2 Kings 21:10

KJV

¶ And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying,

KJV (with Strong's)

And the LORD {H3068} spake {H1696} by {H3027} his servants {H5650} the prophets {H5030}, saying {H559},

Complete Jewish Bible

ADONAI spoke this message through his servants the prophets:

Berean Standard Bible

And the LORD spoke through His servants the prophets, saying,

American Standard Version

And Jehovah spake by his servants the prophets, saying,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
2 Kings 21:10 marks a critical turning point in the tragic narrative of King Manasseh's reign, signaling the LORD's direct and authoritative intervention in response to Judah's profound and systemic apostasy. This verse underscores the divine patience and unwavering commitment of God to communicate His will and warnings, even when faced with extreme rebellion and spiritual decay, thereby setting the solemn stage for the declaration of impending judgment upon a nation that had strayed far from its covenant obligations.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse serves as a pivotal narrative hinge, immediately following the chilling and extensive catalog of King Manasseh's unparalleled wickedness (2 Kings 21:1-9). Manasseh, in stark contrast to his righteous father Hezekiah, systematically dismantled all previous religious reforms, aggressively re-establishing idolatry, rebuilding the high places, erecting altars to Baal and Asherah, and even engaging in the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice. The text explicitly condemns his actions as "more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel" ([2 Kings 21:9](/2_kings/21-9 "2 Kings 21:9 - Manasseh's Evil Exceeds Former Nations")). In this context of profound spiritual decay, national apostasy, and egregious covenant violation, [2 Kings 21:10](/2_kings/21-10 "2 Kings 21:10 - The LORD Speaks Through His Prophets") dramatically introduces God's direct and verbal response. It signifies the end of divine silence and the commencement of a solemn declaration of judgment, the specifics of which are then meticulously detailed in the subsequent verses ([2 Kings 21:11-15](/2_kings/21-11-15 "2 Kings 21:11-15 - The LORD's Judgment Declared")).

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Manasseh's reign over Judah was extraordinarily long, spanning 55 years (c. 697-642 BCE). During this period, Judah existed largely as a vassal state under the formidable Neo-Assyrian Empire. This geopolitical reality significantly influenced religious practices, as vassal states frequently adopted the gods or cults of their powerful overlords as a sign of allegiance or for political expediency. Manasseh's era witnessed an unprecedented level of religious syncretism, embracing not only indigenous Canaanite practices such as Baal worship and Asherah pole veneration but also widespread astral worship, a prominent feature of Mesopotamian religion. The practice of child sacrifice, explicitly and repeatedly condemned in the Torah as an abomination ([Deuteronomy 18:10](/deuteronomy/18-10 "Deuteronomy 18:10 - Abominations to the LORD")), reached new heights of depravity. The "prophets" mentioned in this verse represent God's faithful messengers who operated within this deeply corrupt and dangerous environment, courageously standing against the prevailing tide of popular idolatry and royal decree, often at immense personal risk and suffering.

* **Key Themes:** [2 Kings 21:10](/2_kings/21-10 "2 Kings 21:10 - The LORD Speaks Through His Prophets") powerfully illuminates several enduring theological themes. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Divine Communication** and God's remarkable **Long-suffering**. Despite the extreme wickedness of Manasseh and the pervasive national sin, the LORD does not immediately abandon His people or unilaterally revoke His covenant. Instead, He consistently chooses to communicate His will and warnings, demonstrating His profound desire for repentance and restoration before the inevitable execution of judgment. Secondly, the verse emphasizes **The Indispensable Role of Prophets** as God's authoritative mouthpieces. They were divinely called and empowered to deliver God's messages—whether of warning, judgment, or promise—to the kings and the people. They served as the nation's spiritual conscience and God's unmistakable voice, a consistent pattern observed throughout the Old Testament, affirming that God does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants, the prophets ([Amos 3:7](/amos/3-7 "Amos 3:7 - God Reveals His Secret to His Servants the Prophets")). Finally, while the specific content of the message is unveiled in subsequent verses, this introductory statement prepares the reader for the dire **Consequences of Disobedience** and apostasy, making it unequivocally clear that God's warnings are not empty threats and that covenant unfaithfulness will inevitably incur severe divine repercussions, as seen in the broader prophetic messages of judgment (e.g., [Jeremiah 7:25-26](/jeremiah/7-25-26 "Jeremiah 7:25-26 - God Sent His Prophets Daily")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **LORD (Hebrew, _Yᵉhôvâh'_):** This is the covenant name of God, Yahweh (H3068), signifying "the self-Existent or Eternal One." Its use here emphasizes that it is not a lesser deity or an impersonal force, but the one true, living, and sovereign God of Israel, who is actively engaging with His people's rebellion. This name underscores His faithfulness to His covenant, even as He prepares to address its violation.
* **spake (Hebrew, _dâbar'_):** The Hebrew verb (H1696) denotes a deliberate, authoritative, and often declarative utterance. It implies more than casual conversation; it signifies God's intentional communication of His will, a divine decree. In this context, it emphasizes the gravity and seriousness of the message that follows, indicating that God is actively and directly engaging with Judah's profound rebellion, breaking His silence to pronounce judgment.
* **prophets (Hebrew, _nâbîyʼ'_):** This term (H5030) refers to individuals specially called, inspired, and commissioned by God to deliver His messages. They stood in stark contrast to false prophets who spoke from their own imaginations or for personal gain. The plural form implies a succession of such messengers, indicating God's persistent and consistent efforts to reach His people over time, even in the face of persistent rejection and persecution, ensuring His word was continually present among them.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"¶ And the LORD spake":** This opening phrase immediately establishes the divine initiative and authority. It is God Himself, the covenant LORD (Yahweh), who breaks the silence that might have seemed to accompany Manasseh's prolonged wickedness. This is not a human decision or a political maneuver, but a direct, sovereign act of communication from the ultimate authority, signaling that the period of Manasseh's unchecked sin is about to meet a definitive divine response and pronouncement.
* **"by his servants the prophets":** This clause precisely specifies the chosen medium for God's communication. The prophets are designated as "his servants," emphasizing their absolute submission and unwavering loyalty to God, and their instrumental role as faithful, divinely-appointed messengers. This highlights God's established and consistent pattern of communicating His will, warnings, and promises through human intermediaries, thereby ensuring His authoritative word is delivered directly and tangibly to the people and their leadership.
* **"saying,":** This simple yet crucial word functions as a narrative transition, signaling that the direct content of God's message is about to be revealed. It sets the expectation for a forthcoming, explicit, and verbal declaration from the LORD, which is then meticulously elaborated upon in the subsequent verses, detailing the specific and severe judgments that Manasseh's idolatry and the nation's complicity will inevitably bring upon Judah.

#### Literary Devices
[2 Kings 21:10](/2_kings/21-10 "2 Kings 21:10 - The LORD Speaks Through His Prophets") functions primarily as a powerful **Transition** and an act of profound **Foreshadowing** within the narrative. It marks a decisive and ominous shift from the detailed description of Manasseh's egregious sins to God's direct, active, and impending response. By stating unequivocally that "the LORD spake," the text signals that the period of divine patience, while long, is drawing to a close, and that judgment is now firmly on the horizon. This creates significant narrative tension and prepares the reader for the severe pronouncements that follow in [2 Kings 21:11-15](/2_kings/21-11-15 "2 Kings 21:11-15 - The LORD's Judgment on Judah"). Furthermore, there is an implicit **Contrast** between Manasseh's active, persistent rebellion and God's steadfastness in upholding His covenant responsibilities, even if it means delivering warnings of dire judgment. The very act of speaking through prophets underscores God's **Divine Initiative** and His unwavering commitment to justice and righteousness, even when His covenant people are deeply steeped in apostasy and idolatry.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
[2 Kings 21:10](/2_kings/21-10 "2 Kings 21:10 - The LORD Speaks Through His Prophets") powerfully illustrates God's consistent character as a speaking God who actively engages with His creation, particularly His covenant people. Even in the face of profound rebellion, spiritual depravity, and overt idolatry, God does not remain silent, indifferent, or detached. Instead, He persistently communicates His truth, His warnings, and His calls to repentance through His chosen messengers. This verse highlights the divine patience and the immutable principle that God always sends a warning before executing judgment, thereby offering a final opportunity for His people to turn back to Him. The authority of God's word, delivered through the prophets, is absolute and carries the full weight of divine decree, ensuring that the people are without excuse for their continued disobedience and covenant unfaithfulness.

* [Amos 3:7](/amos/3-7 "Amos 3:7 - God Reveals His Secrets to Prophets")
* [Jeremiah 7:25](/jeremiah/7-25 "Jeremiah 7:25 - God Sent Prophets Daily")
* [Zechariah 1:3-4](/zechariah/1-3-4 "Zechariah 1:3-4 - Return to Me, Says the LORD")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
[2 Kings 21:10](/2_kings/21-10 "2 Kings 21:10 - The LORD Speaks Through His Prophets") serves as a profound and timeless reminder that God is not a distant, silent, or indifferent deity but an ever-present, actively communicating God who desires to be known, understood, and obeyed by humanity. Just as He spoke authoritatively and persistently through His prophets in ancient Israel, God continues to speak clearly and authoritatively today, primarily through His inspired and inerrant Word, the Bible. This verse calls us to cultivate a posture of profound humility, attentive listening, and responsive obedience to divine counsel. In a world saturated with competing voices, overwhelming distractions, and deceptive ideologies, it is imperative for believers to prioritize listening intently to God's voice, found definitively in Scripture, and to discern its direct application to every facet of our lives. Ignoring God's warnings, whether in personal conduct, ethical choices, or societal trends, invariably carries spiritual and often temporal consequences, just as it did for Manasseh and the nation of Judah. This passage profoundly encourages us to heed God's revealed truth, to repent where necessary, and to diligently align our lives with His righteous standards, trusting implicitly in His perfect patience, unwavering justice, and ultimate redemptive purposes.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what specific ways do I actively seek to hear and discern God's voice in my daily life, beyond mere intellectual assent?**
* **Are there any "warnings" or clear instructions from God's Word that I might be consciously or unconsciously neglecting, rationalizing away, or procrastinating on?**
* **How does God's profound patience, even in the face of persistent and egregious sin, both encourage and challenge my own walk of faith and my interactions with others?**
* **What is my personal responsibility to faithfully share God's truth and His call to repentance with others, in light of the prophets' crucial role as His messengers?**

### FAQ
**Who were "his servants the prophets" in Manasseh's time, and why aren't they named?**

Answer: While [2 Kings 21:10](/2_kings/21-10 "2 Kings 21:10 - The LORD Speaks Through His Prophets") does not explicitly name the specific prophets active at this precise moment, the phrase "his servants the prophets" refers to the continuous and divinely authorized line of God's messengers throughout Israel's history. During Manasseh's exceptionally long and notoriously wicked reign (55 years), it is certain that several prophets would have been active, or their prophetic words would have been remembered, preserved, and disseminated. Tradition strongly suggests that the great prophet Isaiah may have been active early in Manasseh's reign and, tragically, possibly martyred by him. Other prophetic voices, such as those whose messages are preserved in the books of Hosea, Amos, and Micah, had already condemned similar idolatry, social injustice, and covenant unfaithfulness in the preceding decades, laying a theological groundwork. Later prophets like Jeremiah and Zephaniah would continue to condemn the deep-seated religious apostasy that took root during Manasseh's time, even if their main ministries began after his reign. The anonymity in the text emphasizes that God consistently sent *messengers*—a collective body—ensuring His people were warned, regardless of who specifically delivered the message at a given point. This highlights the divine origin and continuity of the message, rather than focusing on the individual human conduit.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
[2 Kings 21:10](/2_kings/21-10 "2 Kings 21:10 - The LORD Speaks Through His Prophets") vividly portrays God's consistent pattern of speaking His word of warning and judgment through His chosen messengers, a pattern that finds its ultimate, most profound, and climactic fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament prophets, though vital and divinely appointed, were merely "servants" and "mouthpieces" through whom God spoke "at various times and in various ways" ([Hebrews 1:1](/hebrews/1-1 "Hebrews 1:1 - God Spoke in Many Ways")). However, in the fullness of time, God spoke definitively, perfectly, and finally through His Son, Jesus, who is not merely a prophet but the very "radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being" ([Hebrews 1:3](/hebrews/1-3 "Hebrews 1:3 - The Radiance of God's Glory")). Jesus is the Prophet "like Moses" whom God promised to raise up ([Deuteronomy 18:15](/deuteronomy/18-15 "Deuteronomy 18:15 - A Prophet Like Moses")), indeed, He is the very Word of God made flesh, dwelling among us ([John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh")). While the prophets of Manasseh's time delivered stern warnings of impending judgment for sin, Jesus came not only to warn of sin's consequences but also to offer the ultimate and perfect solution to sin through His atoning sacrifice on the cross ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")). He fulfills all the prophetic types and shadows, embodying God's final and complete revelation of Himself and His redemptive plan. Through Christ, God's word of righteous judgment for sin is met with His unparalleled word of grace and salvation for all who believe, ushering in a new and superior covenant where God speaks directly to His people through His indwelling Spirit and His beloved Son ([Hebrews 8:10-12](/hebrews/8-10-12 "Hebrews 8:10-12 - The New Covenant")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

2 Chronicles 33:10

And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.

Nehemiah 9:26

Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

2 Chronicles 36:15

And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:

Matthew 23:34

¶ Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and [some] of them ye shall kill and crucify; and [some] of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute [them] from city to city:

Matthew 23:37

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!

Nehemiah 9:30

Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.