2 Chronicles 33:14

14 After that Manasseh rebuilt the outside defensive wall of the City of David to the west of the Gihon spring in the valley. It went from the Fish Gate and around the hill of Ophel. He also increased its height. He tightened up the defense system by posting army captains in all the fortress cities of Judah.

2 Chronicles 33:14 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 33:14

Now after this he built a wall without the city of David
Which perhaps had been broken down by the Assyrian army, when it came and took him; Vitringa F12 thinks this is the wall of the pool of Siloah, ( Nehemiah 3:15 ) which seems to be the first and oldest wall, as Josephus F13; for that turning to the north bent towards the pool of Siloam; an Arabic writer F14 calls it the southern wall:

on the west side of Gihon;
on the west side of the city, towards Gihon; for that was to the west of it, ( 2 Chronicles 32:30 ) ,

in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate;
through which the fish were brought from Joppa, and where, according to the Targum, they were sold:

and compassed about Ophel;
the eastern part of Mount Zion; some say it was the holy of holies, ( 2 Chronicles 27:3 ) ,

and raised it up a very great height;
built the wall very high there:

and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah;
this he did to put his kingdom in a posture of defence, should it be attacked by the Assyrian army again.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 Comment. in Jesaiam, c. 22. 9.
F13 De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 9.
F14 Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. Dyn. 3. p. 67.

2 Chronicles 33:14 In-Context

12 Now that he was in trouble, he went to his knees in prayer asking for help - total repentance before the God of his ancestors.
13 As he prayed, God was touched; God listened and brought him back to Jerusalem as king. That convinced Manasseh that God was in control.
14 After that Manasseh rebuilt the outside defensive wall of the City of David to the west of the Gihon spring in the valley. It went from the Fish Gate and around the hill of Ophel. He also increased its height. He tightened up the defense system by posting army captains in all the fortress cities of Judah.
15 He also did a good spring cleaning on The Temple, carting out the pagan idols and the goddess statue. He took all the altars he had set up on The Temple hill and throughout Jerusalem and dumped them outside the city.
16 He put the Altar of God back in working order and restored worship, sacrificing Peace-Offerings and Thank-Offerings. He issued orders to the people: "You shall serve and worship God, the God of Israel."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.