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 33:15KJV
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2 Chronicles 33:15 (KJV)

What 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.

Where else these words appear

“idol” Hebrew H5566 · used in 5 verses

  • Deuteronomy 4:16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
  • 2 Chronicles 33:7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
  • Ezekiel 8:3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.

“strange” Hebrew H5236 · used in 35 verses

  • Genesis 17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
  • 1 Samuel 7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
  • Psalms 144:11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:

“cast” Hebrew H7993 · used in 121 verses

  • Genesis 21:15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
  • 2 Kings 2:16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.
  • Isaiah 19:8 The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.