The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 371

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XXI. (Isa.. lxii. 4). It he.a been conjectured that, e.s queen-mother, Hephziba.h we.a regent Vers. 1-26.-THE REIGNS OF MA.NASSER during her son's minority. But there is no AND A.lilON. trace of her regency either in Kings or Vers. 1-18.-THE REIGN oF MANASSEH, Chronicles. Ver. 2.-And he did that which was evil Hezekiab's good and glorious reign was in the sight of the Lord. Manasseh was too followed by one of exactly the opposite cha- young a.t the death of his father for his oho.- rsct.er. His son and successor, Manasseh, meter to have been then definitively formed. reversed Hezek.iab's entire religious policy, He probably fell under the influence of and returned to the wicked practices of his the "princes of Judah,'' who, supported by grandfather Ahaz. In vers. 3--9 and ver. many of the priests, had maintained them- selves e.s a pe.rty antagonistic to Isaiah 16 his various abominations are enumerated, during the whole of Hezekio.h's reign. He- while in vers. 10-15 God's sentence is zekiah's reformation had been oarried out pronounced upon them. The acconut of age.inst their wishes. They had always his reign terminates with a brief snmma.ry leant towards foreign e.Ilia.nces (Isa. :u. 5; (vers. 17, 18). xxx. 1-7) and foreign rites (Isa. ii. 6-9: I.xv. 3). The accession of a boy-king would Ver. 1.-Ma.na.sseh was twelve years old. be joyfully hailed by them, and they would Manasseh was thus not born till three make every effort to draw him to their side. yea.re after Hezekiah's dangerous illness, or It would seem the.t they were successful. till the year B.c. 710. Hezekiah may have After the abominations of the heathen-the given him the ne.me in the spirit in which details which follow in vers. 3-9 suffi- .Joseph gave it to his firstbom (Gen. xii. ciently explain this strong expression- 51), because God, in at last blessing him whom the Lord cast out before the children with a son, had "made him forget" his of Israel It was solely because of their dangerous illness, with the griefs and regrets abominations the.t they were cast out (see that accompanied it. "Manasseh" means Gen. xv. 16: Lev. xviii. 25: xx. 23; Deut. .. Forgetting." When he began to reign- ix. 5; xviii. 12, etc.) . in B.c. 698 or 697. the seventh or eighth Ver. 3.-:For he built up age.in the high year of Sennacherib-a.nd reigned fifty and places which Hezekiah his father he.d de- five yee.n in J'eruaa.lem. So the author of stroyed (comp. eh. xviii. 4, 22). On the Chronicles (2 Chron. :u:xiii. 1) a.nd Jose- high-place worship, see the comment upon phus (' Ant. Jud.,' x. 3. § 2). The reign 1 Kings xiv. 23. It is quite clee.r that the exceeds in length that of any other King of people were deeply attacherl to it, and .JndRh or Israel. And hil mother's ne.me gladly saw it restored. And he reared up we.a Jlephziba.h. "Hephzibah" means " My altars for Ba.al; i.e. he reintroduoed the delight is in her." Isaiah gives it as a Phcenicia.n Baa.I-won hip, the speoia.l abomi- 11&me of honour to the restored Jerusalem nation of the house of Ahab (1 Kings xvi. on. xiu.1-26.J THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KING~ 421