2 Chronicles 33:3

For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) For.—And. (See margin.)

Broken down.—2Chronicles 23:17; 2Chronicles 31:1 (“threw down”). Kings has “destroyed” (‘ibbad).

Baalim.—The Baals—i.e., the different images of Baal. Kings has the singular, both here and in the next word, “groves,” or rather Asheras (‘Ashērôth; Kings, ‘Ashērah). The latter plural is rhetorical: Manasseh made such things as Asheras. (Comp. also the use of the plural in 2Chronicles 32:31, and the passages there referred to.) Kings adds: “as Ahab king of Israel made.”

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

33:1-20 We have seen Manasseh's wickedness; here we have his repentance, and a memorable instance it is of the riches of God's pardoning mercy, and the power of his renewing grace. Deprived of his liberty, separated from his evil counsellors and companions, without any prospect but of ending his days in a wretched prison, Manasseh thought upon what had passed; he began to cry for mercy and deliverance. He confessed his sins, condemned himself, was humbled before God, loathing himself as a monster of impiety and wickedness. Yet he hoped to be pardoned through the abundant mercy of the Lord. Then Manasseh knew that Jehovah was God, able to deliver. He knew him as a God of salvation; he learned to fear, trust in, love, and obey him. From this time he bore a new character, and walked in newness of life. Who can tell what tortures of conscience, what pangs of grief, what fears of wrath, what agonizing remorse he endured, when he looked back on his many years of apostacy and rebellion against God; on his having led thousands into sin and perdition; and on his blood-guiltiness in the persecution of a number of God's children? And who can complain that the way of heaven is blocked up, when he sees such a sinner enter? Say the worst against thyself, here is one as bad who finds the way to repentance. Deny not to thyself that which God hath not denied to thee; it is not thy sin, but thy impenitence, that bars heaven against thee.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare references and notes. The author of Chronicles differs chiefly from Kings in additions (see the 2 Kings 21:17 note). The central part of this chapter (2 Chronicles 33:11-19) is almost entirely new matter.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 33

2Ch 33:1-10. Manasseh's Wicked Reign.

1, 2. Manasseh … did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord—(See on [471]2Ki 21:1-16).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Manasseh was twelve years old,.... From hence to the end of 2 Chronicles 33:9 the same things are recorded, almost word for word, as in 2 Kings 21:1, see the notes there. See Gill on 2 Kings 21:1.

Geneva Study Bible

For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. Baalim] R.V. the Baalim. Baal was the title of the supreme God of the Canaanites, who was worshipped in different places under somewhat different aspects; hence the plural (“Baalim”) here. The altars would be distributed through the country to suit the convenience of the people.

groves] R.V. Asheroth; cp. 2 Chronicles 14:3 (note).

the host of heaven] Cp. 2 Kings 17:16; Jeremiah 8:2.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - He built again; literally, returned and built - the ordinary Hebrew idiom for "took again to building," etc. Made groves; i.e. as often before the stocks that set forth Ashtoreth (Deuteronomy 16:21). The parallel gives prominence to the one Asherah, ten times offensive, as set up in the house of the Lord (ver. 7 there). The mention of his pantheon of the host of heaven is an addition to the wickedness of former wicked kings. It is also noted in the parallel. 2 Chronicles 33:3

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The reign of Manasseh; cf. 2 Kings 21:1-18. - The characteristics of this king's reign, and of the idolatry which he again introduced, and increased in a measure surpassing all his predecessors (2 Chronicles 33:1-9), agrees almost verbally with 2 Kings 21:1-9. Here and there an expression is rhetorically generalized and intensified, e.g., by the plurals לבּעלים and אשׁרות (2 Chronicles 33:3) instead of the sing. לבּעל and אשׁרה (Kings), and בּנין (2 Chronicles 33:6) instead of בּנו (see on 2 Chronicles 28:3); by the addition of וכשּׁף to ונחשׁ עונן, and of the name the Vale of Hinnom, 2 Chronicles 33:6 (see on Joshua 15:18, גּי for גּיא); by heaping up words for the law and its commandments (2 Chronicles 33:8); and other small deviations, of which הסּמל פּסל (2 Chronicles 33:7) instead of האשׁרה פּסל (Kings) is the most important. The word סמל, sculpture or statue, is derived from Deuteronomy 4:16, but has perhaps been taken by the author of the Chronicle from Ezekiel 8:3, where סמל probably denotes the statue of Asherah. The form עילום for עולם (2 Chronicles 33:7) is not elsewhere met with.