Lièwángjìxià 21

1 Mǎnáxī dēng jī de shíhou nián shí èr suì , zaì Yēlùsǎlĕng zuò wáng wǔ shí wǔ nián . tā mǔqin míng jiào xié Xībā .

2 Mǎnáxī xíng Yēhéhuá yǎn zhōng kàn wéi è de shì , xiàofǎ Yēhéhuá zaì Yǐsèliè rén miànqián gǎn chū de waìbāngrén suǒ xíng kĕ zēng de shì .

3 Chóngxīn jiànzhù tā fù Xīxījiā suǒ huǐhuaì de qiū tán , yòu wèi bā lì zhú tán , zuò yà shĕ là xiàng , xiàofǎ Yǐsèliè wáng yà hā suǒ xíng de , qiĕ jìngbaì shìfèng tiān shàng de wàn xiàng .

4 Zaì Yēhéhuá diàn yǔ zhōng zhú tán . Yēhéhuá céng zhǐ zhe zhè diàn shuō , wǒ bì lì wǒde míng zaì Yēlùsǎlĕng .

5 Tā zaì Yēhéhuá diàn de liǎng yuàn zhōng wèi tiān shàng de wàn xiàng zhú tán ,

6 Bìng shǐ tāde érzi jīng huǒ , yòu guān zhào , yòng fǎshù , lì jiāo guǐ de hé xíng wū shù de , duō xíng Yēhéhuá yǎn zhōng kàn wéi è de shì , rĕ dòng tāde nùqì .

7 Yòu zaì diàn neì lì diāokè de yà shĕ là xiàng . Yēhéhuá céng duì Dàwèi hé tā érzi Suǒluómén shuō , wǒ zaì Yǐsèliè zhòng zhīpaì zhōng suǒ xuǎnzé de Yēlùsǎlĕng hé zhè diàn , bì lì wǒde míng , zhídào yǒngyuǎn .

8 Yǐsèliè rén ruò jǐn shǒu zūnxíng wǒ yīqiè suǒ fēnfu tāmende , hé wǒ púrén Móxī suǒ fēnfu tāmende yīqiè lǜfǎ , wǒ jiù bú zaì shǐ tāmen nuó yí líkāi wǒ suǒ cìgĕi tāmen lièzǔ zhī dì .

9 Tāmen què bù tīng cóng . Mǎnáxī yǐnyòu tāmen xíng è , bǐ Yēhéhuá zaì Yǐsèliè rén miànqián suǒ miè de liè guó gèng shén .

10 Yēhéhuá jiè tā púrén zhòng xiānzhī shuō ,

11 Yīn Yóudà wáng Mǎnáxī xíng zhèxie kĕ zēng de è shì bǐ xiānqián Yàmólìrén suǒ xíng de gèng shén , shǐ Yóudà rén baì tāde ǒuxiàng , xiàn zaì zuì lǐ .

12 Suǒyǐ Yēhéhuá Yǐsèliè de shén rúcǐ shuō , wǒ bì jiàng huò yǔ Yēlùsǎlĕng hé Yóudà , jiào yīqiè tīngjian de rén wú bù ĕr wū .

13 Wǒ bì yòng liáng sǎ Mǎlìyà de zhún shéng hé yà hā jiā de xiàn tuó là zaì Yēlùsǎlĕng shàng , bì cā jìng Yēlùsǎlĕng , rú rén cā pán , jiāng pán dào kòu .

14 Wǒ bì qì diào suǒ yú shèng de zǐmín ( yuánwén zuò chǎnyè ) , bǎ tāmen jiāo zaì chóudí shǒu zhōng , shǐ tāmen chéngwéi yīqiè chóudí lǔlǜe zhī wù .

15 Shì yīn tāmen zì cóng lièzǔ chū Āijí zhídào rújīn , cháng xíng wǒ yǎn zhōng kàn wéi è de shì , rĕ dòng wǒde nùqì .

16 Mǎnáxī xíng Yēhéhuá yǎn zhōng kàn wéi è de shì , shǐ Yóudà rén xiàn zaì zuì lǐ , yòu liú xǔduō wúgū rén de xuè , chōngmǎn le Yēlùsǎlĕng , cóng zhèbiān zhídào nàbiān .

17 Mǎnáxī qíyú de shì , fán tā suǒ xíng de hé tā suǒ fàn de zuì dōu xiĕ zaì Yóudà liè wáng jì shàng .

18 Mǎnáxī yǔ tā lièzǔ tóng shuì , zàng zaì zìjǐ gōng yuàn Wūsǎ de yuán neì . tā érzi Yàmén jiēxù tā zuò wáng .

19 Yàmén dēng jī de shíhou nián èr shí èr suì , zaì Yēlùsǎlĕng zuò wáng Ěr nián . tā mǔqin míng jiào mǐ shū lì mì , shì yuē tí bā rén hā lǔ sī de nǚér .

20 Yàmén xíng Yēhéhuá yǎn zhōng kàn wéi è de shì , yǔ tā fùqin Mǎnáxī suǒ xíng de yíyàng .

21 Xíng tā fùqin yīqiè suǒ xíng de , jìngfèng tā fùqin suǒ jìngfèng de ǒuxiàng ,

22 Lí qì Yēhéhuá tā lièzǔ de shén , bù zūnxíng Yēhéhuá de dào .

23 Yàmén wáng de chénpú beìpàn tā , zaì gōng lǐ shā le tā .

24 Dàn guó mín shā le nàxiē beìpàn Yàmén wáng de rén , lì tā érzi Yuēxīyà jiēxù tā zuò wáng .

25 Yàmén qíyú suǒ xíng de shì dōu xiĕ zaì Yóudà liè wáng jì shàng .

26 Yàmén zàng zaì Wūsǎ de yuán neì zìjǐ de fùnmù lǐ . tā érzi Yuēxīyà jiēxù tā zuò wáng .

Lièwángjìxià 21 Commentary

Chapter 21

Wicked reign of Manasseh. (1-9) The prophetic denunciations against Judah. (10-18) Wicked reign and death of Amon. (19-26)

Verses 1-9 Young persons generally desire to become their own masters, and to have early possession of riches and power. But this, for the most part, ruins their future comfort, and causes mischief to others. It is much happier when young persons are sheltered under the care of parents or guardians, till age gives experience and discretion. Though such young persons are less indulged, they will afterwards be thankful. Manasseh wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, as if on purpose to provoke him to anger; he did more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed. Manasseh went on from bad to worse, till carried captive to Babylon. The people were ready to comply with his wishes, to obtain his favour and because it suited their depraved inclinations. In the reformation of large bodies, numbers are mere time-servers, and in temptation fall away.

Verses 10-18 Here is the doom of Judah and Jerusalem. The words used represent the city emptied and utterly desolate, yet not destroyed thereby, but cleansed, and to be kept for the future dwelling of the Jews: forsaken, yet not finally, and only as to outward privileges, for individual believers were preserved in that visitation. The Lord will cast off any professing people who dishonour him by their crimes, but never will desert his cause on earth. In the book of Chronicles we read of Manasseh's repentance, and acceptance with God; thus we may learn not to despair of the recovery of the greatest sinners. But let none dare to persist in sin, presuming that they may repent and reform when they please. There are a few instances of the conversion of notorious sinners, that none may despair; and but few, that none may presume.

Verses 19-26 Amon profaned God's house with his idols; and God suffered his house to be polluted with his blood. How unrighteous soever they were that did it, God was righteous who suffered it to be done. Now was a happy change from one of the worst, to one of the best of the kings of Judah. Once more Judah was tried with a reformation. Whether the Lord bears long with presumptuous offenders, or speedily cuts them off in their sins, all must perish who persist in refusing to walk in his ways.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 21

In this chapter a short history is given of the two wicked reigns of Manasseh and Amon; Manasseh is charged with great idolatry, with enchantments and witchcrafts, and seducing the children of Israel, 2Ki 21:1-9 and a prophecy is given out of the destruction of Jerusalem for his sins, 2Ki 21:10-16, and an account is given of his death and burial, 2Ki 21:17,18, and of his son and successor Amon, and the evils committed by him, 2Ki 21:19-22 and of the conspiracy against his life, which succeeded, and Josiah his son reigned in his stead, 2Ki 21:23-26.