Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Kings 21

Manasseh was twelve years old - Manasseh, therefore, was not born at the time of Hezekiah’s dangerous illness; and it is probable that Hezekiah had at that time no son to succeed him. According to Josephus, this was the principal cause of his grief.

Hephzibah - Jewish tradition makes Hephzibah, Hezekiah’s wife, the daughter of Isaiah; but this is scarcely probable. She was, however, no doubt, known to the prophet, and it may well have been in special compliment to her that Isaiah introduced her name in Isaiah 62:4 as one that Jerusalem would bear after her restoration to God’s favor. The name means, “My delight is in her.”

During his youth, Manasseh naturally fell under the influence of the leading Jewish nobles, with whom the pure religion of Yahweh was always unpopular (Compare to 2 Chronicles 24:17–18; Jeremiah 8:1–2). They seem to have persuaded him not only to undo Hezekiah’s work but also to go to unprecedented lengths in polytheism, magic, and idolatry.

The sins of Manasseh’s reign appear to have been what filled up the measure of Judah’s iniquity and brought down the final sentence of doom on the last remnant of the chosen people (2 Kings 23:26).

The first step in re-establishing idolatry seems to have been the restoration of the high places where Yahweh was supposedly worshipped (2 Kings 18:22), but with idolatrous rites (1 Kings 14:23). The next step was to reintroduce the favorite idolatry of Israel, Baal-worship, which had formerly flourished in Judea under Athaliah (2 Kings 11:18) and Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:2). After this, Manasseh seems to have especially adopted Sabaism, which had been previously unknown in Judea (compare 2 Kings 17:16 and note).

Worshipped all the host of heaven: Sabaism, or pure star-worship without images and astrological superstitions, included reverence for the sun, the moon, the chief stars, and the twelve signs of the Zodiac (2 Kings 23:5 note). The primary form of worship involved altars on which incense was burned (Jeremiah 19:13). These altars were placed either on the ground (2 Kings 21:5) or on the house-tops (2 Kings 23:12; Zephaniah 1:5).

The sun was worshipped with the face toward the east (Ezekiel 8:16), and chariots and horses were dedicated to him (2 Kings 23:11). The star-worship of the Jews more closely resembles an Arabian cult than an Assyrian or Chaldean one. It took hold at a time when Assyria and Babylonia had little communication with Judea—that is, during the reign of Manasseh. It likely crept in from the same source as the Molech worship, with which it is linked here and in 2 Chronicles 33:3–6.

The “altars” of this verse seem to be the same as those of 2 Kings 21:5, and consequently were not in the temple building, but in the outer and inner courts.

For the meaning of the phrase “passing through the fire,” see 2 Kings 16:3 and Leviticus 20:2-5.

To “observe times” was forbidden in the Law and was undoubtedly one of the methods of divination practiced by the Canaanite nations. This has been explained in several ways:

1. Predicting from the state of the clouds and atmosphere.
2. Fascination with the eye.
3. Watching for and seizing upon chance words as omens.

Dealing with familiar spirits. This practice was forbidden by Moses in Leviticus 19:31 under the penalty of death (Leviticus 20:27). Its nature is best understood from Saul’s visit to the medium of Endor (1 Samuel 28:7 and following).

Wizards. The term “wizards,” literally meaning “wise men,” refers to those who are always associated with people who have familiar spirits. They were likely a type of necromancer.