TRV
Translation
King James Version
And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.
Complete Jewish Bible
He repaired the altar of ADONAI and offered on it sacrifices as peace offerings and for thanksgiving; and he ordered Y'hudah to serve ADONAI the God of Isra'el.
Berean Standard Bible
Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and he told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel.
American Standard Version
And he built up the altar of Jehovah, and offered thereon sacrifices of peace-offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve Jehovah, the God of Israel.
World English Bible Messianic
He built up the altar of the LORD, and offered sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving on it, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Also he prepared the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings, and of thankes, and commanded Iudah to serue the Lord God of Israel.
Young's Literal Translation
And he buildeth the altar of Jehovah, and sacrificeth upon it sacrifices of peace-offerings and thank-offering, and saith to Judah to serve Jehovah, God of Israel;
See also
In the KJVVerse 11,925 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 33 verses 11–20
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 himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.
14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.
15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of 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 cast them out of the city.
16 And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.
17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.
19 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.
20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
We have seen Manasseh by his wickedness undoing the good that his father had done; here we have him by repentance undoing the evil that he himself had done. It is strange that this was not so much as mentioned in the book of Kings, nor does any thing appear there to the contrary but that he persisted and perished in his son. But perhaps the reason was because the design of that history was to show the wickedness of the nation which brought destruction upon them; and this repentance of Manasseh and the benefit of it, being personal only and not national, is overlooked there; yet here it is fully related, and a memorable instance it is of the riches of God's pardoning mercy and the power of his renewing grace. Here is,
I. The occasion of Manasseh's repentance, and that was his affliction. In his distress he did not (like king Ahaz) trespass yet more against God, but humbled himself and returned to God. Sanctified afflictions often prove happy means of conversion. What his distress was we are told, Ch2 33:11. God brought a foreign enemy upon him; the king of Babylon, that courted his father who faithfully served God, invaded him now that he had treacherously departed from God. He is here called king of Assyria, because he had made himself master of Assyria, which he would the more easily do for the defeat of Sennacherib's army, and its destruction before Jerusalem. He aimed at the treasures which the ambassadors had seen, and all those precious things; but God sent him to chastise a sinful people, and subdue a straying prince. The captain took Manasseh among the thorns, in some bush or other, perhaps in his garden, where he had hid himself. Or it is spoken figuratively: he was perplexed in his counsels and embarrassed in his affairs. He was, as we say, in the briers, and knew not which way to extricate himself, and so became an easy prey to the Assyrian captains, who no doubt plundered his house and took away what they pleased, as Isaiah had foretold, Kg2 20:17, Kg2 20:18. What was Hezekiah's pride was their prey. They bound Manasseh, who had been held before with the cords of his own iniquity, and carried him prisoner to Babylon. About what time of his reign this was we are not told; the Jews say it was in his twenty-second year.
II. The expressions of his repentance (Ch2 33:12, Ch2 33:13): When he was in affliction he had time to bethink himself and reason enough too. He saw what he had brought himself to by his sin. He found the gods he had served unable to help him. He knew that repentance was the only way of restoring his affairs; and therefore to him he returned from whom he had revolted. 1. He was convinced the Jehovah is the only living and true God: Then he knew (that is, he believed and considered) that the Lord he was God. He might have known it at a less expense if he would have given due attention and credit to the word written and preached: but it was better to pay thus dearly for the knowledge of God than to perish in ignorance and unbelief. Had he been a prince in the palace of Babylon, it is probable he would have been confirmed in his idolatry; but, being a captive in the prisons of Babylon, he was convinced of it and reclaimed from it. 2. He applied to him as his God now, renouncing all others, and resolving to cleave to him only, the God of his fathers, and a God on covenant with him. 3. He humbled himself greatly before him, was truly sorry for his sins, ashamed of them, and afraid of the wrath of God. It becomes sinners to humble themselves before the face of that God whom they have offended. It becomes sufferers to humble themselves under the hand of that God who corrects them, and to accept the punishment of their iniquity. Our hearts should be humbled under humbling providences; then we accommodate ourselves to them, and answer God's end in them. 4. He prayed to him for the pardon of sin and the return of his favour. Prayer is the relief of penitents, the relief of the afflicted. That is a good prayer, and very pertinent in this case, which we find among the apocryphal books, entitled, The prayer of Manasses, king of Judah, when he was holden captive in Babylon. Whether it was his or no is uncertain; if it was, in it he gives glory to God as the God of their fathers and their righteous seed, as the Creator of the world, a God whose anger is insupportable, and yet his merciful promise unmeasurable. He pleads that God has promised repentance and forgiveness to those that have sinned, and has appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved, not unto the just, as to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but to me (says he) that am a sinner; for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea: so he confesses his sin largely, and aggravates it. He prays, Forgive me, O Lord! forgive me, and destroy me not; he pleads, Thou art the God of those that repent, etc., and concludes, Therefore I will praise thee for ever, etc.
III. God's gracious acceptance of his repentance: God was entreated of him, and heard his supplication. Though affliction drive us to God, he will not therefore reject us if in sincerity we seek him, for afflictions are sent on purpose to bring us to him. As a token of God's favour to him, he made a way for his escape. Afflictions are continued no longer than till they have done their work. When Manasseh is brought back to his God and to his duty he shall soon be brought back to his kingdom. See how ready God is to accept and welcome returning sinners, and how swift to show mercy. Let not great sinners despair, when Manasseh himself, upon his repentance, found favour with God; in him God showed forth a pattern of long-suffering, as Ti1 1:16; Isa 1:18.
IV. The fruits meet for repentance which he brought forth after his return to his own land, Ch2 33:15, Ch2 33:16. 1. He turned from his sins. He took away the strange gods, the images of them, and that idol (whatever it was) which he had set up with so much solemnity in the house of the Lord, as if it had been master of that house. He cast out all the idolatrous altars that were in the mount of the house and in Jerusalem, as detestable things. Now (we hope) he loathed them as much as ever he had loved them, and said to them, Get you hence, Isa 30:22. "What have I to do any more with idols? I have had enough of them." 2. He returned to his duty; for he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had either been abused and broken down by some of the idolatrous priests, or, at least, neglected and gone out of repair. He sacrificed thereon peace-offerings to implore God's favour, and thank-offerings to praise him for his deliverance. Nay, he now used his power to reform his people, as before he had abused it to corrupt them: He commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. Note, Those that truly repent of their sins will not only return to God themselves, but will do all they can to recover those that have by their example been seduced and drawn away from God; else they do not thoroughly (as they ought) undo what they have done amiss, nor make the plaster as wide as the wound. We find that he prevailed to bring them off from their false gods, but not from their high places, Ch2 33:17. They still sacrificed in them, yet to the Lord their God only; Manasseh could not carry the reformation so far as he had carried the corruption. It is an easy thing to debauch men's manners, but not so easy to reform them again.
V. His prosperity, in some measure, after his repentance. He might plainly see it was sin that ruined him; for, when he returned to God in a way of duty, God returned to him in a way of mercy: and then he built a wall about the city of David (Ch2 33:14), for by sin he had unwalled it and exposed it to the enemy. He also put captains of war in the fenced cities for the security of his country. Josephus says that all the rest of his time he was so changed for the better that he was looked upon as a very happy man.
Lastly, Here is the conclusion of his history. The heads of those things for a full narrative of which we are referred to the other writings that were then extant are more than of any of the kings, Ch2 33:18, Ch2 33:19. A particular account, it seems, was kept, 1. Of all his sin, and his trespass, the high places he built, the groves and images he set up, before he was humbled. Probably this was taken from his own confession which he made of his sin when God gave him repentance, and which he left upon record, in a book entitled, The words of the seers. To those seers that spoke to him (Ch2 33:18) to reprove him for his sin he sent his confession when he repented, to be inserted in their memoirs, as a token of his gratitude to them for their kindness in reproving him. Thus it becomes penitents to take shame to themselves, to give thanks to their reprovers, and warning to others. 2. Of the words of the seers that spoke to him in the name of the Lord (Ch2 33:10, Ch2 33:18), the reproofs they gave him for his sin and their exhortations to repentance. Note, Sinners ought to consider, that, how little notice soever they take of them, an account is kept of the words of the seers that speak to them from God to admonish them of their sins, warn them of their danger, and call them to their duty, which will be produced against them in the great day. 3. Of his prayer to God (this is twice mentioned as a remarkable thing) and how God was entreated of him. This was written for the generations to come, that the people that should be created might praise the Lord for his readiness to receive returning prodigals. Notice is taken of the place of his burial, not in the sepulchres of the kings, but in his own house; he was buried privately, and nothing of that honour was done him at his death that was done to his father. Penitents may recover their comfort sooner than their credit.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 11–20. Public domain.
Copy as
John ChrysostomAD 407
HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 22.6
What sort of comfort, to be every day looking for punishment and vengeance? No, if you would have some comfort from this delay, take it by gathering for yourself the fruit of amendment after repentance. Since if the mere delay of vengeance seems to you a sort of refreshment, far more is it gain not to fall into the vengeance. Let us then make full use of this delay, in order to have a full deliverance from the dangers that press on us. For none of the things enjoined is either burdensome or grievous, but all are so light and easy that if we only bring a genuine purpose of heart, we may accomplish all, though we be chargeable with countless offenses. For so Manasseh had perpetrated innumerable pollutions, having both stretched out his hands against the saints, and brought abominations into the temple, and filled the city with murders and wrought many other things beyond excuse; yet nevertheless after so long and so great wickedness, he washed away from himself all these things. How and in what manner? By repentance and consideration.
John ChrysostomAD 407
LETTER TO THE FALLEN THEODORE 1.6
Manasseh, having exceeded all in fury and tyranny, and having subverted the legal form of worship, and shut up the temple and caused the deceit of idolatry to flourish and having become more ungodly than all who were before him, when he afterwards repented was ranked among the friends of God. Now if, looking to the magnitude of his own iniquities, he had despaired of restoration and repentance, he would have missed all that he afterwards obtained; but as it was, looking to the boundlessness of God’s tender mercy instead of the enormity of his transgressions, and having broken in two the bonds of the devil, he rose up and contended with him and finished the good course.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying 2 Chronicles 33:16 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
2 Chronicles 33:16 captures the profound spiritual transformation of King Manasseh, detailing his active and public efforts to reverse years of profound apostasy and lead the kingdom of Judah back to the exclusive worship of the LORD God of Israel. Following his humbling repentance and restoration, Manasseh diligently repaired the central altar of the LORD, reinstituted proper sacrificial worship through peace offerings and thank offerings, and, leveraging his royal authority, commanded all of Judah to serve the true God. This verse stands as a powerful testament to divine mercy, the tangible fruits of genuine repentance, and a pivotal moment in Judah's spiritual history under his reign.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The narrative of Manasseh's transformation in this chapter, culminating in verse 16, powerfully employs Contrast to highlight his radical shift from profound wickedness to sincere repentance. His actions—repairing the altar and commanding Judah to serve the Lord—stand in stark opposition to his earlier idolatry and his leading of the people astray, creating a dramatic before-and-after picture of spiritual reversal. This transformation also functions as a compelling Redemption Narrative, showcasing God's boundless willingness to forgive and restore even the most egregious sinner when genuine repentance occurs. The specific mention of "peace offerings and thank offerings" utilizes Symbolism, as these sacrifices represent reconciliation, gratitude, and renewed fellowship, embodying the very essence of Manasseh's restored relationship with God and his people's renewed communion. Furthermore, the progression from Manasseh's personal acts of devotion ("repaired the altar," "sacrificed") to his public decree ("commanded Judah") illustrates the Ripple Effect of genuine spiritual change, demonstrating how individual transformation, especially in leadership, can lead to broader societal and national reorientation towards God.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Manasseh's story, culminating in the actions described in 2 Chronicles 33:16, is a profound illustration of God's boundless grace and the transformative power of genuine repentance. It underscores that no sin is too great for God's forgiveness when a heart truly turns to Him in humility and faith. This verse shows repentance as not just regret or passive sorrow, but active, tangible steps to restore what was broken, undo past harm, and lead others towards righteousness. It also highlights the importance of worship and gratitude as central to a restored and thriving relationship with God, emphasizing that true communion involves both acknowledging His mercy and expressing heartfelt thanks.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Manasseh's journey from extreme apostasy to genuine repentance and restoration offers profound hope and practical lessons for believers today. It reminds us that our past sins, no matter how grievous or how long-standing, do not define our future in God's eyes if we turn to Him with a contrite heart. True repentance is evidenced not just by words or fleeting regret, but by tangible actions that seek to undo harm, restore what was broken, and re-align our lives with God's will. This might involve confessing wrongs, making restitution, or actively pursuing righteousness where we once pursued sin. Furthermore, Manasseh's example calls us to consider our sphere of influence: just as he, as king, commanded Judah to serve the LORD, we are called to lead those around us—family, friends, colleagues, and community—towards serving the Lord through our transformed lives, clear witness, and faithful example. This verse encourages us to embrace God's boundless mercy, live lives characterized by gratitude for His grace, and actively participate in the restoration of true worship in our own contexts, both personally and communally.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
How could Manasseh, who committed such terrible sins, be forgiven by God?
Answer: Manasseh's forgiveness is a powerful demonstration of God's boundless mercy and grace, which is extended to all who genuinely repent. 2 Chronicles 33:12-13 explicitly states that when he was in distress, he "humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers and prayed to him." God heard his plea and restored him. This narrative aligns with biblical themes that emphasize God's desire for sinners to turn from their ways and live, as seen in Ezekiel 18:23 and Isaiah 55:7. His forgiveness was not based on the magnitude of his sin, but on the sincerity of his repentance and God's unchanging character of love and compassion, which is always ready to receive those who turn to Him.
What is the significance of "peace offerings" and "thank offerings" specifically?
Answer: The choice of "peace offerings" (sh'lamim) and "thank offerings" (todah) is highly significant in the context of Manasseh's repentance. Unlike sin or guilt offerings, which primarily addressed specific transgressions and sought atonement, these were voluntary offerings expressing fellowship, reconciliation, and profound gratitude. Peace offerings symbolized a restored, harmonious relationship with God, often culminating in a communal meal shared by the offerer, priests, and God, signifying renewed communion and a state of shalom (peace, wholeness). Thank offerings were a specific type of peace offering, given in response to a particular blessing, deliverance, or answered prayer, expressing deep appreciation and public acknowledgment of God's goodness. By offering these, Manasseh was not just seeking forgiveness, but actively celebrating his renewed communion with God and expressing deep appreciation for God's mercy and restoration, as described in Leviticus 7:11-18. They indicate a heart not merely relieved of guilt, but overflowing with joy and gratitude for God's grace.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Manasseh's radical transformation and the restoration of worship described in 2 Chronicles 33:16 powerfully foreshadow the ultimate and perfect work of Christ. While Manasseh repaired a physical altar and offered animal sacrifices, these were but shadows pointing to the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the true Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Through Christ, the need for animal sacrifices is completely fulfilled and superseded, as He Himself became the ultimate peace offering, reconciling humanity to God through His blood shed on the cross (Colossians 1:20). Our "altar" is now Christ Himself, through whom we, as believers, are empowered to offer "a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess His name" (Hebrews 13:15). Manasseh's command for Judah to serve the LORD prefigures the New Covenant, where believers are called to serve God not under compulsion of the law, but by the indwelling Spirit, as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), participating in a spiritual worship that transcends physical rituals and is centered on the resurrected Christ (John 4:23-24). His story is a powerful testament to the boundless grace available to all through Christ, who truly makes all things new and empowers us to live lives of genuine repentance and grateful worship.