TRV
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
This verse delivers a powerful and devastating divine judgment against the kingdom of Judah, declaring that God will definitively withdraw His protective presence and deliver them into the hands of their enemies. This severe consequence is a direct and righteous response to the unparalleled and persistent idolatry and wickedness of King Manasseh, whose abominations provoked God's wrath to the point of abandoning His "inheritance," causing them to become utterly vulnerable, "a prey and a spoil" to all who would seek to conquer them, foreshadowing their eventual exile and plunder.
Context
Literary Context
The declaration in 2 Kings 21:14 serves as a climactic and irreversible pronouncement of judgment within a chapter meticulously detailing the unparalleled wickedness of King Manasseh, whose 55-year reign (c. 697-642 BC) was marked by profound apostasy. Verses 2 Kings 21:2-9 enumerate his horrific acts: rebuilding the high places, erecting altars to Baal and Asherah, worshiping the host of heaven, practicing divination and sorcery, and even sacrificing his son by fire. Most heinously, he desecrated the very temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, placing an idol there, a place God had specifically chosen for His name (compare 2 Kings 21:7 with 1 Kings 8:29). God's long-suffering patience was exhausted by Manasseh's actions, which were explicitly deemed worse than those of the Amorites whom God had dispossessed (as noted in 2 Kings 21:11). Immediately preceding our verse, God explicitly states His intention to wipe out Jerusalem "as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down" (2 Kings 21:13), signaling an irreversible judgment akin to the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel. This verse, therefore, is the direct, divinely ordained consequence of Judah's deep spiritual rebellion under Manasseh's corrupt and pervasive leadership.
Historical & Cultural Context
Manasseh's reign coincided with the zenith of the Assyrian Empire's power, which exerted significant political and cultural influence over Judah, often demanding tribute and submission. While Manasseh initially submitted to Assyria, his widespread adoption of pagan practices—including astral worship, child sacrifice, and the reintroduction of Baal and Asherah worship—reflects a deep syncretism prevalent in the ancient Near East but strictly forbidden by the Mosaic covenant (see Deuteronomy 18:9-12). The shedding of innocent blood (2 Kings 21:16) further indicates a pervasive religious and moral apostasy that permeated society from the king downwards. Jerusalem, intended as the spiritual heart of Judah and a center for Yahweh worship, became a hub of idolatry, mirroring the very nations God had commanded Israel to displace. The constant threat of foreign invasion and subjugation was a stark reality for smaller kingdoms like Judah. God's withdrawal of protection, as pronounced in this verse, meant they would be utterly vulnerable to such powers, a terrifying fulfillment of the covenant curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28.
Key Themes
The central theme in 2 Kings 21:14 is Divine Judgment as an inevitable consequence of persistent Idolatry and Covenant Breach. God's declaration to "forsake the remnant of mine inheritance" powerfully underscores the theme of Loss of Divine Protection and the Vulnerability to Enemies that results from national apostasy. The vivid phrase "prey and a spoil" portrays the complete devastation and plunder that awaits Judah, directly foreshadowing the Babylonian exile and the destruction of Jerusalem, as meticulously detailed in 2 Kings 25. This verse also highlights the profound Consequences of Leadership, demonstrating how a king's personal wickedness can lead to national catastrophe, impacting generations. Despite God's enduring covenant with David (see 2 Samuel 7:12-16), the people's unrepentant sin, instigated by their leadership, pushed them beyond the point of immediate reprieve, emphasizing God's unwavering Holiness and Justice in holding His people accountable to the terms of their sacred covenant.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb, nâṭash, carries the strong sense of abandoning, letting go, or withdrawing support and care. It implies a decisive act of ceasing a previous relationship of protection and oversight. In this context, it signifies God's active withdrawal of His special covenantal presence and protective hand from Judah, allowing them to face the natural, yet divinely ordained, consequences of their rebellion. It is not a passive turning away, but a deliberate act of relinquishing His hold, a profound breach in the divine-human relationship initiated by human unfaithfulness.
This term, nachălâh, refers to something inherited, an estate, patrimony, or portion. Here, it specifically designates Judah and Jerusalem, the remaining portion of God's chosen people and the Promised Land after the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel. It emphasizes God's unique claim and intimate relationship with them, viewing them as His special possession, a gift He had given to Himself and His people through His covenant. The idea of God "forsaking" His "inheritance" underscores the immense gravity of Judah's sin, as it represents a profound breach of the deepest covenantal bonds and a rejection of their privileged status.
These two words are often used together to describe the plunder and booty taken from a conquered enemy. "Prey" (baz) refers to what is seized, often from a living creature, emphasizing vulnerability and capture. "Spoil" (mᵉshiççâh) refers more broadly to the material possessions taken as plunder, highlighting despoliation and loss. Their combined use here creates a vivid and devastating image of utter helplessness and complete despoliation. Judah would become like defenseless animals or a sacked city, completely vulnerable to the exploitation and ravaging of their enemies, stripped of all possessions, dignity, and security.
Verse Breakdown
"And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance"
This opening clause unequivocally reveals God as the active agent in the impending judgment. The phrase "the remnant of mine inheritance" refers specifically to the kingdom of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem, which survived after the northern kingdom of Israel had fallen to Assyria. Despite their unique status as God's chosen people, the inheritors of the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, their persistent and extreme idolatry under Manasseh led God to declare His solemn intention to withdraw His protective presence and covenantal favor. This is not a casual abandonment but a profound, judicial act of relinquishing His special claim due to their profound unfaithfulness.
"and deliver them into the hand of their enemies;"
This subsequent clause further emphasizes God's direct and sovereign involvement in the judgment. It signifies more than God merely stepping back; He will actively "deliver" or hand them over to their adversaries. This highlights divine sovereignty over nations and historical events, demonstrating that even the actions of foreign invaders are ultimately under God's control and serve His purposes of justice and discipline. Judah's vulnerability is not merely a consequence of military weakness but a direct and deliberate result of God's righteous action, fulfilling the covenant curses for disobedience.
"and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;"
This final clause describes the inevitable and devastating outcome of God's withdrawal and deliverance. Without divine protection, Judah would be utterly defenseless, reduced to the status of helpless victims. The combined terms "prey" and "spoil" vividly depict the complete subjugation, plunder, and exploitation they would suffer at the hands of any and all who sought to conquer them. This prophesies the severe suffering and material loss that would accompany the Babylonian invasions and subsequent exile, where their land would be ravaged, their temple destroyed, and their people taken captive, stripped of their national identity and possessions.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices to convey the gravity and certainty of God's judgment. Anthropomorphism is strikingly evident in God's declaration "I will forsake" and "I will deliver," attributing human actions of abandonment and handing over to the divine. This makes God's active, personal, and decisive role in the impending judgment palpable and deeply impactful. The phrase "prey and a spoil" functions as a stark metaphor, comparing Judah's future state to that of helpless victims or plundered goods, emphasizing their utter vulnerability and the totality of their impending devastation. This also serves as a form of intensification, stressing the complete and widespread nature of the suffering they would endure from "all their enemies." The entire verse is a direct prophetic declaration, a solemn pronouncement of future events delivered with divine authority, leaving no doubt as to the certainty and inevitability of the judgment.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This verse powerfully articulates the theological principle that God's covenant faithfulness, while enduring, is inextricably linked to His people's obedience and fidelity. While God is characterized by long-suffering and abundant mercy, His holiness and justice demand a response to persistent, unrepentant sin, especially when it involves widespread idolatry and the deliberate defilement of His sacred spaces and covenant. The "forsaking" is not an arbitrary act but a judicial consequence, a righteous response to Judah's profound breach of the covenant, particularly under Manasseh's egregious leadership. It underscores the severity of rejecting God's commands and turning to other gods, demonstrating that even God's chosen people are not immune to the devastating consequences of rebellion. This judgment reveals God's consistent character, fulfilling the warnings given in the Mosaic Law regarding the curses for disobedience, and affirming that His word, whether of blessing or judgment, will always come to pass.
Reflection and Application
The stark reality of 2 Kings 21:14 serves as a profound and sobering reminder of the gravity of sin and the unwavering justice of God. It compels us, both individually and corporately, to consider that God's patience, though vast and merciful, is not limitless, especially when His people persistently turn away from Him and embrace practices that defile His name and His dwelling. For believers today, this verse underscores the seriousness with which God views our spiritual fidelity and the purity of our worship. It challenges us to examine our own lives and communities for any form of idolatry—whether it be the overt worship of false gods, or the more subtle idolatry of material possessions, personal comfort, worldly success, or anything that takes precedence over our singular devotion to God. Just as Manasseh's sin had national repercussions, our individual and collective choices have spiritual consequences, impacting not only ourselves but also those around us and the witness of the church in the world. This passage calls us to a deep reverence for God's holiness and a commitment to genuine repentance when we stray, understanding that true security, protection, and flourishing come only from remaining under His watchful and benevolent hand, aligned with His righteous will.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did God "forsake" His own people, Judah, whom He had chosen?
God "forsaking" Judah was not an arbitrary or capricious act, but a direct and just consequence of their persistent, profound, and unrepentant covenant breaking, particularly under King Manasseh. Manasseh's reign was characterized by extreme idolatry, including the reintroduction of pagan altars, child sacrifice, and the defilement of the very temple of the Lord in Jerusalem (as detailed in 2 Kings 21:2-9). This provoked God's wrath to such an extent that He declared He would deal with Jerusalem as He had dealt with Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom, which had already fallen due to its idolatry (see 2 Kings 21:13). God's holiness demands justice, and His covenant faithfulness means He upholds both His promises of blessing for obedience and His warnings of judgment for disobedience. His "forsaking" was a judicial act, a withdrawal of protection due to their flagrant rebellion.
Does this mean God gives up on His people permanently?
No, this verse describes a severe national judgment, but it does not signify God's permanent abandonment of His covenant promises to Israel or His ultimate plan of redemption. While Judah faced devastating exile and became "a prey and a spoil," God always preserves a remnant (e.g., Isaiah 10:20-22). Furthermore, the individual story of Manasseh himself, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 33:12-13, shows that even the most wicked king could find personal mercy and restoration through genuine repentance. This national judgment served as a disciplinary act, designed to purify and ultimately lead to a future restoration, as prophesied by Jeremiah and Ezekiel, among others, demonstrating God's enduring faithfulness to His ultimate redemptive purposes.
How does this judgment reconcile with God's attributes of love and mercy?
God's judgment, even in its severity, is an expression of His perfect character, which includes both boundless love and unwavering justice. His love and mercy were profoundly demonstrated in His long-suffering patience with Judah, His repeated warnings through prophets, and His deep desire for them to turn back to Him and avoid destruction. However, true love does not ignore or condone persistent sin, especially when it is defiant and destructive to the very relationship God seeks to cultivate. God's justice is an essential aspect of His holiness; He must hold His people accountable for their covenant breaking to uphold His moral order in the universe. The judgment, therefore, is not a contradiction of His love but a necessary outworking of His righteous character, intended to uphold His divine standards and ultimately to lead His people to a deeper understanding of His holiness and the seriousness of their rebellion, paving the way for future repentance and restoration.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The judgment pronounced in 2 Kings 21:14, where God declares He will "forsake" His inheritance and deliver them to their enemies, finds its ultimate and most profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. While ancient Judah was forsaken due to their own profound sin and idolatry, Jesus, the sinless Son of God, experienced the ultimate divine forsaking on the cross, crying out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). In that moment, the full weight of God's wrath and righteous judgment, due to humanity's sin—the very sin that led to Judah's exile and desolation—was poured out upon Him. He became "a prey and a spoil" to death and the powers of darkness (though ultimately triumphing over them, as seen in Colossians 2:15), not for His own transgression, but to deliver us from becoming "prey and spoil" to sin, spiritual enemies, and eternal condemnation. Through His sacrificial death, Jesus secures a new and eternal inheritance for His people, the church, who are now "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people" (1 Peter 2:9) and "heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ" (Romans 8:17). Unlike ancient Judah, who lost their physical inheritance due to unfaithfulness, believers in Christ are promised an "inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:4), secured by the very One who was forsaken on our behalf. This new covenant, established in Christ's blood, ensures that God will never truly forsake those who are in Him, for He has promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5), because Christ bore the ultimate forsaking, guaranteeing our eternal security and restoration.