2 Kings 21:5 - Manasseh Reigns in Judah

Audio Bible

Context

Manasseh Reigns in Judah
…4Manasseh also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My Name.” 5In both courtyards of the house of the LORD, he built altars to all the host of heaven. 6He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.…

Cross References

2 Chronicles 33:5
In both courtyards of the house of the LORD, he built altars to all the host of heaven.Jeremiah 19:13
The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like that place, Topheth—all the houses on whose rooftops they burned incense to all the host of heaven and poured out drink offerings to other gods.”Zephaniah 1:5
those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom,Deuteronomy 4:19
When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.Deuteronomy 17:3
and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden—2 Kings 17:16
They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal.2 Kings 23:5
Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.Jeremiah 8:2
They will be exposed to the sun and moon, and to all the host of heaven which they have loved, served, followed, consulted, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered up or buried, but will become like dung lying on the ground.Jeremiah 7:18
The sons gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven; they pour out drink offerings to other gods to provoke Me to anger.Ezekiel 8:16
So He brought me to the inner court of the house of the LORD, and there at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the portico and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; and they were bowing to the east in worship of the sun.Acts 7:42
But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?Romans 1:25
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.Galatians 4:8
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.Colossians 2:18
Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you with speculation about what he has seen. Such a person is puffed up without basis by his unspiritual mind.Revelation 9:20
Now the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.

2 Kings 23:4,6
And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel…

1 Kings 6:36
And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.

1 Kings 7:12
And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams, both for the inner court of the house of the LORD, and for the porch of the house.

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2 Kings 21

In both courtyards of the house of the LORD
The "house of the LORD" refers to Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, a central place of worship for the Israelites. The temple had two main courtyards: the inner court, where priests performed sacrifices, and the outer court, accessible to the general public. Building altars in these sacred spaces was a direct violation of the temple's sanctity and the worship practices prescribed in the Law of Moses. This act reflects a significant departure from the worship of Yahweh, indicating a period of spiritual decline in Judah. The temple was meant to be a place dedicated solely to the worship of the God of Israel, and any deviation from this was seen as a grave sin.

he built altars to all the host of heaven
The "host of heaven" refers to celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and stars, which were often deified in ancient Near Eastern cultures. This practice of worshiping celestial bodies was explicitly forbidden in Deuteronomy 4:19 and 17:3. By building altars to these entities, King Manasseh was introducing idolatry into the heart of Israelite worship, leading the people away from monotheism. This act of apostasy was a fulfillment of the warnings given by the prophets about the consequences of turning away from God. It also foreshadows the eventual judgment and exile that would come upon Judah. The worship of the host of heaven was a common practice among neighboring nations, such as the Assyrians and Babylonians, and Manasseh's actions indicate a syncretism that diluted the distinctiveness of Israel's faith.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Manasseh
The king of Judah who reigned for 55 years and is known for his idolatrous practices, including the construction of altars for celestial bodies.

2. The House of the LORD
Refers to the temple in Jerusalem, which was the central place of worship for the Israelites and where God's presence was believed to dwell.

3. Altars for the Host of Heaven
These altars were built by Manasseh to worship celestial bodies, which was a direct violation of God's commandments.

4. The Two Courtyards
The temple had an inner and outer courtyard, and Manasseh's actions defiled these sacred spaces by introducing idolatry.

5. Idolatry in Judah
This event marks a significant period of spiritual decline in Judah, as the king led the nation away from the worship of Yahweh.

Teaching Points

The Danger of Idolatry
Idolatry is a recurring sin that leads people away from God. It is crucial to identify and remove any modern-day idols in our lives, whether they be material possessions, relationships, or personal ambitions.

The Sanctity of Worship Spaces
Just as the temple was defiled by Manasseh's actions, we must ensure that our places of worship remain dedicated to God alone. This includes maintaining purity in our hearts, as they are temples of the Holy Spirit.

Leadership and Influence
Leaders have a profound impact on the spiritual direction of their people. Manasseh's actions led Judah into sin, reminding us of the responsibility leaders have to guide others toward righteousness.

Repentance and Restoration
Despite Manasseh's grave sins, his account also includes repentance and restoration. This teaches us that no one is beyond God's forgiveness if they truly repent.

Lists and Questions

Top 10 Lessons from 2 Kings 21Is there any archaeological proof supporting the extensive idolatrous practices detailed in 2 Kings 21:3-9?If the Lord is described as 'a sun' in Psalm 84:11, how does this symbolism align with the biblical prohibition against sun worship?Was John the Baptist Elijah? (Matthew 11:14 vs. John 1:21)What does the Bible say about fire from heaven?

(5) In the two courts.--Even in the inner and more sacred court, where the sacrifices were offered to Jehovah.

Verse 5. - And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. The temple of Solomon had two courts only, an inner and an outer. The outer court was for the people, the inner for the priests and Levites. Manasseh desecrated the temple to the extent of setting up in each of these two courts an idolatrous altar, dedicated to the worship of the host of heaven. In the inner court his altar was a rival to the great brazen altar of Solomon (1 Kings 9:64; 2 Chronicles 4:1), which Ahaz had for a time removed from its place in front of the porch (2 Kings 16:14), but which Hezekiah had most certainly reinstated. Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

In both
בִּשְׁתֵּ֖י (biš·tê)
Preposition-b | Number - fdc
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

courtyards
חַצְר֥וֹת (ḥaṣ·rō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 2691: A yard, a hamlet

of the house
בֵּית־ (bêṯ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of the LORD,
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

he built
וַיִּ֥בֶן (way·yi·ḇen)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1129: To build

altars
מִזְבְּח֖וֹת (miz·bə·ḥō·wṯ)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4196: An altar

to all
לְכָל־ (lə·ḵāl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the host
צְבָ֣א (ṣə·ḇā)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign

of heaven.
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם (haš·šā·mā·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

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2 Kings 21:5 Catholic BibleOT History: 2 Kings 21:5 He built altars for all the army (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)