2 Chronicles 33 Study Notes

33:14-17 Manasseh attempted to undo all the damage he had caused. He repaired the destruction that had been wrought by the Assyrian invasion; he purified the temple; he removed the idols; he reinstituted regular sacrifices; and he instructed the people to serve the Lord. They did restrict their worship to Yahweh, but did not return to legitimate worship at the temple.

33:18-20 Manasseh’s death notice includes references to the sources for the events that are related in 2 Kings as well as for this particular record of his repentance. He was not buried in the area reserved for kings but was laid to rest in his own house.

33:21-24 Amon: Fifteenth king of Judah; son of Manasseh; idol worshiper; assassinated by his officials. Whatever repentance or reform Manasseh attempted did not carry over to his son and successor, Amon. He picked up where his father had left off before his repentance, going back into idolatry. But with Amon there was no mid-life repentance. His servants assassinated him after he had reigned for two years. The people were probably outraged by the assassination, so they had Amon’s assassins killed.