2 Kings 21:2 - Exposition

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. Manasseh was too young at the death of his father for his character to have been then definitively formed. He probably fell under the influence of the "princes of Judah," who, supported by many of the priests, had maintained themselves as a party antagonistic to Isaiah during the whole of Hezekiah's reign. Hezekiah's reformation had been carried out against their wishes. They had always leant towards foreign alliances ( Isaiah 20:5 ; Isaiah 30:1-7 ) and foreign rites ( Isaiah 2:6-9 ; Isaiah 65:3 ). The accession of a boy-king would be joyfully hailed by them, and they would make every effort to draw him to their side. It would seem that they were successful. After the abominations of the heathen —the details which follow in verses 3-9 sufficiently explain this strong expression— whom the Lord east out before the children of Israel. It was solely because of their abominations that they were east out (see Genesis 15:16 ; Le Genesis 18:25 ; Genesis 20:1-18 :23; Deuteronomy 9:5 ; Deuteronomy 18:12 , etc.).