2 Kings 21:16

2Ki 21:16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD.

Ver. 16. Moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood very much.] This tiger laid hold with his teeth on all the excellent spirits of his time, as one {a} well saith of Tiberius Stimulatus est ab insurgente diabolo, saith an ancient, He was spurred on by that old man-slayer the devil, to murder the prophets and other godly people that disliked his sinful courses. Epiphanius saith that the prophet Isaiah suffered death under him; and the Rabbis tell us why: sc., because (1.) He said he had seen the Lord upon his throne; {Isa 6:1} and, (2.) Because he called the great ones of Judah princes of Sodom and rulers of Gomorrah. {Isa 1:10} {b} More likely it was for his bold inveighing against the sins of both the king and people, calling them {as Isa 57:3} witches’ children, and a bastardly brood; as "Esaias was very bold," saith St Paul. {Rom 10:20}

Till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another.] A metaphor from vessels brim full: or from a flood that overfloweth all. And now "how was the faithful city become a harlot! it was full of judgment," sc., in good Hezekiah’s days "righteonsness lodged in it, but now murderers," Manasseh and his bloody assassins. {Isa 1:21}

Besides his sin.] His idolatry, whereto he first persuaded the people, and afterwards compelled them: so did Julian.

{a} Author imperfecti operis Hom. i. in Mat.

{b} Jerome, in Isa. i.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 21:16. Moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood — The blood of those prophets, and other righteous men, who either reproved his sinful practices, or refused to comply with his wicked commands. The tradition of the Jews is, that he caused Isaiah, in particular, to be sawn asunder, and that by a wooden saw, to which the author of the epistle to the Hebrews is thought to allude, Heb 11:37. Besides his sin, wherewith he made Judah to sin — That is, his idolatry, which is elsewhere called evil and corruption, and here sin, by way of eminency; which is the more remarkable, because it is here compared with horrid cruelty, and implied to be worse than it, and more abominable in God’s sight, because it more directly and immediately struck at the glory and the purity of the Divine Majesty, by respect unto which all sins are to be measured.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21:16 innocent blood: Beyond his loathsome spiritual sin, Manasseh was guilty of murder. Jewish tradition holds that Isaiah was one of many prophets that Manasseh put to death.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The Hebrews write that he slew Isaiah the Prophet, who was his father-in-law.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood--Not content with the patronage and the practice of idolatrous abomination, he was a cruel persecutor of all who did not conform. The land was deluged with the blood of good men; among whom it is traditionally said Isaiah suffered a horrid death, by being sawn asunder (see on Heb 11:37).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 16. Shed innocent blood very much] Like the deities he worshipped, he was fierce and cruel; an unprincipled, merciless tyrant: he slew innocent people and God's prophets.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(16) Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood . . .—The narrative is taken up again from 2Ki_21:9. The “innocent blood” shed by Manasseh was that of the prophets of Jehovah and their followers. “As the nation fell back into the grooves of its old existence, ancient customs began to reassert their sway. The worship which the prophets condemned, and which Hezekiah had proscribed, was too deeply interwoven with all parts of life to be uprooted by royal decree, and the old prejudice of the country folk against the capital, so clearly apparent in (the pages of the prophet) Micah, must have co-operated with superstition to bring about the strong revulsion against the new reforms which took place under Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh. A bloody struggle ensued between the conservative party and the followers of the prophets, and the new king was on the side of the reaction (Robertson Smith). Talmudic tradition relates that Isaiah himself was sawn asunder in the trunk of a cedar tree in which he had taken refuge. (Comp. Heb_11:37. This is, perhaps, not impossible, but hardly probable. Ewald considers that Jer_2:30, Psa_141:7, and Isaiah 53, allude to the persecution of the prophets by Manasseh.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16–18. Other wickedness of Manasseh. His death (2Ch_33:18-20)

16. Manasseh shed innocent blood very much] This is alluded to again in 2Ki_24:4 as the cause of God’s continued anger against Judah. It is singular that the Chronicler makes no special mention of this particular offence. Josephus on the contrary (Ant. x. 3, 1) says ‘He did not even spare the prophets, but even of these he slew some daily (καθʼ ἡμέραν) so that Jerusalem ran with blood’. The tradition that Isaiah himself was one of the sufferers in this slaughter was current among early Christian legends, and some have taken the mention of ‘sawing asunder’ (Heb_11:37) as an allusion to his fate.

from one end to another] Lit. ‘from mouth to mouth’. See note on 2Ki_10:21.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood very much,.... Putting to death the prophets that reproved him and his people for their idolatries, and such who would not comply therewith; and it is commonly said, both by Jewish and Christian writers, that Isaiah was slain, and even sawn asunder by him; see Gill on Heb 11:37,

till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; a metaphor taken from filling a vessel brimful:

beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; the sin of idolatry he drew them into, and even obliged them to commit.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Compare Jer 2:30; Heb 11:37; Isa 57:1-4. According to tradition, Isaiah was among the first to perish. More than a century afterward, the final judgment upon Jerusalem was felt to be in an special way the punishment of Manasseh’s bloody persecution of God’s people (marginal reference).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Mouth. Chaldean, "extremity." All was full of blood, and impure idols, ver. 11. --- Besides, (absque) "without" mentioning his other scandalous sins of idolatry.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Innocent blood; the blood of those prophets and righteous men who either reproved his sinful practices, or refused to comply with his wicked commands and worship.

Beside his sin, i.e. his idolatry, which is elsewhere called evil, and corruption, and here sin, by way of eminency; which is the more considerable, because it is here compared with horrid cruelty, and implied to be worse than that, and more abominable in God’s sight, because it doth more directly and immediately strike at the glory and purity of the Divine Majesty, by respect unto which all sins are to be measured. And this expression God here useth in opposition to the gross error of most men, who look upon idolatry as a small sin, as a mere mistake of the mind, as the fruit of a good intention, and as an excess proceeding from zeal in religion.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. Shed innocent blood — Probably of those prophets (comp. 2Ki_21:10) who reproved his sins and uttered the word of the Lord against him. Josephus says, “He barbarously slew all the righteous men that were among the Hebrews; nor would he spare the prophets, for he every day slew some of them, till Jerusalem was overflown with blood.” It was during the reign of Manasseh, according to Jewish tradition, that Isaiah was sawn asunder. Heb_11:37.

Besides his sin — That is, especially, his abominable idolatry.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much. We must not understand this of his own offerings to Moloch, for these have been already put on record against him (ver. 6), and this is something additional (note the strong expression, nor even of the multitudinous sacrifices of the same kind which were the result of his influence on the people. Some culminating horror is required, something not touched upon before, and something specially attaching to the monarch himself. These conditions are answered by supposing a bloody persecution of the faithful to be intended. Josephus declares positively that Manasseh "cruelly put to death all the righteous among the Hebrews, and did not even spare the prophets" ("Ant. Jud:," 10:3. A tradition, very widely received, declared Isaiah to have been one of the victims ("Gemara Jebam.," 4:13; "Sanhedr.," f. 103; Tertullian, "De Patientia," Augustine, "De Cir. Dei," 18:24, etc.). Stanley says, "A reign of terror commenced against all who ventured to resist the reaction. Day by day a fresh batch of the prophetic order were ordered for execution. It seemed as if a devouring lion were let loose against them. From end to end of Jerusalem were to be seen traces of their blood. The nobles who took their part were thrown headlong from the rocky cliffs of Jerusalem" ("Lectures on the Jewish Church," pt. 2. p. 492). The persecution has been compared to that of Anglicans under Mary Tudor. Till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another i.e. "till he had filled it with blood and slaughter". (comp. 2Ki_24:4) beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord (see ver. 9).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Blood - The blood of those prophets and righteous men who either reproved his sinful practices, or refused to comply with his wicked commands. His sin - His idolatry, which is called sin, by way of eminency. The tradition of the Jews is, that he caused Isaiah in particular to be sawn asunder.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Moreover, Manasseh

"Also, Manasseh" or "In addition, Manasseh"

Manasseh shed much innocent blood

The words "shed much innocent blood" are a metonym for killing people violently. It might be best to translate this so the reader understands that other people helped Manasseh do this. AT: "Manasseh ordered his soldiers to kill many innocent people" (See: Metonymy)

he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another with death

This hyperbole emphasizes the great number of people Manasseh had killed throughout Jerusalem. The abstract noun "death" can be stated as "dead people." AT: "there were very many dead people throughout Jerusalem" (See: Hyperbole and Generalization and Abstract Nouns)

what was evil in the sight of Yahweh

The sight of Yahweh represents Yahweh's judgment or evaluation. See how you translated this in 2 Kings 3:2. AT: "what was evil in Yahweh's judgment" or "what Yahweh considers to be evil" (See: Metaphor)

are they not written ... Judah?

This can be expressed in active form and assumes that the answer is positive. The question is rhetorical and is used for emphasis. See how this phrase is translated in 2 Kings 8:23. AT: "they are written ... Judah." or "you can find them ... Judah." (See: Active or Passive and Rhetorical Question)

slept with his ancestors and

This is a polite way of saying he "died, as his ancestors had, and" (See: Euphemism)

the garden of Uzza

Possible meanings are 1) "the garden that had once belonged to a man named Uzza" or 2) "Uzza Garden." (See: How to Translate Names)

Amon

This is a man's name (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

innocent

blood

die

asleep

bury

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.