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.

For he built {H1129} again {H7725} the high places {H1116} which Hezekiah {H3169} his father {H1} had broken down {H5422}, and he reared up {H6965} altars {H4196} for Baalim {H1168}, and made {H6213} groves {H842}, and worshipped {H7812} all the host {H6635} of heaven {H8064}, and served {H5647} them.

For he rebuilt the high places which Hizkiyahu his father had smashed; he erected altars for the ba'alim, made sacred poles and worshipped all the army of heaven and served them.

For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he raised up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. And he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.

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

Commentary

This verse, 2 Chronicles 33:3, vividly describes the profound spiritual decline of Judah under King Manasseh, the son of the righteous King Hezekiah. It paints a stark picture of his deliberate reversal of his father's reforms and his embrace of widespread idolatry.

Context

King Manasseh's reign (697-642 BC) was one of the longest in Judah's history, but tragically, also one of the most wicked. He ascended the throne after his father, King Hezekiah, who was known for his fervent devotion to the Lord and his extensive efforts to eradicate idolatry from Judah, including breaking down high places and Asherah poles. Manasseh, however, systematically undid all of Hezekiah's religious reforms. This verse specifically details his initiation of various pagan practices, setting a tone of deep apostasy that would significantly contribute to Judah's eventual judgment and exile.

Key Themes

  • Reversal of Righteousness: Manasseh's actions represent a direct and defiant rejection of his father's godly legacy and a profound spiritual backsliding for the nation.
  • Pervasive Idolatry: The verse lists multiple forms of pagan worship, demonstrating Manasseh's comprehensive embrace of false gods.
    • High Places: These were elevated sites, often originally used for Israelite worship, but frequently corrupted by pagan practices and altars.
    • Baalim: The plural of Baal, referring to the many local manifestations of the Canaanite storm god, a prominent deity in the ancient Near East.
    • Groves: These typically refer to sacred poles or trees associated with the worship of Asherah, a Canaanite goddess often depicted as Baal's consort.
    • Host of Heaven: This phrase signifies the worship of celestial bodies—the sun, moon, and stars—as deities, a form of astral worship common in Mesopotamia and among surrounding nations, explicitly forbidden by God (e.g., Deuteronomy 4:19).
  • Influence of Leadership: Manasseh's choices as king had devastating consequences, leading the entire nation into grievous sin and provoking God's wrath.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew terms used here emphasize the widespread and diverse nature of Manasseh's idolatry:

  • The term "Baalim" (בְּעָלִים, bĕ‘ālîm) is the plural form of Baal, indicating not just one specific deity but the worship of various local Baals or perhaps the many aspects and manifestations of the Canaanite storm god.
  • "Groves" (אֲשֵׁרִים, ’ăshērîm) refers to the cultic objects associated with Asherah, often wooden poles or trees, central to Canaanite fertility worship.
  • "Host of heaven" (צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם, tsĕvā’ hashāmāyim) is a common biblical phrase for the celestial bodies, here indicating their worship as divine entities, a direct violation of the first commandment (e.g., Exodus 20:3).

Reflection and Application

Manasseh's story serves as a powerful warning about the dangers of spiritual regression and the profound impact of leadership. It highlights how quickly a nation or even an individual can turn away from God, even after experiencing periods of revival and righteousness. While this verse focuses on his sin, it's important to remember that Manasseh later humbled himself and repented, experiencing God's forgiveness. Nevertheless, his early actions had lasting negative consequences for Judah, demonstrating that even repentance doesn't always erase the societal effects of sin. For us today, it underscores the importance of guarding against modern forms of idolatry—anything that takes the place of God in our lives—and the critical role of spiritual discernment and steadfastness in faith.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 16:21

    Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

  • Deuteronomy 17:3

    And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;

  • 2 Chronicles 31:1

    ¶ Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

  • 2 Chronicles 30:14

    And they arose and took away the altars that [were] in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast [them] into the brook Kidron.

  • Jeremiah 19:13

    And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:18

    Wisdom [is] better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

  • 2 Kings 18:4

    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.
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