887 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לְהַכְעִֽיס׃to provoke [him] to anger
lehakhisH3707 →54 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
Leviticus 18:21You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
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
Leviticus 19:26You must not eat anything with blood still in it. You must not practice divination or sorcery.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 18:10–14
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Kings 17:17
They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
- Deuteronomy 18:10–14
Through
Leviticus 19:31You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 33:6
He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 8:19
When men tell you to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
- Leviticus 20:27
A man or a woman who is a medium or spiritist must surely be put to death. They shall be stoned; their blood is upon them.’”
- Leviticus 20:6–7
Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists to prostitute himself with them, I will also set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.
- 2 Chronicles 33:6
Through
2 Kings 17:17They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
it leads to
- Psalms 106:37–38
They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 106:37–38
About 2 Kings
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 and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).