2 Kings 21:3

3 For ¹he rebuilt * the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and ²he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and ³worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.

2 Kings 21:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 21:3

For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his
father had destroyed
The temples and altars upon them, see ( 2 Kings 18:4 ) ,

and he reared up altars for Baal;
in the high places he rebuilt:

and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel:
which was either an idol itself, or a shade of trees where idols were placed; or rather Asherah, rendered "a grove", is the same with Astarte, the goddess of the Zidonians, the figure of which he made and worshipped; for groves were not so soon and easily planted, raised, and made; so the same in ( 1 Kings 16:33 )

and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them:
the sun, moon, and stars, particularly the planets Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Venus.

2 Kings 21:3 In-Context

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Hephzibah.

2 He did evil in the sight of the LORD , according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel.

3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.

4 He built altars in the house of the LORD , of which the LORD had said, "In Jerusalem I will put My name."

5 For he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD .

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kings 18:4
• 2. 1 Kings 16:31-33
• 3. Deuteronomy 17:2-5; 2 Kings 17:16; 2 Kings 23:5

Footnotes

• [a] I.e. a wooden symbol of a female deity