Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
2 Chronicles 33:21

Clarke's Commentary

Verse 2 Chronicles 33:21. Amon - reigned two years — See on 2 Kings 21:19.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

The evil of Manasseh and Amon (33:1-25)

Manasseh receives the full blame for destroying all the good work that his father had done. Over his long reign of fifty-five years he dragged the nation down to its lowest spiritual condition ever. Although he made a brief attempt at reform towards the end of his life, he could not undo the damage of the previous half a century. Nor was any king after him able to reform Judah sufficiently to save it from judgment. Like Israel, Judah would go into captivity because of its wickedness (33:1-20; see notes on 2 Kings 21:1-18). If any trace of Manasseh’s reform remained after his death, Amon soon removed it (21-25; see notes on 2 Kings 21:19-26).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

XIV. AMON (642-640 B.C.)
THE SHORT AND EVIL REIGN OF AMON

"Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, as did Manasseh his father; and Anton sacrificed unto all the graven images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them. And he humbled not himself before Jehovah, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more. And his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his own house. But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead."

As Ellison remarked, "There are only minor variations here from the parallel in 2 Kings. No motivation for the assassination is given. Amon may have been the vicious son of a bad father, or it may have been out of disgust for his following a discredited policy."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 393.

"Amon was the unhappy product of his father's pagan life, not of his pious death."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 417.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 33

Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, he reigned for fifty-five years ( 2 Chronicles 33:1 )

One of the longest. His was the longest reign of any king.

He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord ( 2 Chronicles 33:2 ),

Now here you go. Hezekiah had restored the temple, rebuilt the thing, re-established the worship. Things were going good, God was blessing. They really became strong and prosperous again. And here his son takes over now. Twelve years old when he takes over. He does that which is evil in the sight of the Lord.

like to the heathen, that the LORD had cast out of the land before the children of Israel had come in. He built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, he raised up the altars for Baalim, he made the groves, worshipped all the host of heaven, served them. He built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. He built altars for all of the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. He caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom ( 2 Chronicles 33:2-6 ):

So the same thing that Ahaz his grandfather had done.

also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger ( 2 Chronicles 33:6 ).

These things that he did, as far as the enchantments, witchcraft, familiar spirits, wizards, these are the things that Isaiah speaks out against when their calamity came, and Isaiah was put to death, actually, by Manasseh. And at the time of Manasseh's doing all these things and the judgment of Babylon was predicted, Isaiah said, "Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee" ( Isaiah 47:13 ).

So these are the things that Manasseh did. He started following after his horoscope and astrologers and all of these people. And, of course, it might be good until you're really in trouble and then it's no help at all.

So he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them ( 2 Chronicles 33:7-8 ),

But here he is, disobeying.

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. And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to the people: but they would not hearken ( 2 Chronicles 33:9-10 ).

God spoke; they would not hearken. And, of course, in the thirty-sixth chapter God said, "I sent the messengers and all but they would not hearken." They mocked Him.

Wherefore ( 2 Chronicles 33:11 )

And, of course, Manasseh ordered Isaiah sawed in two. Just stretched him out and took a saw and cut him right in two.

Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, bound him with fetters, carried him to Babylon. And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and he prayed unto him: and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Jehovah was God ( 2 Chronicles 33:11-13 ).

So Manasseh had a conversion experience. It was a tough way. He was taken captive by the king of Assyria who drug him through these thorns, gave him a rough time, brought him as a captive to Babylon. And while he was there, he began to call out upon God. And, of course, God is so good. God was merciful. God heard his prayer and God brought him back again to Jerusalem. And from that time on, Manasseh was a changed man. But he was not able to undo the folly of his earlier years. He did start bringing about spiritual reforms.

He took away the strange gods, and the idols out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built. And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and [so forth]. Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, unto the LORD their God only ( 2 Chronicles 33:15-17 ).

So there was a partial return unto God. At his death his son Amon began to reign.

Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, he reigned for only two years. He did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, even as his father Manasseh: for he sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them ( 2 Chronicles 33:21-22 );

Which means that Manasseh didn't get rid of them all.

He humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more. And his servants conspired against him, and killed him in his own house ( 2 Chronicles 33:23-24 ).

And so his son Josiah began to reign.

"

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

O. Amon 33:21-25

Amon was an evil king, as Manasseh was, but he did not repent as his father had done. Consequently, rather than experiencing forgiveness and restoration, he died prematurely. He represented the other alternative the returned exiles could take. His fate would have been, and is, a warning to seek the Lord.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      21 Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.   22 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them;   23 And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.   24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.   25 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.

      We have little recorded concerning Amon, but enough unless it were better. Here is,

      I. His great wickedness. He did as Manasseh had done in the days of his apostasy, 2 Chronicles 33:22; 2 Chronicles 33:22. Those who think this an evidence that Manasseh did not truly repent forget how many good kings had wicked sons. Only it should seem that Manasseh was in this defective, that, when he cast out the images, he did not utterly deface and destroy them, according to the law which required Israel to burn the images with fire,Deuteronomy 7:2. How necessary that law was this instance shows; for the carved images being only thrown by, and not burnt, Amon knew where to find them, soon set them up, and sacrificed to them. It is added, to represent him exceedingly sinful and to justify God in cutting him off so soon, 1. That he out-did his father in sinning: He trespassed more and more,2 Chronicles 33:23; 2 Chronicles 33:23. His father did ill, but he did worse. Those that were joined to idols grew more and more mad upon them. 2. That he came short of his father in repenting: He humbled not himself before the Lord, as his father had humbled himself. He fell like him, but did not get up again like him. It is not so much sin as impenitence in sin that ruins men, not so much that they offend as that they do not humble themselves for their offences, not the disease, but the neglect of the remedy.

      II. His speedy destruction. He reigned but two years and then his servants conspired against him and slew him,2 Chronicles 33:24; 2 Chronicles 33:24. Perhaps when Amon sinned as his father did in the beginning of his days he promised himself that he should repent as his father did in the latter end of his days. But his case shows what a madness it is to presume upon that. If he hoped to repent when he was old, he was wretchedly disappointed; for he was cut off when he was young. He rebelled against God, and his own servants rebelled against him. Herein God was righteous, but they were wicked, and justly did the people of the land put them to death as traitors. The lives of kings are particularly under the protection of Providence and the laws both of God and man.