| << 2 Chron 32 | ||
| << Psa 134 | ||
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| This is the New King James text of the passages. |
II Chronicles 32:23-33:25 Listen 
Psalm 135
Hezekiah's lifetime accomplishments (II Chronicles 32:23-33)
23 And many brought gifts to the LORD at Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter.
24 ¶ In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to the LORD; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign.
25 But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem.
26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
27 ¶ Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of desirable items;
28 storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and folds for flocks.
29 Moreover he provided cities for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much property.
30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
31 ¶ However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.
32 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, indeed they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
33 So Hezekiah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Then Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
These 11 verses serve as a glowing endorsement of Hezekiah's life and accomplishments. The only comment about his shortcomings in this passage is to be found in verse 25 where it is said, "...therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem." Take a look at II Kings 20-21 to see the details of Hezekiah's pride and subsequent prayer for the lengthening of his life (Remember the sundial incident?). God prospered Hezekiah, and he reserved Judah's fall until after his death. Then Judah's fall was not to the Assyrians, but to the Babylonians.
One notable and archaeologically validated accomplishment of Hezekiah is seen in verse 30, "This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works." This verse adds detail to II Chronicles 32:2-4 (see notes).
2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem,
3 he consulted with his leaders and commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him.
4 Thus many people gathered together who stopped all the springs and the brook that ran through the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?”
II Chronicles 32:2-4
This tunnel of 1,750 feet supplied the Pool of Siloam inside Jerusalem (a walled city) with fresh water from the Spring of Gihon outside the city. In 1880 an inscription was discovered by a boy who was bathing in the waters of the Gihon Spring. After studying the inscription, it was determined that it had been carved in stone there by Hezekiah's workers to chronicle their success. The tunnel had been hewn from stone coming from two directions - from within the city at the Pool of Siloam and from without the city at the Spring of Gihon. The workers, according to the inscription, met in the middle. The tunnel supplied fresh water to the inhabitants of Jerusalem during the siege of the Assyrians in 701 B.C. Because of the availability of fresh water to Jerusalem coupled with the lack of water outside of Jerusalem (because of the water diversion), the Jews were able to outlast the Assyrians in the attempted, but unsuccessful, takeover.
The water diversion was just part of Hezekiah's preparation for battle against the Assyrians, as seen in II Chronicles 32:1-8 (see notes).
Evil King Manasseh reigns (II Chronicles 33:1-9)
Click here to see the notes on the compatible passage in II Kings 21:1-18
II Chronicles 33 |
II Kings 21 |
| 1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2 But he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he raised up altars for the Baals, and made wooden images; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 He also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem shall My name be forever.” 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. 7 He even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; 8 and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers—only if they are careful to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.” 9 So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. |
1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; he raised up altars for Baal, and made a wooden image, as Ahab king of Israel had done; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 He also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name.” 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. 7 He even set a carved image of Asherah that he had made, in the house of which the LORD had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; 8 and I will not make the feet of Israel wander anymore from the land which I gave their fathers—only if they are careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that My servant Moses commanded them.” 9 But they paid no attention, and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. 10 ¶ And the LORD spoke by His servants the prophets, saying, 11 “Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations (he has acted more wickedly than all the Amorites who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols), 12 therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel: “Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle. 13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab; I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14 So I will forsake the remnant of My inheritance and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become victims of plunder to all their enemies, 15 because they have done evil in My sight, and have provoked Me to anger since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.’ ” 16 ¶ Moreover Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides his sin by which he made Judah sin, in doing evil in the sight of the LORD. 17 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh—all that he did, and the sin that he committed—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 18 So Manasseh rested with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza. Then his son Amon reigned in his place. |
II Kings 21:1-18 gives the details of Manasseh's rotten life also. He was evil. We see in verse 6 the details of Manasseh's wickedness, "And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger." Verse 9 sums it up, "So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel." He built altars to nearly all the false gods - the ones his Dad had torn down. He burned his own kids in sacrifice and erected pagan idols right in the temple.
Manasseh gets a second chance (II Chronicles 33:10-20)
This information regarding Manasseh's repentance toward God is not told in II Kings 21.
10 ¶ And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen.
11 Therefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon.
12 Now when he was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.
14 ¶ After this he built a wall outside the City of David on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate; and it enclosed Ophel, and he raised it to a very great height. Then he put military captains in all the fortified cities of Judah.
15 He took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD and in Jerusalem; and he cast them out of the city.
16 He also repaired the altar of the LORD, sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.
17 Nevertheless the people still sacrificed on the high places, but only to the LORD their God.
18 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.
19 Also his prayer and how God received his entreaty, and all his sin and trespass, and the sites where he built high places and set up wooden images and carved images, before he was humbled, indeed they are written among the sayings of Hozai.
20 So Manasseh rested with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. Then his son Amon reigned in his place.
In these 11 verses, Ezra, writing for the returning exiles, shows a side of Manasseh that was not told in II Kings; Manasseh gets a second chance. The Assyrians capture evil Manasseh; then he repents. God honors this prayer of repentance and restores him as King of Judah. We don't know the details of how this jail break took place. Manasseh then tries to undo that which characterized him in the early part of his reign; he tries to return Judah to God. His efforts were a little on the slight side, however. Notice what verse 17 tells us after Manasseh got rid of the idols in the temple, "Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only." Let's get the picture clearly here: They did not tear down those disgusting abominations known as "high places." They compromised! These pagan altars had been built to the custom specifications of the pagan gods to whom they were dedicated. Instead of tearing them down (as they should have), they simply specified that the offerings they made on those altars were made to God rather than those pagan deities - same place, same ritual, same sacrifice - different words. The Law of Moses specifically required that all sacrifices be made on the altar of God.
The evil King Amon just gets 5 verses (II Chronicles 33:21-25)
Click here to see the notes on the compatible passage in II Kings 21:19-26.
II Chronicles 33 |
II Kings 21 |
| 21 ¶ Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22 But he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done; for Amon sacrificed to all the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and served them. 23 And he did not humble himself before the LORD, as his father Manasseh had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more. 24 ¶ Then his servants conspired against him, and killed him in his own house. 25 But the people of the land executed all those who had conspired against King Amon. Then the people of the land made his son Josiah king in his place. |
19 ¶ Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 20 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. 21 So he walked in all the ways that his father had walked; and he served the idols that his father had served, and worshiped them. 22 He forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the LORD. 23 ¶ Then the servants of Amon conspired against him, and killed the king in his own house. 24 But the people of the land executed all those who had conspired against King Amon. Then the people of the land made his son Josiah king in his place. 25 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 26 And he was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza. Then Josiah his son reigned in his place. |
Amon only gets five verses here in II Chronicles 33 and only eight verses in II Kings 21:19-26 (see notes). Like father; like son. He followed the pattern of his father's early reign - false gods, etc. Since after Manasseh's return to God he didn't actually get rid of the high places, Amon strikes back up worship to false gods there. That's what happens when people compromise with evil rather than eliminate it. He was killed by his own servants who were subsequently killed by the people, and his son 8-year-old Josiah becomes king.
Bless the LORD (Psalm 135)
1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the name of the LORD;
Praise Him, O you servants of the LORD!
2 You who stand in the house of the LORD,
In the courts of the house of our God,
3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.
4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His special treasure.
5 For I know that the LORD is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the LORD pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places.
7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.
8 He destroyed the firstborn of Egypt,
Both of man and beast.
9 He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt,
Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He defeated many nations
And slew mighty kings—
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
And all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12 And gave their land as a heritage,
A heritage to Israel His people.
13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever,
Your fame, O LORD, throughout all generations.
14 For the LORD will judge His people,
And He will have compassion on His servants.
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
19 Bless the LORD, O house of Israel!
Bless the LORD, O house of Aaron!
20 Bless the LORD, O house of Levi!
You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!
21 Blessed be the LORD out of Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the LORD!
The authorship of this Psalm is unknown; likewise, the date of this writing is not apparent. This Psalm is written like a recitation for a pep rally in honor of God's power and faithfulness. It is typical in the Psalms and Prophets to cite reminders for God's people of His faithfulness to them in times past.
Following are the specific instances of God's faithfulness recounted by this Psalmist:
Perhaps this is yet another of those crisis situations, and this Psalm is reminding the people that God can do it again. He, indeed, was with Israel in conquering the lands with the false gods as stated. If this was written during the Assyrian siege on Jerusalem, these words take on deep meaning to the inhabitants of that city.
