And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
2 CHRONICLES 33:15KJVWhat does 2 Chronicles 33:15 mean?
2 Chronicles 33:15 describes how King Manasseh removed foreign gods, an idol from the temple, and all the altars he had built on the temple mount and in Jerusalem, throwing them out of the city. This verse shows Manasseh undoing his earlier actions that had brought idol worship into Jerusalem and the temple.
King Manasseh had previously led Judah into idolatry, but after being humbled, he tried to restore proper worship of the LORD. The verse highlights the physical removal of objects tied to foreign worship, showing a public and thorough rejection of those practices. The focus is on cleansing both the temple and the city from anything associated with other gods.
The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 33:15
- Strange (נֵכָר, nekar) gods (אֱלֹהִים, elohim): These words refer to gods that are foreign or not part of Israel’s worship of the LORD. The use of "nekar" emphasizes that these were not just any idols, but specifically those from outside influences.
- Idol (הַסֵּמֶל, hassemel): This word points to a specific image or statue set up for worship. Its removal from the house (בַּיִת, bayit) of the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH) shows how seriously Manasseh treated the need to purify the temple.
- Cast (וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ, vayyashlekh) them out (חֻץ, chutz) of the city (עִיר, ir): The verb here means to throw or hurl, suggesting a forceful and decisive action. Manasseh did not just hide or store these objects; he made a public display of rejecting them by expelling them from Jerusalem.
Why 2 Chronicles 33:15 matters
- This verse clears up that Manasseh’s repentance was not just private or symbolic; he took real, visible steps to reverse his earlier wrongdoing and restore proper worship.
- The verse emphasizes the seriousness of removing both the objects and the places of idol worship, not just stopping the practices.
- In the wider story, this action marks a turning point in Manasseh’s reign, showing that even a king known for great evil could change and try to make things right.