Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 33:6
And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
6. And he caused ] R.V. He also made. There is stress on the pronoun “He” (that wicked one!).
to pass through the fire ] Cp. 2Ch 28:3, note.
in the valley of the son of Hinnom ] Cp. Jer 7:31-32.
observed times ] R.V. practised augury. The precise meaning of the Heb. word ( ‘nn) is quite uncertain. “Augury” among the Romans consisted chiefly in observing birds and interpreting the observations made, but augurs observed also various natural phenomena.
used witchcraft ] R.V. practised sorcery. The Heb. word ( kishshph) is said to mean “make a magic brew with shredded herbs.”
with a familiar spirit ] R.V. with them that had familiar spirits. The Heb. word ( b) probably means a necromancer who uses ventriloquism in the practice of his art. The witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28) was such a person. LXX. here has [ ] , i.e. “he appointed ventriloquists.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
[See comments on 2Ki 21:6]
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(6) He.Emphatic. Not in Kings.
Caused his children . . . fire.The plural, as in 2Ch. 28:3, is rhetorical. Kings, his son.
In the valley of the son of Hinnom.Explanatory addition by the chronicler.
Also he observed times, and used enchantments.And he practised augury and divination. Forbidden, Lev. 19:26. The first words seem strictly to mean observed clouds; the second, observed serpents.
And used witchcraft.And muttered spells or charms. This word does not occur in the parallel place, but all the offences here ascribed to Manasseh are forbidden in Deu. 18:10-11.
And dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards.And appointed a necromancer and a wizard. Kings has wizards. The source of all these modes of soothsaying was Babylon. Like the first king of Israel, Manasseh appears to have despaired of help or counsel from Jehovah. (Comp. Jer. 44:17-18.) The heavy yoke of Assyria again weighed the nation down, and the great deliverance under Hezekiah was almost forgotten. To all the Palestinian nations the Assyrian crisis had made careless confidence in the help of their national deities a thing impossible. As life was embittered by foreign bondage, the darker aspects of heathenism became dominant. The wrath of the gods seemed more real than their favour; atoning ordinances were multiplied, human sacrifices became more frequent, the terror which hung over all the nations that groaned under the Assyrian yoke found habitual expression in the ordinances of worship; and it was this aspect of heathenism that came to the front in Manassehs imitations of foreign religion (Robertson Smith, The Prophets of Israel, p. 366).
He wrought much evil.Literally, he multiplied doing the evil. He was worse than his evil predecessors
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 33:6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
Ver. 6. And he caused his children to pass, &c. ] Thinking thereby to merit remission of sin, Mic 6:7 and to obtain victories, as that king of Moab did. 2Ki 3:27
And he observed times, and used enchantments.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
pass through the fire. Compare Lev 18:21. Deu 18:10. 2Ki 23:10. 2Ki 28:3.
observed times. Consulted auguries.
times = clouds, which were watched for auguries.
familiar spirit. See note on Lev 19:31.
evil = the evil. Hebrew. ra’a’ (with Art). App-44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
caused: 2Ch 28:3, Lev 18:21, Lev 20:2, Deu 12:31, Deu 18:10, 2Ki 21:6, 2Ki 23:10, Jer 7:31, Jer 7:32, Eze 23:37, Eze 23:39
he observed: Lev 19:26, Lev 20:6, Deu 18:10-14, 1Sa 15:23, 2Ki 17:17, Isa 47:9-12, Gal 5:20
dealt: 2Ki 21:6, 2Ki 23:24, 1Ch 10:13, Isa 8:19, Isa 19:3
Reciprocal: Gen 38:7 – wicked Lev 19:31 – General Jos 18:16 – the valley of the son Jdg 2:11 – did evil 1Sa 15:19 – didst evil 2Sa 12:9 – to do evil 1Ki 14:9 – to provoke 1Ki 21:20 – to work 2Ki 16:3 – made his son 2Ki 16:15 – for me to inquire by Isa 3:8 – to provoke Jer 19:2 – the valley Jer 32:35 – they built Eze 16:20 – and these Eze 20:26 – in that Act 19:19 – used
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
33:6 {a} And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
(a) Read 2Ki 16:3.