2 Chronicles 33:23
And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.
And humbled {H3665} not himself before {H6440} the LORD {H3068}, as Manasseh {H4519} his father {H1} had humbled {H3665} himself; but Amon {H526} trespassed {H819} more and more {H7235}.
He did not humble himself before ADONAI, as M'nasheh his father had done; rather, this Amon kept adding to his guilt.
but he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done; instead, Amon increased his guilt.
And he humbled not himself before Jehovah, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more.
Cross-References
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2 Chronicles 33:12
And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, -
2 Chronicles 33:19
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. -
Jeremiah 8:12
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. -
2 Timothy 3:13
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. -
Jeremiah 7:26
Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers. -
2 Chronicles 28:22
And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this [is that] king Ahaz. -
2 Chronicles 33:1
ยถ Manasseh [was] twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:
Commentary
2 Chronicles 33:23 provides a concise yet sobering indictment of King Amon of Judah, highlighting his profound spiritual failure. The verse directly contrasts Amon's unrepentant heart with the eventual humility and turning of his father, Manasseh, despite Manasseh's earlier, extreme wickedness.
Context
King Amon succeeded his father, Manasseh, as king of Judah. Manasseh's reign (697-642 BC) was one of the longest and most idolatrous in Judah's history, marked by the reintroduction of pagan worship, child sacrifice, and other abominable practices that led to the nation's spiritual decline. However, 2 Chronicles 33:12-13 clearly states that Manasseh eventually humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers after being taken captive by the Assyrians, and God restored him. Amon, despite witnessing his father's dramatic conversion and subsequent efforts to reverse some of his earlier evils, chose a different path. His reign lasted only two years (642-640 BC), during which he stubbornly persisted in wickedness, failing to learn from the powerful lesson of his father's repentance.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "humbled himself" comes from the Hebrew verb kana' (ืึธึผื ึทืข), which means "to bow down," "to be subdued," or "to submit." It implies a voluntary act of submission, often accompanied by repentance and a change of heart. Amon's failure to kana' highlights his stubborn pride. The word "trespassed" is from the Hebrew 'asham (ืึธืฉึทืื), meaning "to be guilty," "to offend," or "to incur guilt." The repetition "more and more" (larbeh l'ashom) emphasizes the escalating nature of his guilt and misdeeds, showing a deliberate and increasing pattern of sin rather than a temporary lapse.
Practical Application
The brief but impactful account of King Amon offers several enduring lessons for believers today:
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