2 Kings 21:7
in 2 Kings 21Manasseh even took the carved Asherah pole he had made and set it up in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he set the graven image of Asherah, that he had made, in the house of which Jehovah said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever;
KJV
And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
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This verse in 2 Kings 21
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
A graven image of the grove - Rather, “the carved work of the Asherah.” This Asherah which Manasseh placed in the very temple itself, from where it was afterward taken by Josiah to be destroyed 2Ki 23:6. Such a profanation was beyond anything that had been done either by Athaliah 2Ki 11:18, or by Ahaz 2Ki 16:14-18; 2Ch 29:5-7.
This site's exposition
chosen out of all tribes of Israel
on 2 Kings 21:7-8
The carved image of the Asherah goes into the house itself, the same house of which the Lord had said to David and to Solomon that he had chosen it and Jerusalem out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there for ever. That promise of permanence was never unconditional: verse 8 ties Israel's continued hold on the land to observing all the law Moses commanded. Manasseh's altar stands exactly where the condition was spoken, so the violation and the promise share one room.
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
Which was either an image that had been placed in a grove planted by him, and now removed into the house or temple of the Lord; or, as some think, this was a representation of a grove, a carved grove of gold or silver, in the midst of which an image was placed in the temple; though what Selden observes (b), seems best of all, that this was an image of Asherah, as in the original text; that is, of Astarte or Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, 1Ki 11:5, the same the Phoenicians are said to call Astroarche, and affirm it to be the moon (c): in 2Ch 33:7 it is called a carved image the idol he had made; and an Arabic writer (d) says, it had four faces, which seems to be a figure of the cherubim; but, according to Suidas (e), it was the statue of Jupiter, who also says it had four faces: of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son: that is, of which house or temple: in this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever; see 1Ki 8:29; see Gill on 2Ki 21:3. (b) De Dis Syris, Syntagm. 2. c. 2. p. 233. (c) Herodian. l. 5. c. 15. (d) Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. Dyn. 3. p. 66. (e) In voce μανασσηςα.
Thus he desecrated what had been consecrated to God, and did, in effect, turn God out of his own house and put the rebels in possession of it. Thus, when the faithful worshippers of God came to the place he had appointed for the performance of their duty to him, they found, to their great grief and terror, other gods ready to receive their offerings.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
And he set a graven image--The placing of the Asherah within the precincts of the temple, which was dedicated to the worship of the true God, is dwelt upon as the most aggravated outrage of the royal idolater.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
He set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house - Every one may see that Asherah here must signify an idol, and not a grove; and for the proof of this see the observations at the end of the chapter, 2Ki 21:26 (note).
The words behind it
27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּ֕שֶׂם | vaiyasem | and he put | H7760 → | 584 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| פֶּ֥סֶל | pesel | [the] image of | H6459 → | |
| הָאֲשֵׁרָ֖ה | haasherah | <the> Asherah | H842 → | 40 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂ֑ה | ʾasah | he had made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| בַּבַּ֗יִת | babayit | in the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אָמַ֤ר | ʾamar | he had said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| דָּוִד֙ | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וְאֶל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה | shelomoh | Solomon | H8010 → | 291 times |
| בְנ֔וֹ | veno | son his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בַּבַּ֨יִת | babayit | in the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| הַזֶּ֜ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| וּבִירוּשָׁלִַ֗ם | uvirushalim | and in Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בָּחַ֙רְתִּי֙ | bacharti | I have chosen | H977 → | |
| מִכֹּל֙ | mikol | from all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| שִׁבְטֵ֣י | shivtei | [the] tribes of | H7626 → | |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אָשִׂ֥ים | ʾasim | I will put | H7760 → | 584 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׁמִ֖י | shemi | name my | H8034 → | 864 times |
| לְעוֹלָֽם׃ | leolam | for ever | H5769 → |
וַיָּ֕שֶׂםand he put
vaiyasemH7760 →584 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
פֶּ֥סֶל[the] image of
peselH6459 →
הָאֲשֵׁרָ֖ה<the> Asherah
haasherahH842 →40 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עָשָׂ֑הhe had made
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
בַּבַּ֗יִתin the house
babayitH1004 →2046 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אָמַ֤רhe had said
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
דָּוִד֙David
davidH1732 →999 times
וְאֶל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
שְׁלֹמֹ֣הSolomon
shelomohH8010 →291 times
בְנ֔וֹson his
venoH1121 →4930 times
בַּבַּ֨יִתin the house
babayitH1004 →2046 times
הַזֶּ֜ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
וּבִירוּשָׁלִַ֗םand in Jerusalem
uvirushalimH3389 →643 times
אֲשֶׁ֤רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בָּחַ֙רְתִּי֙I have chosen
bachartiH977 →
מִכֹּל֙from all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
שִׁבְטֵ֣י[the] tribes of
shivteiH7626 →
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אָשִׂ֥יםI will put
ʾasimH7760 →584 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שְׁמִ֖יname my
shemiH8034 →864 times
לְעוֹלָֽם׃for ever
leolamH5769 →
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 Samuel 7:13He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
it leads to
- Luke 1:31–33
Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
- 1 Kings 8:19
Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’
- 2 Samuel 7:16
Your house and kingdom will endure forever before Me, and your throne will be established forever.”
- Luke 1:31–33
Through
2 Chronicles 7:16For I have now chosen and consecrated this temple so that My Name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 6:20
May Your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your Name, so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Chronicles 7:15
Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
- 2 Chronicles 7:12
the LORD appeared to him at night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
- 2 Chronicles 6:20
Through
1 Kings 9:3And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and petition before Me. I have consecrated this temple you have built by putting My Name there forever; My eyes and My heart…
it leads to
- 2 Kings 20:5
“Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. I…
- 1 Kings 8:29
May Your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays…
- 2 Kings 20:5
About 2 Kings
Who and where
4 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonUnited MonarchyDavidSecond king of united Israel, shepherd-turned-monarch, ancestor of the Messiah, and traditional author of many Psalms.
- PersonSolomonDavid's son and the third king of Israel; the temple-builder and wisdom-king, to whom Psalms 72 and 127 are ascribed.
- 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); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; 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) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.