9 “And Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, so that they did evil more than did the nations, whom 10 the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel. And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no 11 heed. Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 12 And when he was in distress, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 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 the Lord He was God.
14 “Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate; and he compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height; and he put valiant captains in all 15 the fenced cities of Judah. And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, 16 and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. And he built up the altar of the Lord, and offered thereon sacrifices of peace-offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel.”
Golden Text.—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” 1 John 1: 9.
Suggestive Questions.
(1) What was the effect of King Manasseh’s sinful course? V. 9. Note 1. (2) How did the Lord endeavor to restrain him? How did the people treat the remonstrances of the prophets? V. 10. Note 2. (3) What chastisement did the Lord bring upon Manasseh? V. 11. Note 3. (4) How was Manasseh affected by his affliction? V. 12. Note 4. (5) What was the effect of the penitent king’s prayer? What did Manasseh then know? V. 13. Note 5. (6) What did the king do after his restoration to the kingdom? V. 14. (7) What did he do to abolish idol-worship in Jerusalem? V. 15. (8) How was the true worship re-established? What command was given to the people of Judah? V. 16.
Notes.
1. Manasseh was the son of the good King Hezekiah, but he came to the throne at the age of twelve years, and, coming under evil influences, he was led into evil ways. “He built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served them.” It is also said of him that he “built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards.” In addition to the lesson chapter, see 2 Kings 21.
2. “The Lord spake to Manasseh” by the prophets. During his long reign of fifty years (the longest of any of the kings of Judah or Israel), he was contemporaneous with several of the prophets, and was faithfully warned. Altho Micah lived in the days of the kings just preceding Manasseh, it seems probable that the seventh chapter of his prophecy related primarily to Manasseh’s apostasy, altho more strongly typical of the last days. Compare verse 6 with Matt. 10:21. Because of Manasseh’s wicked rule, the Lord said, “I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.” 2 Kings 21:11, 12. Again He said, “I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.” Verse 13.
3. The Lord brought the king of Assyria.—People of to-day are prone to think that when the Moslems or the “heathen” in any country do anything in antagonism to the professed Christianity in their midst, of course the Lord is on the side of the Christian nations, and their armies should chastise the offenders. But the Scriptures reveal many instances where the Lord was on the side, in fact the leader, of the heathen forces. When the professed people of God place themselves in opposition to the law of God, they have no further claim upon Him as a defense—until they see their error and repent.
4. “He besought the Lord his God.”—Thus was fulfilled the purpose of the Lord in giving Manasseh into the hands of the Assyrians. See Heb. 12:5–11.
5. “Heard his supplication.”—God loves to hear and answer humble prayer. And He always does it in the best way for the good of the suppliant and those concerned with him—sometimes by letting the affliction complete the good work, and sometimes by delivering from the affliction. God’s purpose to save men is limited only by the gift of His Son as a sacrifice, and His appeals are always pathetic. See Prov. 1:20–23; Isa. 1:18; Joel 2:12–14; Matt. 23:37, etc. Manasseh’s knowledge of the Lord on account of this judgment calls to mind Ps. 9:16: “The Lord is known by the judgment which He executeth; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.” It is better to know the Lord by the greatness of His works, by believing His Word, and by doing His will.
