And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets ,.... Who prophesied in the days of Manasseh; and were, according to the Jewish chronology F6 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 20. p. 55. , Joel, Nahum, and Habakkuk: saying : as follows. read more
Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations ,.... Before named, 2 Kings 21:3 , and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did that were before him ; one of the seven nations of Canaan, a principal of them, and which is put for all the rest: and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols : the worship of them, as the Targum; which he did both by his edicts, and by his example. read more
Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel ,.... Who, though kind and gracious to Israel as their covenant God, is yet just and righteous, as well as he is a sovereign Being and Lord of all: behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle ; it will make such a noise in the world, and be so horrible and terrible; and if, he report of it would be so dreadful as to make a man's ears tingle, and his heart tremble, what must... read more
And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria ,.... The Targum is, the line of destruction; and the sense is, that the same measure should be measured to Jerusalem as was to Samaria; that is, the same lot and portion should befall one as the other, that is, be utterly destroyed: and the plummet of the house of Ahab ; the Targum is, the weight or plummet of tribulation; signifying, that the same calamities should come upon the families of Jerusalem, and especially on the family of... read more
And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance ,.... The whole land of Canaan was the Lord's inheritance; ten tribes in it were already removed, only Judah with Benjamin was left, and the Lord threatens to forsake that remnant: and deliver them into the hands of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and spoil to all their enemies ; which was fulfilled in their captivity in Babylon. read more
Because they have done that which was evil in my sight ,.... Committed idolatry: and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even to this day ; being always prone to idolatry, so provoking to God, and which they were guilty of quickly after they came out of Egypt, in the worship of the golden calf, and had ever since at times been criminal this way; and now the measure of their iniquity being almost up, would be reckoned for together. read more
The Lord spake by - the prophets - The prophets were Hosea, Joel, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Isaiah. These five following verses contain the sum of what these prophets spoke. It is said that Isaiah not only prophesied in those days, but also that he was put to death by Manasseh, being sawn asunder by a wooden saw. read more
Both his ears shall tingle - תצלנה titstsalnah ; something expressive of the sound in what we call, from the same sensation, the tingling of the ears. This is the consequence of having the ears suddenly pierced with a loud and shrill noise; the ears seem to ring for some time after. The prophets spoke to them vehemently, so that the sound seemed to be continued even when they had left off speaking. This was a faithful and solemn testimony. read more
The line of Samaria - I will treat Jerusalem as I have treated Samaria. Samaria was taken, pillaged, ruined, and its inhabitants led into captivity; Jerusalem shall have the same measure. And the plummet of the house of Ahab - The house of Ahab was totally destroyed, and not a man of his race left to sit upon the throne of Israel: so shall it be done to the house or royal family of Judah; they shall be all finally destroyed, and not a man of their race shall any more... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 21:10-18
Here is the doom of Judah and Jerusalem read, and it is heavy doom. The prophets were sent, in the first place, to teach them the knowledge of God, to remind them of their duty and direct them in it. If they succeeded not in that, their next work was to reprove them for their sins, and to set them in view before them, that they might repent and reform, and return to their duty. If in this they prevailed not, but sinners went on frowardly, their next work was to foretel the judgments of God,... read more