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Study this verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 2 Kings 21:10–18. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here is the doom of Judah and Jerusalem read, and it is heavy doom. The prophets were sent, in the first place, to teach them the knowledge of God, to remind them of their duty and direct them in it. If they succeeded not in that, their next work was to reprove them for their sins, and to set them in view before them, that they might repent and reform, and return to their duty. If in this they prevailed not, but sinners went on frowardly, their next work was to foretel the judgments of God, that the terror of them might awaken those to repentance who would not be made sensible of the obligations of his love, or else that the execution of them, in their season, might be a demonstration of the divine mission of the prophets that foretold them. The prophets were deputed judges to those that would not hear and receive them as teachers. We have here,
I.A recital of the crime.
The indictment is read upon which the judgment is grounded, Kg2 21:11. Manasseh had done wickedly himself, though he knew better things, had even justified the Amorites, whose copy he wrote after, by outdoing them in impieties, and debauched the people of God, whom he had taught to sin and forced to sin; and besides that (though that was bad enough) he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood (Kg2 21:16), had multiplied his murders in every corner of the city, and filled the measure of Jerusalem's blood-guiltiness (Mat 23:32) up to the brim, and all this against the crown and dignity of the King of kings, the peace of his kingdom, and the statutes in these cases made and provided.
II.A prediction of the judgment God would bring upon them for this:
They have done that which was evil, and therefore I am bringing evil upon them (Kg2 21:12); it will come and it is not far off. The judgment should be,
1.Very terrible and amazing; the very report of it should make men's ears to tingle (Kg2 21:12), that is, their hearts to tremble. It should make a great noise in the world and occasion many speculations.
2.It should be copied out (as the sins of Jerusalem had been) from Samaria and the house of Ahab, Kg2 21:13. When God lays righteousness to the line it shall be the line of Samaria, measuring out to Jerusalem that which had been the lot of Samaria; when he lays judgment to the plummet it shall be the plummet of the house of Ahab, marking out for the same ruin to which that wretched family was devoted. See Isa 28:17. Note, Those who resemble and imitate others in their sins must expect to fare as they fared.
3.That it should be an utter destruction: I will wipe it as a man wipes a dish. This intimates,
(1.)That every thing should be put into disorder, and their state subverted; they should be turned upside down, and all their foundations put out of course.
(2.)That the city should be emptied of its inhabitants, which had been the filth of it, as a dish is emptied when it is wiped: "They shall all be carried captive, the land shall enjoy her sabbaths, and be laid by as a dish when it is wiped." See the comparison of the boiled pot, not much unlike this, Eze 24:1-14.
(3.)That yet this should be in order to the purifying, not the destroying, of Jerusalem. The dish shall not be dropped, not broken to pieces, or melted down, but only wiped. This shall be the fruit, the taking away of the sinners first, and then of the sin.
4.That therefore they should be destroyed, because they should be deserted (Kg2 21:14): I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance. Justly are those that forsake God forsaken of him; nor does he ever leave any till they have first left him: but, when God has forsaken a people, their defence has departed, and they become a prey, an easy prey, to all their enemies. Sin is spoken of here as the alpha and omega of their miseries.
(1.)Old guilt came in remembrance, as that which began to fill the measure (Kg2 21:15): "They have provoked me to anger from their conception and birth as a people, since the day their fathers came out of Egypt." The men of this generation, treading in their fathers' steps, are justly reckoned with for their fathers' sins.
(2.)The guilt of blood was that which filled the measure, Kg2 21:16. Nothing has a louder cry, nor brings a sorer vengeance, than that.
This is all we have here of Manasseh; he stands convicted and condemned; but we hope in the book of Chronicles to hear of his repentance, and acceptance with God. Meantime, we must be content, in this place, to have only one intimation of his repentance (for so we are willing to take it), that he was buried, it is likely by his own order, in the garden of his own house (Kg2 21:18); for, being truly humbled for his sins, he judged himself no more worthy to be called a son, a son of David, and therefore not worthy to have even his dead body buried in the sepulchres of his fathers. True penitents take shame to themselves, not honour; yet, having lost the credit of an innocent, the credit of a penitent was the next best he was capable of. And better it is, and more honourable, for a sinner to die repenting, and be buried in a garden, than to die impenitent, and be buried in the abbey.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
For it is written thus in the fourth book of Kings and the second book of Chronicles, or of Days: “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, following the abominable practices of the nations that the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he erected altars for Baal, made a sacred pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. He built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, ‘In Jerusalem I will put my name.’ He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.” And Manasseh raised altars and served Baal there and said, “My name will last forever.” “He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. He made his son pass through fire; he practiced soothsaying and augury and dealt with mediums and with wizards. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. The carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the Lord said to David and to his son Solomon, ‘In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever; I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander any more out of the land that I gave to their ancestors, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.’ ” But they did not listen; Manasseh misled them to do more evil than the nations had done that the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel.The Lord said by his servants the prophets, “Because King Manasseh of Judah has committed these abominations, has done things more wicked than all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has caused Judah also to sin with his idols; therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I am bringing on Jerusalem and Judah such evil that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line for Samaria and the plumb line for the house of Ahab; I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. I will cast off the remnant of my heritage and give them into the hand of their enemies; they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies, because they have done what is evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger, since the day their ancestors came out of Egypt, even to this day.” Moreover Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin that he caused Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.” “Therefore the Lord brought against them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh captive in manacles, bound him with fetters and brought him to Babylon.” And he was bound and shackled all over with iron in the house of the prison. And bread made of bran was given to him scantly and by weight, and water mixed with vinegar but a little and by measure, so much as would keep him alive; and he was in straits and sore afflictions. “While he was in distress he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. He prayed to him,” saying, “O Lord, almighty God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and of their righteous seed, who have made heaven and earth, with all the ornaments thereof, who have bound the sea by the word of your commandment, who have shut up the deep and sealed it by your terrible and glorious name, whom all people fear and tremble before your power; for the majesty of your glory cannot be borne, and your angry threatening toward the sinner is insupportable. But your merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; for you are the most high Lord, of great compassion, long suffering, very merciful and who repents of the evils of humankind. You, O Lord, according to your great goodness, have promised repentance and forgiveness to them who have sinned against you, and of your infinite mercy you have appointed repentance to sinners, that they may be saved. You therefore, O Lord, that are the God of the just, have not appointed repentance to the just as to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who have not sinned against you; but you have appointed repentance to me that am a sinner: for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied; my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of my iniquity. I am bowed down with many iron bands; for I have provoked your wrath and done evil before you, setting up abominations and multiplying offenses. Now, therefore, I bow the knee of my heart, beseeching you of grace. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge my iniquities; wherefore I humbly beseech you, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and do not destroy me with my iniquities. Be not angry with me forever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me into the lower part of the earth. For you are the God, even the God of them that repent, and in me you will show your goodness; for you will save me that am unworthy, according to your great mercy. Therefore I will praise you forever all the days of my life; for all the powers of the heavens do praise you, and yours is the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
“And God heard his plea” and had compassion on him. And there appeared a flame of fire about him, and all the iron shackles and chains that were about him fell off; and the Lord healed Manasseh from his affliction and “restored him again to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord indeed was God.” And he worshiped the Lord God alone with all his heart and with all his soul, and all the days of his life; and he was esteemed righteous. “He took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord and all the altars that he had built on the mountain of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem, and he threw them out of the city. He also restored the altar of the Lord and offered on it sacrifices of well-being and of thanksgiving; and he commanded Judah to serve the Lord the God of Israel.” … You have heard, our beloved children, how the Lord God for a while punished him who was addicted to idols and had slain many innocent persons; and yet that he received him when he repented, and forgave him his offenses and restored him to his kingdom. For he not only forgives the penitent, but also reinstates them in their former dignity.
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 matter? By repentance and self-examination. For there is no sin that does not yield and give way to the power of repentance, or rather to the grace of Christ. Since if we would but only change, we have him to assist us. And if you are desirous to become good, there is none to hinder us; or rather there is one to hinder us, the devil, yet he has no power, so long as you choose what is best and so attract God to your aid.
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Summary
2 Kings 21:13 stands as a chilling divine decree, pronouncing God's unwavering judgment upon Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah. This pronouncement, delivered during the exceptionally wicked reign of King Manasseh, employs potent and vivid metaphors to underscore the absolute certainty, precision, and thoroughness of the impending destruction and removal of the city's inhabitants, signaling a complete reversal of its former glory and a severe consequence for persistent rebellion against the Lord.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is a pivotal prophetic declaration embedded within the narrative of King Manasseh's reign (2 Kings 21:1-18). Manasseh, the son of the righteous King Hezekiah, tragically reversed his father's reforms, leading Judah into unprecedented depths of idolatry and wickedness. The preceding verses detail his abominable practices: rebuilding high places, erecting altars to Baal, worshipping the host of heaven, practicing child sacrifice, and engaging in divination and necromancy. The Lord had repeatedly sent prophets to warn Judah, but they refused to listen, and Manasseh "seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel" as recorded in 2 Kings 21:9. This verse, therefore, serves as God's direct and formal response to Judah's persistent and egregious sin, signaling that their covenant unfaithfulness had reached a critical threshold, necessitating severe divine intervention that would culminate in the city's destruction and the people's exile, a theme further developed in 2 Kings 24-25.
Historical & Cultural Context
King Manasseh's reign (c. 697-642 BC) was one of the longest and most religiously corrupt in Judah's history. During this period, Judah was largely a vassal state to the powerful Assyrian Empire, and some of Manasseh's idolatrous practices, such as the worship of the "host of heaven," likely reflected Assyrian religious influence. The "line" and "plummet" mentioned in the verse were common building tools, culturally understood as instruments for ensuring precision, straightness, and levelness in construction. Their metaphorical use here would have immediately conveyed to the original audience the idea of a meticulous and unyielding standard of judgment. The reference to "Samaria" and "the house of Ahab" would have evoked recent and traumatic historical memories: Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, had been utterly destroyed by Assyria in 722 BC due to its idolatry and unfaithfulness, as vividly recounted in 2 Kings 17. The "house of Ahab" represented a dynasty synonymous with unparalleled wickedness and met a violent, divinely ordained end, detailed in 1 Kings 21:20-24 and 2 Kings 9-10. By invoking these precedents, God communicated that Judah's judgment would be equally thorough and devastating, a stark warning that even His chosen city was not exempt from the consequences of covenant breaking.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within 2 Kings and the broader Deuteronomistic History. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Divine Justice and Retribution. Despite Jerusalem's status as the chosen city and the location of the Temple, God's holiness demands accountability for sin, even from His covenant people. Secondly, it reinforces the theme of Covenant Consequences, demonstrating that persistent disobedience to the Mosaic covenant, especially the prohibition against idolatry, inevitably leads to severe judgment, mirroring the warnings in Deuteronomy 28. Thirdly, the use of Samaria and Ahab as benchmarks underscores the theme of Divine Consistency in Judgment, illustrating that God applies the same righteous standard to all who rebel against Him, regardless of their privileged status or historical lineage. Finally, the imagery of "wiping a dish" conveys a theme of Thorough Cleansing and Removal, signifying that the impending judgment is not merely punitive but also serves as a radical purge, preparing for a potential future restoration of a purified remnant, a concept often explored by prophets like Jeremiah, particularly in passages like Jeremiah 25 and Jeremiah 29.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
"And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria"
This clause declares God's intent to apply the exact same standard of judgment to Jerusalem that He previously used against Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Samaria was utterly destroyed and its people exiled due to their widespread idolatry and rejection of God's covenant. By "stretching the line," God indicates a meticulous, precise, and unsparing measurement of Jerusalem's sin against the benchmark of Samaria's wickedness, implying an identical, devastating outcome where the city would be found wanting and subject to the same fate.
"and the plummet of the house of Ahab"
This phrase further emphasizes the rigor and severity of the impending judgment. The "house of Ahab" was synonymous with extreme wickedness, particularly through King Ahab and Queen Jezebel's promotion of Baal worship and their persecution of God's prophets. God's judgment against this dynasty was absolute and violent, culminating in their complete eradication. By applying this "plummet" to Jerusalem, God signifies that His judgment will be as exact, unyielding, and completely destructive as it was against Ahab's lineage, leaving no room for escape or mitigation for Judah's persistent rebellion.
"and I will wipe Jerusalem as [a man] wipeth a dish, wiping [it], and turning [it] upside down"
This powerful simile illustrates the thoroughness and totality of Jerusalem's impending desolation. Just as a dish is meticulously wiped clean of all residue and then inverted to ensure it is completely empty and nothing remains within, so too would Jerusalem be purged of its inhabitants, its glory, and its very essence. This imagery conveys a complete emptying, a radical removal of its population through exile and death, and the overturning of its established order, leading to the Babylonian exile and the destruction of the city and Temple. It signifies a complete reversal of its status and purpose.
Literary Devices
The verse is rich in Metaphor and Simile, creating powerful and memorable imagery to convey God's impending judgment. The "line of Samaria" and "plummet of the house of Ahab" are potent Metaphors for the precise and unyielding standard of divine judgment. These are not literal tools but represent the historical precedents of God's severe judgment on past wickedness, applied now to Jerusalem, indicating that its fate will mirror those who preceded it in rebellion. The phrase "I will wipe Jerusalem as [a man] wipeth a dish, wiping [it], and turning [it] upside down" employs a vivid Simile, comparing God's action to a common, relatable household chore. This Simile is further intensified through Repetition ("wiping [it], and turning [it] upside down"), emphasizing the completeness, finality, and irreversible nature of the cleansing. The act of God "stretching" and "wiping" also demonstrates Anthropomorphism, attributing human actions to God to make His divine intent more comprehensible and impactful to a human audience. The overall effect is one of inescapable, precise, and total destruction, leaving no doubt about the severity of God's righteous wrath against unrepentant sin.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This verse profoundly underscores God's unwavering holiness and justice, revealing that His covenant relationship with Israel does not negate the consequences of persistent sin, particularly idolatry and rebellion. Jerusalem, the city chosen by God and the site of His Temple, was not immune to divine judgment when its inhabitants, led by their king, plunged into egregious wickedness. The application of the "line of Samaria" and "plummet of Ahab" demonstrates God's consistent standard of righteousness across all His people, North and South, and His commitment to upholding His moral law. This judgment, while severe, is ultimately an act of purification, designed to remove the spiritual defilement that had permeated the nation, paving the way for a future remnant to return and be restored to a right relationship with Him. It serves as a stark reminder that God's patience has limits, and His warnings, delivered through His prophets, are not to be trifled with. It also highlights the principle that privilege (being God's chosen city) does not exempt one from accountability; in fact, it often increases it.
Reflection and Application
The message of 2 Kings 21:13 resonates with profound implications for believers today, serving as a powerful reminder of God's unchanging character. It highlights that God is not only merciful and patient but also perfectly holy and just, and sin, particularly persistent and unrepentant rebellion, carries severe consequences. For us, this means taking seriously our own spiritual purity and the call to live in obedience to God's commands. Just as Jerusalem was "wiped clean" of its abominations, we are called to allow God to cleanse us from the idols and impurities in our own lives, whether they be overt sins or subtle attachments that draw our hearts away from Him. This verse also serves as a sober warning regarding the influence of leadership; Manasseh's choices had catastrophic national repercussions, underscoring the immense responsibility of those in positions of spiritual or societal authority. Ultimately, while the immediate context is judgment, the broader biblical narrative always points to God's redemptive purpose, even through judgment, to purify a people for Himself, offering hope for restoration to those who genuinely repent and turn to Him. We are invited to examine our own hearts and communities, ensuring that our devotion remains singularly focused on the Lord.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does God use such harsh and vivid imagery to describe His judgment on Jerusalem?
God uses such harsh and vivid imagery to convey the absolute certainty, precision, and thoroughness of His impending judgment. The metaphors of the "line of Samaria" and "plummet of the house of Ahab" emphasize that His judgment is not arbitrary but measured against a consistent standard of righteousness, similar to how a builder uses tools to ensure perfect alignment. This communicates that Jerusalem's sin was not overlooked but meticulously assessed. The imagery of "wiping a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down" powerfully communicates a complete emptying and removal, leaving no doubt about the totality of the devastation. This stark language serves as a severe warning, underscoring the gravity of Judah's persistent sin and the inevitable consequences of rebellion against a holy God. It aims to shock the audience into recognizing the severity of their spiritual condition and the seriousness of divine wrath, demonstrating that God's patience has a limit and His warnings are to be taken seriously, as seen in the broader narrative of 2 Kings.
What was the significance of referencing "the line of Samaria" and "the plummet of the house of Ahab"?
These references were profoundly significant and deeply unsettling to the people of Judah. "Samaria" was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which had been utterly destroyed and its people exiled by the Assyrians in 722 BC due to their pervasive idolatry and unfaithfulness to God's covenant, a historical event detailed in 2 Kings 17:1-23. Similarly, "the house of Ahab" represented a dynasty in the Northern Kingdom that was notorious for its extreme wickedness, particularly under King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, who aggressively promoted Baal worship. God's judgment on Ahab's house was complete and violent, as prophesied by Elijah and fulfilled by Jehu, found in 1 Kings 21:20-24 and 2 Kings 9:1-37 and 2 Kings 10:1-36. By applying these "line" and "plummet" standards to Jerusalem, God was declaring that Judah, despite being the Southern Kingdom and having the Temple, had reached a similar level of spiritual depravity as their northern counterparts and would face an equally devastating, precise, and inescapable judgment. It served as a historical precedent and a chilling prophecy of their own impending doom, emphasizing God's consistent justice for all who rebel against Him.
Did Jerusalem ever recover from this "wiping" or judgment?
Yes, Jerusalem did recover, though not without immense suffering and a significant period of exile. The "wiping" prophesied in this verse was fulfilled with the Babylonian conquest, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and the exile of the Jewish people to Babylon, beginning in 586 BC, as tragically recounted in 2 Kings 25. However, this judgment was not God's final word. After approximately 70 years of exile, a remnant of the Jewish people was allowed to return to Judah under the decrees of the Persian King Cyrus, as described in Ezra 1. They rebuilt the Temple (Ezra 3-6) and later the city walls (Nehemiah 1-6). While the restored community faced many challenges and never fully regained the political independence or glory of the Davidic kingdom, this return demonstrated God's faithfulness to His covenant promises and His ultimate purpose to preserve a remnant for Himself, even through the crucible of judgment. This cycle of sin, judgment, and restoration is a recurring theme throughout biblical history.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The severe judgment pronounced upon Jerusalem in 2 Kings 21:13, with its imagery of thorough "wiping" and precise measurement, foreshadows the ultimate and perfect cleansing from sin that only Christ can accomplish. The old covenant system, with its rituals and judgments, could only temporarily cover sin or demonstrate its consequences, as seen in Jerusalem's destruction. Yet, the very need for such a radical "wiping" highlights humanity's profound spiritual defilement and inability to meet God's holy standard. Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, came not to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:17). Through His sacrificial death on the cross, He became the perfect fulfillment of the "line" and "plummet," meeting God's righteous standard of justice for humanity's sin and offering propitiation for our transgressions (Romans 3:25-26). His blood truly "wipes clean" the conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14), offering a complete and eternal purification that the destruction of Jerusalem could only symbolize. Unlike the earthly Jerusalem, which was repeatedly defiled and judged, the New Jerusalem, the bride of Christ, will be eternally pure and unblemished, for it is built upon the perfect and everlasting sacrifice of the cornerstone, Jesus Christ, ensuring that no sin or defilement will ever again necessitate a "wiping" or "turning upside down" (Revelation 21:27). He is the one who makes all things new, providing a final and complete cleansing for all who believe (Revelation 21:5).