2 Kings 24:3

2Ki 24:3 Surely at the commandment of the LORD came [this] upon Judah, to remove [them] out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did;

Ver. 3. Surely at the commandment of the Lord.] Heb., At the mouth, i.e., Ex praestituto. God’s holy hand is in all the miseries that befall his people. {Amo 3:6}

For the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did.] Or, For the like sins to those which Manasseh had done, as Tremellius rendereth it, Traiectio, as in Gen 5:29 Jdg 18:31.

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 24:3-4. To remove them out of his sight for the sins of Manasseh — Properly and directly for their own sins, and remotely for the sins of Manasseh; who had so corrupted the whole body of the people, that they were become incurable, and Josiah’s reformation had no lasting influence to recover them: for, immediately upon his death, they relapsed into their old idolatry, and other vices. Manasseh’s personal sins, although, as he was their chief ruler, they were to be considered as national sins, and merited national punishment, yet would never have been charged on the nation, unless they had made them their own by their impenitency for them, and repetition of them. And for the innocent blood which he shed — Namely, of those prophets and saints, who either reproved, or would not comply with his idolatrous worship. Which the Lord would not pardon — That is, would not remit the temporal punishment of the land, though he did pardon it so as not to inflict eternal punishment upon his own person, for from that God undoubtedly exempted him upon his repentance. God is the righteous governor of the world, and the guardian of civil society, and in it order could not be preserved, if he did not interpose in his providence, and, on proper occasions, cause signal and national judgments to follow public and national crimes.

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

24:3 because of the Lord’s command: The root of Judah’s problems was its incorrigible spiritual infidelity. Despite Josiah’s reforms, the sins of Manasseh permeated Judah so that divine judgment was inevitable.

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

Though God used these wicked tyrants to execute his just judgments, yet they are not to be excused, because they proceeded of ambition and malice.

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

(3) Surely at the commandment.—Literally, Only (i.e., upon no other ground than) upon the mouth (i.e., at the command of; 2Ki_23:35) of Jehovah did it happen in Judah. The LXX. and Syriac read wrath instead of mouth, which Ewald prefers (so 2Ki_24:20).

Out of his sight.—From before his face, i.e., as the Targum explains, from the land where he was present in his Temple.

For the sins of Manasseh.—Comp. 2Ki_21:11 seq., 2Ki_23:26 seq.; Jer_15:4.

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

3. for the sins of Manasseh] See above on 2Ki_23:26. The fifty-five years of Manasseh’s rule sealed the nation’s fate.

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.

Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight,.... It was the sure and certain decree of God they should be carried captive, and therefore he stirred up the spirit of Nebuchadnezzar, and gave him orders to go against it:

for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; which were still continued among the Jews, and committed by them, though repented of by Manasseh, and he returned from them.

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

For the sins of Manasseh; properly and directly for their own sins, and occasionally for the sins of Manasseh, which had never been charged upon them, if they had not made them their own by their impenitency for them, and repetition of them.

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

3. For the sins of Manasseh — The judgment came not merely for the actual sins of that one idolatrous king, but, as the whole course of the history shows, because the nation persisted in a class of sins of which those of Manasseh were most conspicuous representatives.

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

Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah; literally, only at the mouth of the Lord did this come upon Judah; i.e. there was no other cause for it but the simple "mouth" or "word" of the Lord. The LXX, who translate plhn qumoou h=n ejpi todan, seem to have had instead of ypi in their copies. To remove them out of his sight. (comp. 2Ki_23:27; and see also the comment (2Ki_17:18) for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did. The meaning is not that the nation was punishes for the personal sins and crimes of the wicked Manseseh forty or fifty years previously, but that the class of sins introduced by Manasseh, being persisted in by the people, brought the stern judgments of God upon them. As W. G. Sumner well observes, "The sins of Manasseh had become a designation for a certain class of offences, and a particular form of public and social depravity, which was introduced by Manassseh, but of which generation after generation continued to be guilty." The special sins were

(1) idolatry, accompanied by licentious rites;

(2) child-murder, or sacrifice to Moloch;

(3) sodomy; (2Ki_23:7) and

(4) the use of enchantments and the practice of magical arts. (2Ki_21:6)

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

The sins - Properly and directly for their own sins, and occasionally for the sins of Manasseh, which had never been charged upon them, if they had not made them their own by their repetition of them.

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

It was certainly at the mouth of Yahweh

Some versions have, "It was certainly because of the wrath of Yahweh," which is just as good a reading of the original text. If translators have access to versions in major languages in their region, they should probably follow their choice.

at the mouth of Yahweh

Here "mouth" represents Yahweh's command. AT: "as Yahweh had commanded" (See: Metonymy)

remove them out of his sight

"get rid of them" or "destroy them"

innocent blood that he shed

Blood is a metonym for innocent life, and shedding blood is a metonym for killing innocent people. AT: "innocent people whom he killed" (See: Metonymy)

he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood

Blood is a metonym for innocent life, and shedding blood is a metonym for killing innocent people. AT: "he killed many innocent people in Jerusalem" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

sin

Manasseh

innocent

blood

Jerusalem

forgive

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

Indeed, it was by the order of Adonoy. All the calamity that befell Yehudah through these bands.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.