And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord ,.... Was guilty of idolatry: after the abomination of the Heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel : the old Canaanites; he committed idolatry in imitation of them, and as the Phoenicians now did before the children of Israel: the old Canaanites; he committed idolatry in imitation of them, and as the Phoenicians now did. read more
For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed ,.... The temples and altars upon them, see 2 Kings 18:4 , and he reared up altars for Baal ; in the high places he rebuilt: and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel : which was either an idol itself, or a shade of trees where idols were placed; or rather Asherah, rendered "a grove", is the same with Astarte, the goddess of the Zidonians, the figure of which he made and worshipped; for groves were not... read more
And he built altars in the house of the Lord ,.... In the holy place, as distinct from the courts in the next verse; and these were sacred to the idols of the Gentiles: of which the Lord said, in Jerusalem will I put my name ; in the temple there, devoted to his service, called by his name, and where his name was called upon, see Deuteronomy 12:5 and to erect altars to idols here must be very abominable to him. read more
And he built altars for all the host of heaven ,.... Sun, moon, and stars: in the two courts of the house of the Lord ; in the court of the priests, and in the court of the people; and all this must be supposed to be done, not as soon as he began to reign, but when he was grown up to man's estate, and had children, as the next verse shows; unless it can be thought that those nobles in Judah, who liked not the reformation made by Hezekiah, took the advantage of his youth, and advised him... read more
And he made his son pass through the fire ,.... To Molech, after the manner of the old Canaanites and Phoenicians; his son Amon, that succeeded him, and other children, as appears from 2 Chronicles 33:6 , where mention is made of the place where it was done, the valley of the son of Hinnom: and observed times ; lucky or unlucky, which was judged of by omens, and by the position of the stars: and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards ; to get knowledge of... read more
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
After the abominations of the heathen - He exactly copied the conduct of those nations which God had cast out of that land. read more
Made a grove - He made Asherah, the Babylonian Melitta or Roman Venus. See 2 Kings 17:10 , and the observations at the end of that chapter; and see here on 2 Kings 21:7 ; (note). Worshipped all the host of heaven - All the stars and planets, but particularly the sun and the moon. read more
Built altars - He placed idolatrous altars even in the temple. read more
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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