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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 21:1-9

How delightful were our meditations on the last reign! How many pleasing views had we of Sion in its glory (that is, in its purity and in its triumphs), of the king in his beauty! (for Isa. 33:17 refers to Hezekiah), and (as it follows there, 2 Kgs. 21:20) Jerusalem was a quiet habitation because a city of righteousness, Isa. 1:26. But now we have melancholy work upon our hands, unpleasant ground to travel, and cannot but drive heavily. How has the gold become dim and the most fine gold... read more

Matthew Henry

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 21:7

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 F2 De Dis Syris, Syntagm. 2. c. 2. p. 233. , 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, ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 21:8

Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers ,.... Or suffer them to be carried captive into another land, as in the times of the judges; that is, on the following condition: only if they will observe to do according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them by obedience to which they had the tenure of the land of Canaan, Isaiah 1:19 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 21:9

But they hearkened not ,.... To the voice of God in his law by Moses, and were not obedient to it: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel : he set up more idols, and drew the people into more and greater idolatries, than the old Canaanites; and these were the more aggravated by having a law given to them, and prophets sent to instruct them in it, and by the benefits and blessings bestowed upon them by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 21:10

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 21:11

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 21:7

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, 2 Kings 21:26 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 21:8

Neither will I make the feet of Israel - Had they been faithful to God's testimonies they never had gone into captivity, and should even at this day have been in possession of the promised land. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 21:9

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. read more

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