Manasseh even took the carved image he had made and set it up in the house of God, of which God had said to David and his son Solomon, "In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever. Manasseh even set up the carved image of the idol he had madeThis phrase highlights the egregious act of King Manasseh, who reigned in Judah. The Hebrew word for "carved image" is "pesel," which refers to a graven or sculpted idol, often associated with pagan worship. Manasseh's actions were a direct violation of the first and second commandments, which prohibit idolatry ( Exodus 20:3-4). Historically, this act signifies a period of spiritual decline in Judah, as Manasseh led the nation into practices that were abominable to God. The setting up of an idol in the temple, the very place dedicated to the worship of Yahweh, underscores the depth of Manasseh's apostasy and rebellion against God. in the house of God
The "house of God" refers to the temple in Jerusalem, which was the central place of worship for the Israelites. The Hebrew term "bayith" (house) signifies not just a physical structure but a sacred space where God's presence dwelt among His people. The temple was built by Solomon as a fulfillment of God's promise to David, and it was meant to be a place of prayer and sacrifice to the Lord. Manasseh's desecration of the temple by placing an idol within it was a profound act of sacrilege, showing a blatant disregard for the holiness of God’s dwelling place. of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon
This phrase recalls the covenantal promises God made to David and Solomon regarding the temple. In 2 Samuel 7:12-13, God promised David that his offspring would build a house for His Name, and in 1 Kings 9:3, God assured Solomon that His eyes and heart would be there perpetually. The mention of David and Solomon serves as a reminder of the divine mandate and the sacred trust given to the Davidic line to uphold the worship of Yahweh. Manasseh's actions are thus seen as a betrayal of this divine covenant. 'In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever.'
God's choice of Jerusalem and the temple as His dwelling place is a central theme in the Old Testament. The phrase "I have chosen" reflects God's sovereign election of Israel and Jerusalem as the focal point of His redemptive plan. The Hebrew word "bachar" (chosen) indicates a deliberate and purposeful selection by God. The promise to "establish My Name forever" signifies God's enduring presence and faithfulness to His covenant people. Despite Manasseh's unfaithfulness, this promise underscores the hope of restoration and the assurance that God's purposes will ultimately prevail. Historically, this reflects the theological understanding that God's covenant with Israel is irrevocable, and His commitment to His people remains steadfast, even in times of rebellion and idolatry. Persons / Places / Events 1. ManassehKing of Judah, son of Hezekiah, known for his idolatry and leading Judah into sin. 2. House of GodRefers to the Temple in Jerusalem, a sacred place where God's presence dwelt among His people. 3. DavidThe second king of Israel, a man after God's own heart, to whom God promised an everlasting dynasty. 4. SolomonSon of David, known for his wisdom and for building the Temple in Jerusalem. 5. JerusalemThe chosen city where God established His Name and where the Temple was built. Teaching Points The Danger of IdolatryIdolatry is a direct violation of God's commandments and leads to spiritual decay. Manasseh's actions serve as a warning against placing anything above God in our lives. The Sanctity of God's DwellingThe Temple was a sacred place chosen by God. We must respect and honor places dedicated to worship and ensure they remain focused on God. The Consequences of DisobedienceManasseh's idolatry brought judgment upon Judah. Disobedience to God’s commands can lead to severe consequences, both personally and communally. God’s Faithfulness to His PromisesDespite Manasseh's actions, God remained faithful to His promise to David and Solomon. This reminds us of God's unwavering faithfulness even when we fall short. Repentance and RestorationLater in his life, Manasseh repented, and God restored him. This illustrates the power of repentance and God’s readiness to forgive. Bible Study Questions 1. What does Manasseh's decision to place an idol in the Temple reveal about his understanding of God's commandments? 2. How does the account of Manasseh challenge us to examine the "idols" in our own lives? 3. In what ways can we ensure that our places of worship remain focused on God and free from idolatry? 4. How does God’s promise to David and Solomon encourage us in times of personal failure or disobedience? 5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God’s forgiveness and restoration. How can Manasseh’s account inspire you to seek repentance and change? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 20:4-5This passage outlines the commandment against idolatry, which Manasseh violated by setting up an idol in the Temple. 1 Kings 9:3God’s promise to Solomon that His eyes and heart will be there perpetually, emphasizing the significance of the Temple. 2 Kings 21:1-9Provides a parallel account of Manasseh's reign and his idolatrous practices. Deuteronomy 12:5Highlights God's command to seek the place He chooses to establish His Name, which Manasseh disregarded. People Amon, Ben, David, Hezekiah, Israelites, Josiah, Manasseh, SolomonPlaces Assyria, Babylon, Fish Gate, Gihon, Jerusalem, Ophel, Valley of HinnomTopics Age, Carved, Chosen, David, Engraved, Forever, God's, Graven, Idol, Image, Jerusalem, Placeth, Solomon, Temple, Town, TribesDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Chronicles 33:7 1351 covenant, with David
5211 art
6640 election, privileges
7241 Jerusalem, significance
7471 temples, heathen 2 Chronicles 33:1-7 8831 syncretism 2 Chronicles 33:1-9 5714 men 2 Chronicles 33:1-25 5366 king 2 Chronicles 33:2-10 7245 Judah, kingdom of Library Manasseh's Sin and Repentance
'So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel. 10. And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. 11. Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 12. And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureManasseh
BY REV. J. G. GREENHOUGH, M.A. "Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem."--2 CHRON. xxxiii. l. Fifty and five years--he wore the crown a longer time than any other of the house of David. Of all the kings that reigned in Jerusalem, this man's reign filled the largest space; yet he is the one king of Judah about whom we are told least. In the modern city of Venice there is a hall which is adorned with the portraits of all the doges …
George Milligan—Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known How Shall one Make Use of Christ as the Life, when Wrestling with an Angry God Because of Sin?
That we may give some satisfaction to this question, we shall, 1. Shew what are the ingredients in this case, or what useth to concur in this distemper. 2. Shew some reasons why the Lord is pleased to dispense thus with his people. 3. Shew how Christ is life to the soul in this case. 4. Shew the believer's duty for a recovery; and, 5. Add a word or two of caution. As to the first, There may be those parts of, or ingredients in this distemper: 1. God presenting their sins unto their view, so as …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life Josiah, a Pattern for the Ignorant.
"Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before Me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place."--2 Kings …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII Covenanting According to the Purposes of God.
Since every revealed purpose of God, implying that obedience to his law will be given, is a demand of that obedience, the announcement of his Covenant, as in his sovereignty decreed, claims, not less effectively than an explicit law, the fulfilment of its duties. A representation of a system of things pre-determined in order that the obligations of the Covenant might be discharged; various exhibitions of the Covenant as ordained; and a description of the children of the Covenant as predestinated …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting The Worst Things Work for Good to the Godly
DO not mistake me, I do not say that of their own nature the worst things are good, for they are a fruit of the curse; but though they are naturally evil, yet the wise overruling hand of God disposing and sanctifying them, they are morally good. As the elements, though of contrary qualities, yet God has so tempered them, that they all work in a harmonious manner for the good of the universe. Or as in a watch, the wheels seem to move contrary one to another, but all carry on the motions of the watch: …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial The Girdle of the City. Nehemiah 3
The beginning of the circumference was from 'the sheep-gate.' That, we suppose, was seated on the south part, yet but little removed from that corner, which looks south-east. Within was the pool of Bethesda, famous for healings. Going forward, on the south part, was the tower Meah: and beyond that, "the tower of Hananeel": in the Chaldee paraphrast it is, 'The tower Piccus,' Zechariah 14:10; Piccus, Jeremiah 31:38.--I should suspect that to be, the Hippic tower, were not that placed on the north …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
The Medes and Cimmerians: Lydia--The conquest of Egypt, of Arabia, and of Elam. As we have already seen, Sennacherib reigned for eight years after his triumph; eight years of tranquillity at home, and of peace with all his neighbours abroad. If we examine the contemporary monuments or the documents of a later period, and attempt to glean from them some details concerning the close of his career, we find that there is a complete absence of any record of national movement on the part of either Elam, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8 Beginning at Jerusalem
The whole verse runs thus: "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." The words were spoken by Christ, after he rose from the dead, and they are here rehearsed after an historical manner, but do contain in them a formal commission, with a special clause therein. The commission is, as you see, for the preaching of the gospel, and is very distinctly inserted in the holy record by Matthew and Mark. "Go teach all nations," …
John Bunyan—Jerusalem Sinner Saved The Jerusalem Sinner Saved;
OR, GOOD NEWS FOR THE VILEST OF MEN; BEING A HELP FOR DESPAIRING SOULS, SHOWING THAT JESUS CHRIST WOULD HAVE MERCY IN THE FIRST PLACE OFFERED TO THE BIGGEST SINNERS. THE THIRD EDITION, IN WHICH IS ADDED, AN ANSWER TO THOSE GRAND OBJECTIONS THAT LIE IN THE WAY OF THE THEM THAT WOULD BELIEVE: FOR THE COMFORT OF THEM THAT FEAR THEY HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. BY JOHN BUNYAN, OF BEDFORD. London: Printed for Elizabeth Smith, at the Hand and Bible, on London Bridge, 1691. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 2 Chronicles 33:7 NIV2 Chronicles 33:7 NLT2 Chronicles 33:7 ESV2 Chronicles 33:7 NASB2 Chronicles 33:7 KJV
2 Chronicles 33:7 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
