“Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:”
Cross references: : 2 Kings 21:5
“For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. he built: Heb. he returned and built”
Jer. 32:34 ; 2 Kings 17:10 2 Kings 18:4
“And 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:”
1 Kings 8:39 ; 1 Kings 9:3 ; 1 Kings 21:7 ; 1 Kings 23:17
“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, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.”
By the charge given to Moses. 2 Sam. 7:10
“And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.”
Meaning by his Prophets, but their hearts were not touched to believe and repent, without the which the preaching of the word taketh no place.
“And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.”
Thus affliction giveth understanding: for he that hated God in his prosperity, now in his misery he seeketh unto him.
“Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah. Ophel: or, the tower”
Read 2 Chron. 32:30 . Read 2 Chron. 27:3 .
“And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.”
Which Solomon had caused to be made.
“Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only.”
Thus by ignorance they were deceived, thinking it nothing to keep the altars, so that they worshipped God: but it is idolatry to worship God any otherwise than he hath appointed.
“Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.”
Which albeit that it is not contained in the Hebrew, yet because it is here mentioned and is written in the Greek, we have placed it in the end of this book.
“So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.”
Because he had so horribly offended against the Lord, they did not bury him in the sepulchers of the Kings, but in the garden of the King’s house.