Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God. NeverthelessThis word serves as a transition, indicating a contrast or exception to what has been previously stated. In the context of 2 Chronicles 33, it follows the account of King Manasseh's repentance and efforts to restore proper worship in Judah. Despite his reforms, the word "nevertheless" highlights the persistent challenge of leading a nation back to full obedience to God. It underscores the human tendency to cling to old habits and the difficulty of complete spiritual renewal. the people
This phrase refers to the inhabitants of Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel. Historically, the people of Judah had a complex relationship with their faith, often swaying between devotion to God and the allure of pagan practices. The mention of "the people" emphasizes the collective responsibility and the widespread nature of the issue at hand. It serves as a reminder that spiritual leadership must be accompanied by the willing participation of the community. still sacrificed
The act of sacrificing was central to worship in ancient Israel, symbolizing devotion, atonement, and thanksgiving. The word "still" indicates continuity, suggesting that despite reforms, the practice of sacrificing at unauthorized sites persisted. This highlights the deep-rooted nature of certain traditions and the challenge of eradicating them, even when they contradict divine commandments. at the high places
High places were elevated sites often used for worship, both to the God of Israel and to pagan deities. Archaeologically, these sites have been identified as locations with altars and other religious artifacts. Biblically, high places were frequently condemned because they were associated with idolatry and syncretism. The persistence of worship at these sites, even to the LORD, reflects a compromise in religious practice and a failure to fully adhere to the centralized worship commanded in Deuteronomy 12. but only to the LORD their God
This phrase indicates a partial reform; while the people continued to use high places, their sacrifices were directed to Yahweh, the God of Israel. It reflects a syncretistic approach, where the form of worship was altered, but the object of worship was correct. This compromise reveals the complexity of religious reform and the struggle to align practice with theological purity. It serves as a reminder of the importance of not only worshiping the true God but doing so in the manner He prescribes. Persons / Places / Events 1. ManassehKing of Judah who initially led the nation into idolatry but later repented and sought to restore true worship of Yahweh. 2. High PlacesElevated sites where people offered sacrifices, often associated with idol worship, but in this context, used for worshiping Yahweh. 3. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, where Manasseh reigned and where the events of this passage took place. 4. Repentance and ReformThe period during which Manasseh turned back to God, removed idols, and attempted to restore proper worship practices. 5. The LORD their GodRefers to Yahweh, the God of Israel, whom the people were attempting to worship, albeit imperfectly. Teaching Points The Danger of CompromiseEven when intentions are good, worship practices that deviate from God's instructions can lead to spiritual compromise. The Importance of Centralized WorshipGod desires worship to be conducted according to His guidelines, emphasizing the need for a central place of worship, as seen in the temple in Jerusalem. Repentance and Partial ObedienceManasseh's account shows that while repentance is crucial, partial obedience can still lead to spiritual pitfalls. The Role of Leadership in WorshipLeaders have a significant influence on the spiritual direction of their people, as seen in Manasseh's reforms. God's Grace and PatienceDespite the people's continued use of high places, God's grace is evident in His willingness to accept their imperfect worship. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Manasseh's initial idolatry and later repentance reflect the human tendency to stray from and return to God? 2. In what ways do the high places represent both a physical and spiritual compromise in worship? 3. How can we apply the principle of centralized worship in our personal and communal worship practices today? 4. What lessons can we learn from Manasseh's leadership in terms of influencing others towards or away from God? 5. How does God's response to the people's worship at the high places demonstrate His grace, and how can we apply this understanding of grace in our lives? Connections to Other Scriptures 2 Kings 21Provides a parallel account of Manasseh's reign, detailing his idolatry and subsequent repentance. Deuteronomy 12Discusses the centralization of worship in Jerusalem, highlighting the issue with high places. 1 Kings 3Mentions Solomon's use of high places, showing a historical precedent for their use in worship. Isaiah 1Addresses the issue of improper worship and the need for genuine repentance and obedience. Jeremiah 7Warns against false worship and emphasizes the importance of following God's commands. People Amon, Ben, David, Hezekiah, Israelites, Josiah, Manasseh, SolomonPlaces Assyria, Babylon, Fish Gate, Gihon, Jerusalem, Ophel, Valley of HinnomTopics Although, Continued, However, Nevertheless, Offerings, Places, Sacrifice, Sacrificed, Sacrificing, YetDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Chronicles 33:17 7442 shrine 2 Chronicles 33:1-25 5366 king 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 33:17 NIV2 Chronicles 33:17 NLT2 Chronicles 33:17 ESV2 Chronicles 33:17 NASB2 Chronicles 33:17 KJV
2 Chronicles 33:17 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
