2 Kings 21

Passage overview

Chapter 21 of the Old Testament contains the account of David’s census of Israel, the results that followed, and the part where David builds an altar to the Lord. This chapter highlights David’s mistake and its effects on all of Israel, and ultimately it is structured as a flow in which God’s mercy is experienced through repentance and sacrifice.

1verseManasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.

2verseHe did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, after the abominations of the nations whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

3verseFor he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he raised up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel did, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them.

4verseHe built altars in the LORD’s house, of which the LORD said, “I will put my name in Jerusalem.”

5verseHe built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts of the LORD’s house.

6verseHe made his son to pass through the fire, practiced sorcery, used enchantments, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits and with wizards. He did much evil in the LORD’s sight, to provoke him to anger.

7verseHe set the engraved image of Asherah that he had made in the house of which the LORD said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever;

8verseI will not cause the feet of Israel to wander any more out of the land which I gave their fathers, if only they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.”

9verseBut they didn’t listen, and Manasseh seduced them to do that which is evil more than the nations did whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.

10verseThe LORD spoke by his servants the prophets, saying,

11verse“Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations, and has done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has also made Judah to sin with his idols;

12versetherefore the LORD the God of Israel says, ‘Behold, I will bring such evil on Jerusalem and Judah that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle.

13verseI will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plumb line of Ahab’s house; and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.

14verseI will cast off the remnant of my inheritance and deliver them into the hands of their enemies. They will become a prey and a plunder to all their enemies,

15versebecause they have done that which is evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.’”

16verseMoreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; in addition to his sin with which he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the LORD’s sight.

17verseNow the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

18verseManasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza; and Amon his son reigned in his place.

19verseAmon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.

20verseHe did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, as Manasseh his father did.

21verseHe walked in all the ways that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshiped them;

22verseand he abandoned the LORD, the God of his fathers, and didn’t walk in the way of the LORD.

23verseThe servants of Amon conspired against him, and put the king to death in his own house.

24verseBut the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

25verseNow the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

26verseHe was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza, and Josiah his son reigned in his place.

The Census and Its Cause (Verses 1–6)

In the beginning of the chapter, Satan incites David to urge Israel to be counted. Joab and the commanders of the army know that this is not right, but eventually the census proceeds according to the king’s command. This reveals a human will and an excessive fixation on power.

Recognition of Sin and Judgment (Verses 7–17)

After the census, David realizes that his actions were not right, and he confesses his sin to God. Through the prophet Gad, God tells David to choose one of three kinds of calamity, and David seeks God’s mercy with compassion toward the people. In the end, a plague comes upon Israel, but it is stopped through David’s repentance and intercession.

Building the Altar and Restoration (Verses 18–30)

Through Gad, God tells David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. David buys the threshing floor from Ornan after paying its price, then builds the altar and offers burnt offerings and peace offerings. In response, God answers with fire, and the calamity stops. This scene carries the meaning of sacrifice, obedience, and restoration.

Meditation Points

  • We can pay attention to human mistakes and the effects they bring, as well as God’s merciful willingness to accept repentance and prayers.
  • The way David acknowledges his own mistake and moves toward a place of repentance becomes an important spiritual lesson for us as well.

Try Applying It to Yourself

  • I also must admit that I can make mistakes at times because of human thoughts, fear, or pride.
  • When I make a mistake, what matters is that I repent before God and obey again with a whole heart and the right attitude. Through this chapter, I can reflect on that once more.

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