2 Kings 21:9
in 2 Kings 21But 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do that which is evil more than did the nations whom Jehovah destroyed before the children of Israel.
KJV
But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.
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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)
During the long reign of Manasseh idolatry in all manner of varied forms took a hold upon the Jewish people such as had never been known before. Compare Jer 7:18, Jer 7:31; Eze 23:37; Zep 1:5. The corruption of morals kept pace with the degradation of religion. Compare 2Ki 23:7; Zep 3:1-3; Jer 2:8; Jer 5:1.
This site's exposition
seduced them to do more evil
Judah hearkens not, and Manasseh seduces the people to do more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed before Israel entered the land, a comparison the text already made once at verse 2 and now extends from the king to the whole nation. The ruler who should have restrained idolatry becomes the one who spreads it furthest. Judah under Manasseh reaches, in the text's own measure, a lower point than the Canaanites it replaced.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
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.
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.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
), he did more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed. When the holy seed degenerate, they are commonly worse than the worst of the profane.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
But they hearkened not,....
They would not be kept close to God either by his precepts or by his promises; both were cast behind their back. (3.) That hereby he seduced the people of God, debauched them, and drew them into idolatry,
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Seduced them to do more evil - He did all he could to pervert the national character, and totally destroy the worship of the true God; and he succeeded.
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.
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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְלֹ֖א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁמֵ֑עוּ | shameu | they listened | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| וַיַּתְעֵ֤ם | vaiyatem | and he misled them | H8582 → | |
| מְנַשֶּׁה֙ | menasheh | Manasseh | H4519 → | 146 times |
| לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת | laasot | to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָרָ֔ע | hara' | <the> evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| מִן־ | min- | more than | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַ֨גּוֹיִ֔ם | hagoyim | the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| אֲשֶׁר֙ | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הִשְׁמִ֣יד | hishmid | he had destroyed | H8045 → | 90 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מִפְּנֵ֖י | mipenei | from before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| בְּנֵ֥י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וְלֹ֖אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
שָׁמֵ֑עוּthey listened
shameuH8085 →1159 times
וַיַּתְעֵ֤םand he misled them
vaiyatemH8582 →
מְנַשֶּׁה֙Manasseh
menashehH4519 →146 times
לַעֲשׂ֣וֹתto do
laasotH6213 →2628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָרָ֔ע<the> evil
hara'H7451 →662 times
מִן־more than
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַ֨גּוֹיִ֔םthe nations
hagoyimH1471 →561 times
אֲשֶׁר֙which
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הִשְׁמִ֣ידhe had destroyed
hishmidH8045 →90 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
מִפְּנֵ֖יfrom before
mipeneiH6440 →2123 times
בְּנֵ֥י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 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
John 15:22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.
it leads to
- John 9:41
“If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”
- James 4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.
- Acts 17:30
Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
- Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
- John 12:48
There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
- John 9:41
Through
2 Chronicles 36:16But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 5:12–13
They have lied about the LORD and said: “He will not do anything; harm will not come to us; we will not see sword or famine.
- Luke 22:63–64
The men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him.
- 2 Chronicles 30:10
And the couriers traveled from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun; but the people scorned and mocked them.
- Jeremiah 5:12–13
About 2 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
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; 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.