Compare Jeremiah 2:30; Hebrews 11:37; Isaiah 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). read more
2 Kings 21:16. Moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood The blood of those prophets, and other righteous men, who either reproved his sinful practices, or refused to comply with his wicked commands. The tradition of the Jews is, that he caused Isaiah, in particular, to be sawn asunder, and that by a wooden saw, to which the author of the epistle to the Hebrews is thought to allude, Hebrews 11:37. Besides his sin, wherewith he made Judah to sin That is, his idolatry, which is elsewhere... read more
Manasseh’s evil reign (21:1-26)Hezekiah’s reformation had cleansed Judah of the outward forms of foreign religion, but the inward spiritual condition of most people had not changed. The faithful remnant was still small (see 19:30-31). Possibly under pressure from Assyria, Manasseh reversed his father’s religious policy and with almost fanatical zeal reintroduced foreign religious ideas of every kind. Fifty-five years under his rule left Judah in a worse spiritual condition than that for which... read more
innocent blood. Tradition says that Isaiah was one who suffered martyrdom (Jos. Ant . x. 2 Kings 3:1 ). read more
THE REPORT OF MANASSEH'S DEATH AND BURIAL"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. Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of... read more
2 Kings 21:16. Manasseh shed innocent blood— Among the rest of the prophets and other innocent persons put to death by Manasseh, Isaiah is generally numbered, who is said to have been sawn asunder with a wooden saw, to which the author of the epistle to the Hebrews is thought to allude, Hebrews 11:37. read more
16. 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 :-). :-. AMON'S WICKED REIGN. read more
B. Manasseh’s Evil Reign 21:1-18Manasseh began reigning as vice-regent with his father Hezekiah when he was 12 years old in 697 B.C. This arrangement continued for 11 years until Hezekiah died in 686 B.C. For a total of 55 years Manasseh was king of Judah. He reigned longer than any Hebrew king, and he was Judah’s worst king spiritually."Manasseh was ’the Ahab of Judah’ and the antithesis of the great David." [Note: Wiseman, p. 291.] Among his other serious sins, Manasseh built idol altars in... read more
The Reigns of Manasseh and Amon3. The high places, etc.] Manasseh not only restored the country sanctuaries which had been destroyed by Hezekiah as seats of corruption (see 2 Kings 18:4, 2 Kings 18:22), and renewed the Baal worship practised by the house of Ahab (see 2 Kings 11:18, and cp. 1 Kings 16:31-32), but also introduced star worship, a form of religion previously unknown in Judah. The host of heaven] The worship of the stars, which was probably introduced from Assyria, was conducted on... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 21:16
Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much. We must not understand this of his own offerings to Moloch, for these have been already put on record against him (verse 6), and this is something additional (note the strong expression, וְגַם ), nor even of the multitudinous sacrifices of the same kind which were the result of his influence on the people. Some culminating horror is required, something not touched upon before, and something specially attaching to the monarch himself. These... read more