Bible Commentaries
2 Kings 21

Verses 1-26

Here we have the story of reaction. It manifested itself in two reigns, both utterly evil, Manasseh's, lasting fifty- five years, and Amon's, lasting two years.

The story of Manasseh's sin was not merely of personal wrongdoing, but also of the deliberate undoing of what his father had been at such pains to accomplish. What we have hinted at more than once as issuing from such failure as that of the chosen people is here declared in so many words. Manasseh seduced them to do evil more than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel. Nothing can be clearer as a warrant for the absolute righteousness of the judgment that fell upon them when they were driven out.

After Manasseh, Amon became king. Some of his servants conspired against him, and slew him. But so utterly depraved had become the people of the land, and so completely were they in sympathy with the evil ways of these evil kings, that they slew the man who had slain Amon.