2 Kings 21:3
New International Version
He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them.

New Living Translation
He rebuilt the pagan shrines his father, Hezekiah, had destroyed. He constructed altars for Baal and set up an Asherah pole, just as King Ahab of Israel had done. He also bowed before all the powers of the heavens and worshiped them.

English Standard Version
For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.

Berean Standard Bible
For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.

King James Bible
For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
For he rebuilt the high places which his father Hezekiah had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, just as Ahab king of Israel had done, and he worshiped all the heavenly lights and served them.

NASB 1995
For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.

NASB 1977
For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.

Legacy Standard Bible
Indeed, he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.

Amplified Bible
For he rebuilt the high places [for the worship of pagan gods] which his father Hezekiah had destroyed; and he set up altars for Baal and made an [image of] Asherah, just as Ahab king of Israel had done, and he worshiped all the [starry] host of heaven and served them.

Christian Standard Bible
He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed and reestablished the altars for Baal. He made an Asherah, as King Ahab of Israel had done; he also bowed in worship to all the stars in the sky and served them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed and reestablished the altars for Baal. He made an Asherah, as King Ahab of Israel had done; he also worshiped the whole heavenly host and served them.

American Standard Version
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he turned and built the high places that Hezekiah his father had torn down, and he raised up altars to Baal and he made dreaded things, as Akhab King of Israel had done, and he bowed to all the host of Heaven and he worked for them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he built again the high places, which Ezekias his father had demolished; and set up an altar to Baal, and made groves as Achaab king of Israel made them; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

Contemporary English Version
He rebuilt the local shrines that his father Hezekiah had torn down. He built altars for the god Baal and set up a sacred pole for worshiping the goddess Asherah, just as King Ahab of Israel had done. And he faithfully worshiped the stars in heaven.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he turned, and built up the high places which Ezechias his father had destroyed: and he set up altars to Baal, and made groves, as Achab the king of Israel had done: and he adored all the host of heaven, and served them.

English Revised Version
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He rebuilt the illegal places of worship that his father Hezekiah had destroyed. He set up altars dedicated to Baal and made a pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah as King Ahab of Israel had done. Manasseh, like Ahab, worshiped and served the entire army of heaven.

Good News Translation
He rebuilt the pagan places of worship that his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he built altars for the worship of Baal and made an image of the goddess Asherah, as King Ahab of Israel had done. Manasseh also worshiped the stars.

International Standard Version
He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed. He erected altars for Baal, crafted an Asherah, just as King Ahab of Israel had done, and worshipped and served the stars of heaven.

JPS Tanakh 1917
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

Literal Standard Version
and he turns and builds the high places that his father Hezekiah destroyed, and raises altars for Ba‘al, and makes an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel did, and bows himself to all the host of the heavens, and serves them.

Majority Standard Bible
For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.

New American Bible
He rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed. He set up altars to Baal and also made an asherah, as Ahab, king of Israel, had done. He bowed down to the whole host of heaven and served them.

NET Bible
He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he set up altars for Baal and made an Asherah pole just like King Ahab of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the stars in the sky and worshiped them.

New Revised Standard Version
For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he erected altars for Baal, made a sacred pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, worshiped all the host of heaven, and served them.

New Heart English Bible
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served them.

Webster's Bible Translation
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served them.

World English Bible
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he raised up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel did, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them.

Young's Literal Translation
and he turneth and buildeth the high places that Hezekiah his father destroyed, and raiseth altars for Baal, and maketh a shrine, as did Ahab king of Israel, and boweth himself to all the host of the heavens, and serveth them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Manasseh Reigns in Judah
2And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 3For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven. 4Manasseh also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My Name.”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 4:19
When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars--all the host of heaven--do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.

Deuteronomy 16:21
Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole next to the altar you will build for the LORD your God,

Deuteronomy 17:2
If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant

Deuteronomy 20:18
so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God.

1 Kings 16:31
And as if it were not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he even married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he then proceeded to serve and worship Baal.

2 Kings 17:16
They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal.

2 Kings 18:4
He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze snake called Nehushtan that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had burned incense to it.


Treasury of Scripture

For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

the high places.

2 Kings 18:4,22
He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan…

2 Chronicles 32:12
Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?

2 Chronicles 34:3
For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.

he reared.

2 Kings 10:18-20
And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much…

1 Kings 16:31-33
And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him…

1 Kings 18:21,26
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word…

a grove.

Ahab.

2 Kings 8:18,27
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD…

Micah 6:16
For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.

and worshipped.

2 Kings 17:16
And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

2 Kings 23:4
And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.

Deuteronomy 4:19
And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

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Ahab Altars Army Asherah Baal Built Destroyed Erected Grove Heaven Hezekiah High Host Israel Places Reared Rebuilt Served Sky Worshiped Worshipped
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Ahab Altars Army Asherah Baal Built Destroyed Erected Grove Heaven Hezekiah High Host Israel Places Reared Rebuilt Served Sky Worshiped Worshipped
2 Kings 21
1. Manasseh's reign.
3. His great idolatry.
10. His wickedness causes prophecies against Judah.
17. Amon succeeds him.
19. Amon's wicked reign.
23. He being slain by his servants, and those murderers slain by the people,
26. Josiah is made king.














(3) For he built up again.--The LXX. and Vulg. imitate the Hebrew idiom, and he returned and built--i.e., and he rebuilt.

The high places . . . altars for Baal . . . a grove (an Ash?rah).--"The idols, the sun-pillars, the ash?rim, the sacred trees, and all the other pagan or half-pagan symbols, so plainly inconsistent with the prophetic faith, were of the very substance of Israel's worship in the popular sanctuaries" (Prof. Robertson Smith).

As did Ahab.--See 1Kings 16:32-33.

Worshipped all the host of heaven.--See Notes on 2Kings 17:16, and comp. 2Kings 23:12. The Babylonian star-worship and astrology, with concomitant superstitions, had been introduced under Ahaz.

Verse 3. - For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed (comp. 2 Kings 18:4, 22). On the high-place worship, see the comment upon 1 Kings 14:23. It is quite clear that the people were deeply attached to it, and gladly saw it restored. And he reared up altars for Baal; i.e. he reintroduced the Phoenician Baal-worship, the special abomination of the house of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31; 1 Kings 22:53; 2 Kings 8:18, 27, etc.), which Athaliah had been the first to introduce into Judah (2 Kings 11:18), which Joash had put away (2 Kings 11:18), but which Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:2) had recalled. And made a grove; literally, an Asherah, or emblem of Astarte (compare the comment on 1 Kings 14:23) - as did Ahab King of Israel (see 1 Kings 16:33) and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. The worship the host of heaven, or the entire multitude of the heavenly bodies, commonly known as Sabaeanism or Ssabianism, was an ancient Babylonian, Arabian, and Syrian practice. It had, perhaps, been introduced among the Jews by Ahaz (2 Kings 23:12). At any rate, it was from the time of Manasseh one of the favorite idolatries of the Jewish people. The stars were believed to guide the destiny of men, and astrology was cultivated as a main part, or even as the essence, of religion. Astrological tracts form an important element in the literature of the Babylonians (see' Records of the Past,' vol. 1. pp. 153-163). The chief objects of adoration in this worship were the sun and moon, the five planets, and the signs of the zodiac.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For he rebuilt
וַיָּ֗שָׁב (way·yā·šāḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

the high places
הַבָּמ֔וֹת (hab·bā·mō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1116: An elevation

that
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

his father
אָבִ֑יו (’ā·ḇîw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

Hezekiah
חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ (ḥiz·qî·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2396: Hezekiah -- 'Yah has strengthened', a king of Judah, also several other Israelites

had destroyed,
אִבַּ֖ד (’ib·baḏ)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

and he raised up
וַיָּ֨קֶם (way·yā·qem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

altars
מִזְבְּחֹ֜ת (miz·bə·ḥōṯ)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4196: An altar

for Baal.
לַבַּ֗עַל (lab·ba·‘al)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1168: Baal -- a heathen god

He made
וַיַּ֤עַשׂ (way·ya·‘aś)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

an Asherah pole,
אֲשֵׁרָה֙ (’ă·šê·rāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 842: A Phoenician goddess, also an image of the same

as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

King
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

Ahab
אַחְאָב֙ (’aḥ·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 256: Ahab -- 'father's brother', a king of Israel, also a false prophet

of Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

had done,
עָשָׂ֗ה (‘ā·śāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

and he worshiped
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ (way·yiš·ta·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7812: To depress, prostrate

and served
וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ד (way·ya·‘ă·ḇōḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

all
לְכָל־ (lə·ḵāl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the host
צְבָ֣א (ṣə·ḇā)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign

of heaven.
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (haš·šā·ma·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky


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OT History: 2 Kings 21:3 For he built again the high places (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 21:2
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