Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 21
Already, the people in northern and central Israel had suffered God’s judgment against them for their evil acts. They lost control over their own country; and a cruel enemy, the army of Assyria, had forced them to live in foreign countries.
Until now, Judah’s people had not suffered these troubles. However, during the rule of Manasseh, its people were guilty of even worse crimes. So, God declared that Judah’s people too would suffer this punishment. The only real difference was that Judah’s enemy would be the army of Babylon.
We have spoken about the nation’s crimes during the rule of Manasseh. However, really those crimes and evil acts began during a much earlier period of time. Even from the time that Israel’s people became a separate nation, many of them were not loyal to God (see Psalm 78). At every period of its history, there were people in that nation who hated God’s law. So, the evil people at the time of Manasseh were only copying the behaviour of earlier people from their families. It became worse during Manasseh’s rule because Manasseh did not act against it. Rather, he encouraged it. In that way, Manasseh, Judah’s king and ruler, became its worst criminal. He was a terrible murderer, responsible for the deaths of very many people (21:16).
God sent many prophets (holy people) at this time to warn Judah’s people about their evil acts. God’s judgment against these crimes would certainly happen – but now there was an opportunity for people to turn to God, and God would forgive them.
Next part: Manasseh turned back to God before his death (2 Kings 21:16-18)
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