33Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. 2And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. 3For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baalim, and made Asheroth, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. 4And he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. 5And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: and he practised augury, and used enchantments, and practised sorcery, and dealt with them that had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the
Ch. XXXIII. 1—10 (cp. 2 Kin. xxi. 1—16). Manasseh's Reign. His Apostasy.
1. in Jerusalem] The Chronicler omits here the name of Manasseh's mother, Hephzi-bah.
3. the Baalim] i.e. the gods—of Canaan—Baalim being the plural of the word Baal (Lord, i.e. God). See the notes on xvii. 3, and 1 Chr. viii. 33.
Asheroth] Cp. xiv. 3 (note).
the host of heaven] See the note on xviii. 18. Cp. 2 Kin. xvii. 16; Jer. viii. 2.
4. shall my name be for ever] Cp. vii. 16.
5. the two courts] Cp. iv. 9 (note).
6. He also made] In the Heb. there is stress on the pronoun "He" (that wicked one!).
to pass through the fire] Cp. xxviii. 3 (note).
in the valley of the son of Hinnom] Cp. Jer. vii. 31, 32.
practised augury] The precise meaning of the Heb. word ('ōnēn) is quite uncertain, so that we cannot be sure what form of divination is meant. "Augury" among the Romans consisted chiefly in observing birds and interpreting the observations made, but auguries were also taken from other natural phenomena.
practised sorcery] The Heb. word (kishshēph) probably means "to make a magic brew with shredded herbs."
with them that had familiar spirits] The Heb. word (ōb) probably means a necromancer who used ventriloquism in the practice of his art. The witch of Endor (1 Sam. xxviii.) was such a person. LXX. here has [ἐποίησεν] ἐνγαστριμύθους, i.e. "he appointed ventriloquists."
