He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom.Manasseh revived practices that God had expressly forbidden in Israel, including the offering of children to false gods (Leviticus 18:21; Deuteronomy 18:10). The Valley of Ben-hinnom lay southwest of Jerusalem and became infamous as a site of such atrocities, later giving its name to Gehenna, an image of final judgment (Mark 9:43). Rather than preserving the reforms of his father Hezekiah, Manasseh brought pagan worship into Judah and treated human life, made in God’s image, as an offering to idols. Jer 7:31 They have built the high places of Topheth… He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. God had forbidden these occult practices because they sought spiritual power and guidance apart from Him (Deuteronomy 18:10–12). Consulting the dead and pursuing hidden knowledge opened Judah (meaning “praise”) to deception and rebellion rather than truth. Israel was called to seek the Lord and to measure every claim of spiritual guidance by His revealed word (Isaiah 8:19–20). 2Ki 21:6 He sacrificed his own son in the fire… He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. Manasseh’s sins were committed before the God who sees all things and judges according to His holy covenant. His leadership drew the nation into idolatry, violence, and spiritual corruption, contributing to the judgment that would eventually fall on Judah (2 Kings 24:3–4). Though Manasseh later humbled himself and received mercy, the devastation caused by his long rebellion revealed the grave consequences of turning from the Lord. 2Ki 21:15 because they have done evil in My sight… Persons / Places / Events 1. ManassehThe king of Judah who engaged in idolatrous practices, including child sacrifice and witchcraft, leading the nation into sin. 2. Valley of Hinnom A location near Jerusalem associated with idolatrous practices, including child sacrifice, which later became synonymous with hell (Gehenna). 3. Sorcery, Divination, and Witchcraft Practices condemned by God, involving attempts to gain supernatural knowledge or power apart from Him. 4. Mediums and Spiritists Individuals who claim to communicate with the dead or spirits, practices strictly forbidden in the Law of Moses. 5. The LORD The God of Israel, who is provoked to anger by Manasseh's actions, highlighting His holiness and intolerance of idolatry. Teaching Points The Consequences of IdolatryManasseh's actions serve as a stark reminder of the spiritual and societal decay that results from turning away from God. The Holiness of God God's anger at Manasseh's practices highlights His holiness and the seriousness with which He views sin. The Danger of Compromise Engaging in practices contrary to God's commands, even under cultural or societal pressure, leads to spiritual ruin. Repentance and Restoration Although not detailed in this verse, Manasseh's later repentance (2 Chronicles 33:12-13) shows that God's mercy is available to those who turn back to Him. Guarding Against Modern Idolatry While the specific practices may differ today, the underlying issue of seeking power or guidance apart from God remains relevant. Bible Study Questions 1. What specific practices did Manasseh engage in that provoked the LORD to anger, and why are these practices considered so grievous?2. How does the Valley of Hinnom's association with idolatry and child sacrifice inform our understanding of its later use as a metaphor for hell (Gehenna)? 3. In what ways do modern forms of idolatry and occult practices manifest, and how can Christians guard against them? 4. How does Manasseh's account illustrate the potential for repentance and God's willingness to forgive, even after grievous sin? 5. What lessons can we learn from Manasseh's reign about the influence of leadership on a nation's spiritual direction? Connections to Other Scriptures Deuteronomy 18:10-12This passage explicitly forbids practices like sorcery and divination, emphasizing that such actions are detestable to the LORD. Leviticus 20:6 Warns against turning to mediums and spiritists, indicating that God will set His face against those who do so. 2 Kings 21:6 Provides a parallel account of Manasseh's reign, reinforcing the severity of his sins and their impact on Judah. Jeremiah 7:31 References the Valley of Hinnom and the abominable practices conducted there, underscoring the depth of Judah's apostasy.
People Amon, Ben, David, Hezekiah, Israelites, Josiah, Manasseh, SolomonPlaces Assyria, Babylon, Fish Gate, Gihon, Jerusalem, Ophel, Valley of HinnomTopics Anger, Appointed, Arts, Augury, Ben, Ben-hinnom, Beyond, Burned, Caused, Clouds, Consulted, Control, Dealt, Divination, Divined, Enchantments, Evil, Familiar, Fire, Future, Ghost, Hinnom, Magic, Measure, Mediums, Moving, Multiplied, Necromancers, Observed, Offering, Pass, Positions, Powers, Practiced, Practised, Provoke, Provoking, Reading, Secret, Sight, Signs, Sons, Soothsayers, Soothsaying, Sorcery, Spirit, Spiritists, Spirits, Unnatural, Valley, Witchcraft, Wizard, Wizards, Wonder-workers, Worked, Wrath, WroughtDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Chronicles 33:6 4175 mediums Library Manasseh's Sin and Repentance'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. 10. And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. 11. Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 12. And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Manasseh How Shall one Make Use of Christ as the Life, when Wrestling with an Angry God Because of Sin? Josiah, a Pattern for the Ignorant. Covenanting According to the Purposes of God. The Worst Things Work for Good to the Godly The Girdle of the City. Nehemiah 3 The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal Beginning at Jerusalem The Jerusalem Sinner Saved; Chronicles Links 2 Chronicles 33:6 NIV2 Chronicles 33:6 NLT 2 Chronicles 33:6 ESV 2 Chronicles 33:6 NASB 2 Chronicles 33:6 KJV 2 Chronicles 33:6 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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