The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 403

regarded RDd de6ed the lessons which were written in such large characters before his face, and chose the evil way (ver. 22). 2. He declined to be corrected and restored; he persisted in the path of wrong (ver. 23). 3. He excited the hatred of those whom he governed, and brought about an early and ignominious death, enjoying but two brief years of kingly rule (ver. 24). Thus, after a dishonourable and reactionary reign, he came to a miserable and inglorious end, and thus he forfeited hie heritage, 1. There is a very goodly heritage before us as the children of men. It will probably include something fair and bright of this world's estate, some pure enjoyment of which we may partake gladly and gratefully. It will certainly include the knowledge of God; the opportunity of worshipping and of serving him everywhere and in every relation we sustain ; the means of cultivating a holy and a noble character; openings for use- fulness in many ways, and particularly in the way of helping others ou in the path of life ; the opportunity of preparing for a far broader sphere and a far fuller life in tho kingdom of heaven. 2. We may find ourselves tempted to forfeit this good estate. It is alienable by a sinful preference of the lower good, by a guilty disregard of Divine voices, by a perilous postponement of sacred obligation to some future time. 3. It is our true wisdom and our bounden duty to take at once that decisive step (of self- surrender to our Lord) which places us within the kingdom of God, and secures for us the lasting friendship of a Divine Redeemer.-C. Vers. 1-20.-The reign of M=seh. L ITS EA.BLY COJOIENCEMENT. Manasseh, "One who forgets" (Gesenius)-an exceedingly appropriate name for one who in bis lifetime forgat God and every good thing; in the inscriptions Minasi ; perhaps so called "in allusion to the zeal with which the northern tribe had joined in Hezekiah's reforms" (eh. xxL 11), or to the desire which prevailed in Hezekiah's reign for a union of the two kingdoms" (Sta.nley)-was twelve years old when be ascended his father's throne (ver. 1). A wise child may be better than a foolish king (Eccles. iv. 13); but, as a rule, "foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child" (Prov. xxii. 15), while wisdom is the ripe fruit of age and experience (Job xxxii. 7). The experiment of boy-kings- unless where these have been placed under regents or guided by wise counsellors, as were Joash (eh. x.xiv. 2) and Uzziah (eh. xxv:i. 5)-has seldom been successful (Eccles. x. 16); though Manasseh's grandson, Josiah, must be pronounced an honourable and brilliant exception (eh. xx.xiv. 2). II. ITS EVIL CHARACTER. Manasseh "did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord" (ver. 2). 1. In imitation of the heathen. Whether be endeavoured to become acquainted with all the heathen religions he could find, and to introduce them into Judah, and "for this purpose sent into the most distant lands where there was any famous cultus, and grudged no pains for bis one object" (Ewald, 'History of Israel,' iv. 208)-which seems a pure conjecture on the part of the learned author who pro- pounds itr---it is undoubted that he resuscitated paganism and carried it to a higher degree of prevalence than it had ever before attained in Judah. (1) He restored all the Canaanitish abominations, i.e. the ancient worship on hill-tops, which had flourished under .Ahaz, but which his father Hezekiah had destroyed (vers. 2, 3). (2) He revived the Baal and Moloch worship of Phamicia, which Ahab had introduced into Israel, rearing up altars for the ~aalim, making Asheroth, or m~le and female st~tues! with their accompanying abom1nable houses (ver. 3), and setting up a Moloch idol 10 the vale of Hinnom, to which he sacrificed one, if not more, of his own sons (ver. 6), and encouraged his people to offer theirs (Je~. vii. ~1, 3~; xix. 2-6; xxxii. 35~. (3) He extended the .Assyrio-Chaldean star-worship, which his grandfather .Ahaz had mtroduced (2 Kings xxiii 12); he "worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them" (ver. 3). (On the nature of this W0!5hip, consult Exposition.) (4) "He pluni_;ed into all the mysteries of sorcery, augunes, and necromancy" (Stanley); "he practised augury, and used enchantments, and practised sorcery, and dealt with them that had familiar spirits" (ver. G). "Magic_ occupied an important pi~ in th_e rega.rds ?f the upper classes in .Assyria, Babyloma, and Egypt. At Babyloma the 10terpretat10n of omens was rc:duced to a science" (Rawlinson, 'Kings of Israel and Judah,' p. 206). 2. In di.shonowr of his father. "He built again the high places his father Hezekiah had thrown down" (ver. 3). Two things may have accounted for this sudden outbreak of pags.nisw after llezekiah's death. (1) 'fhe superficial character of Hezekiah's refor• on. xxxtIJ. 1-25.] TIIE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 400