Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 21:19
Amon [was] twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name [was] Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
19 26. Amon king of Judah. His wicked reign and death (2Ch 33:21-25)
19. Jotbah ] This place is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible. It is generally thought to be the same as Jotbath or Jotbathah, mentioned (Num 33:33; Deu 10:7) as a station of the Israelites in their wanderings. It is called ‘a land of torrents of water’, so that it would be most likely a sort of oasis in the desert.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
2Ki 21:19-26
Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign.
Amon
The brief reign of Amon is only a sort of unimportant and miserable annex to that of his father. As he was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, he must have witnessed the repentance and reforming zeal of his father, if, in spite of all difficulties, we assume that narrative to be historical. In that ease, however, the young man was wholly untouched by the latter phase of Manassehs life, and flung himself headlong into the career of the kings earlier idolatries. He walked in all the ways that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them–which was the more extraordinary if Manassehs last acts had been to dethrone and destroy these strange gods. He even multiplied trespass, so that in his sons reign we find every form of abomination as triumphant as though Manasseh had never attempted to check the tide of evil. We know nothing more of Amon. Apparently he only reigned two years. He is the only Jewish king who bears the name of a foreign–an Egyptian–deity. For pictures of the state of things in this reign we may look to the prophets Zephaniah and Jeremiah, and they are forced to use the darkest colours. (Dexter Farrar.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 19. He reigned two years in Jerusalem.] The remark of the rabbins is not wholly without foundation, that the sons of those kings who were idolaters, and who succeeded their fathers, seldom reigned more than two years. So Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, 1Kg 15:25; Elah, the son of Baasha, 1Kg 16:8; Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, 1Kg 22:51; and Amon, the son of Manasseh, as mentioned here, 2Kg 21:19.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
19-24. Amon was twenty and two yearsold when he began to reignThis prince continued the idolatrouspolicy of his father; and, after an inglorious reign of two years, hewas massacred by some of his own domestics. The people slew theregicide conspirators and placed his son Josiah on the throne.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Amon was twenty two years old when he began to reign,…. Being born in the forty fifth of his father’s life, and in the thirty third of his reign:
and he reigned two years in Jerusalem; which, as Abarbinel observes, was the usual time the sons of wicked kings reigned, and instances in the son of Jeroboam, Baasha, and Ahab, 1Ki 15:25. An Arabic writer k says, he reigned twelve years, but according to the Jews only two:
and his mother’s name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah; there was a place called Jotbath, which was one of the stations of the children of Israel in the wilderness, Nu 33:33 but it can scarcely be thought to be the same place.
k Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. Dyn. 3. p. 67.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Reign of Amon (cf. 2Ch 33:21-25). – Amon reigned only two years, and that in the spirit of his father, that is to say, worshipping all his idols. The city of Jotbah, from which his mother sprang, was, according to Jerome (in the Onom. s. v. Jethaba), urbs antiqua Judaeae; but it is not further known.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Amon’s Reign and Death. | B. C. 643. |
19 Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 20 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did. 21 And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them: 22 And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD. 23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house. 24 And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead. 25 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 26 And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.
Here is a short account of the short and inglorious reign of Amon, the son of Manasseh. Whether Manasseh, in his blind and brutish zeal for his idols, had sacrificed his other sons–or whether, having been dedicated to his idols, they were refused by the people–so it was that his successor was a son not born till he was forty-five years old. And of him we are here told, 1. That his reign was very wicked: He forsook the God of his fathers (v. 22), disobeyed the commands given to his fathers, and disclaimed the covenant made with his fathers, and walked not in the way of the Lord, but in all the way which his father walked in,2Ki 21:20; 2Ki 21:21. He trod in the steps of his father’s idolatry, and revived that which he, in the latter end of his days, had put down. Note, Those who set bad examples, though they may repent themselves, yet cannot be sure that those whom they have drawn into sin by their example will repent; it is often otherwise. 2. That his end was very tragical. He having rebelled against God, his own servants conspired against him and slew him, probably upon some personal disgust, when he had reigned but two years, v. 23. His servants, who should have guarded him, murdered him; his own house, that should have been his castle of defence, was the place of his execution. He had profaned God’s house with his idols, and now God suffered his own house to be polluted with his blood. How unrighteous soever those were that did it, God was righteous who suffered it to be done. Two things the people of the land did, by their representatives, hereupon:– (1.) They did justice on the traitors that had slain the king, and put them to death; for, though he was a bad king, he was their king, and it was a part of their allegiance to him to avenge his death. Thus they cleared themselves from having any hand in the crime, and did what was incumbent on them to deter others from the like villainous practices. (2.) They did a kindness to themselves in making Josiah his son king in his stead, whom probably the conspirators had a design to put by, but the people stood by him and settled him in the throne, encouraged, it may be, by the indications he gave, even in his early days, of a good disposition. Now they made a happy change from one of the worst to one of the best of all the kings of Judah. “Once more,” says God, “they shall be tried with a reformation; and, if that succeed, well; if not, then after that I will cut them down.” Amon was buried in the same garden where his father was, v. 26. If his father put himself under that humiliation, the people will put him under it.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
HOMILETICS OF 2Ki. 21:19-26
THE CRIME OF ASSASSINATION
I. Is but lightly regarded where religions principle is demoralized (2Ki. 21:20-22). When the bonds of religious obligations are relaxed, the way is opened for the commission of the worst crimes. Every sin blunts the moral sense and makes it easier to sin again, until the lowest grade of crime is reached. The peace, safety, and prosperity of a nation are more indebted to the prevalence of true religion than the majority are inclined to admit. Religion is the curb that holds in check the fierce monster of crime, that would otherwise stalk through the land and work irreparable mischief.
II. Is unjustifiable, notwithstanding the wickedness of its victim. We stand aghast at the wickedness of those in power, and are apt to think any means justifiable that will put an end to it. Even the unjust detest the injustice of others. A hatred of evil may tempt one into hasty and excessive punishment of wrong, forgetting that when our hatred is violent it sinks us even boneath those we hate. It is difficult to restrain the national thirst for revenge when in the midst of injustice and suffering. If the wicked flourish, says Fuller, and thou suffer, be not discouraged; they are fatted for destruction, thou art dieted for health. We may safely leave the wicked in the hands of God. We may create greater evils by the way in which we strive to redress one single offence.
III. Is aggravated when committed by those whose duty it is to guard and protect (2Ki. 21:23). Amon was slain by his court attendants, who took advantage of the confidence and trust reposed in them. In the most unguarded moment, and when least suspecting treachery, he was slain in the privacy of his palace; his servants, towards whom he had shown kindness and honour, became traitors and murderers.
Is there a crime
Beneath the roof of heaven that staius the soul
With more infernal hue than damned
Assassination!
Cibber.
And it certainly adds to the heinousness of the crime when the fatal blow is prompted by a false heart.
IV. Sooner or later meets with terrible punishment (2Ki. 21:24). The conspirators and assassins met with a similar fate to their victim. Sin carries within it its own punishment. The most cleverly devised mischief is sure to return in some shape or other to plague the inventors.
This even-handed justice
Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice
To our own lips.
In the history of the kings we are now studying, there is nothing more frequently and impressively revealed than the operation of the inexorable law of retribution. The triumph of the wicked is brief. The gains of sin are not worth the ingenuity and toil. The wages of sin is death.
LESSONS:
1. Assassination is not only a savage, but a useless, policy.
2. A wrong is never rectified by inflicting a greater wrong.
3. True religion teaches the sacredness of human life.
GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES.
2Ki. 21:19-26. How wretchedly a king appears of whom history has nothing more to record than godleesness! As ithe king, so are his officers; as is the governor, so are the citizens. A depraved king ruins his country. Unfaithfulness is punished by unfaithfulness. Amon was not faithful to God: unfaithfulness was his punishment. He was murdered by his own servants, and these in their turn were punished by their own sinthey also were murdered (Mat. 26:52; Luk. 6:28). Tumult and murder, perpetrated now by the authorities, now by the peoplethose are the natural fruits which are produced in a land which has abandoned God, and in which His word is no longer respected.Lange.
2Ki. 21:20-24. Amon himself seems to have been popular; but, from whatever cause, he roused the enmity of the court party. It could not be laid to his charge that he refused to comply with the established heathenism, for it is expressly said that he walked in his fathers steps, and served and worshipped the idols he had set up, multiplying his trespasses, and showing some of the penitent humility of Manassehs late years. It may be, however, that signs of a serious thoughtfulness, not as yet carried into outward act, alarmed the dominant faction, for within two years he was cut off by a palace conspiracy, like that by which his ancestor, king Joash, perished.Geikie.
2Ki. 21:23-24. Conspiracy and murder.
1. Reveal a melancholy picture of national demoralization.
2. May occasion a worse state of misrule than that which is sought to be removed.
3. Recoil in terrible vengeance on the actors themselves.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
II. THE ACCESSION AND ASSASSINATION OF AMON 21:1926
TRANSLATION
(19) Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and two years he reigned in Jerusalem; and the name of his mother was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. (20) And he did evil in the eyes of the LORD as Manasseh his father had done. (21) And he walked in all the ways in which his father had walked, and he served the idols which his father had served, and he worshiped them. (22) And he forsook the LORD the god of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the LORD. (23) And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and they slew the king in his house. (24) And the people of the land slew all who had conspired against Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place. (25) And the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? (26) And he was buried in his sepulcher in the garden of Uzza; and Josiah his son reigned in his place.
Fourteenth King of Juduh
AMON BEN MANASSEH
642640 B.C.
(Training, or skilled)
2Ki. 21:19-26; 2Ch. 33:21-25
Contemporary Prophet
Nuhum?
Mother: Meshullemethi
Appraisal: Bad
Is it fit to say to a king, You are wicked? and to princes. You are ungodly? Job. 34:8
COMMENTS
Considering the lengthy reign of his father, Amon was quite young when he came to the throne at the age of twenty-two. His short two year reign is given but scant attention by the author of Kings.[636] Like his father, Amon did evil in the sight of the Lord (2Ki. 21:20). Amon restored all the idolatrous and wicked practices which his father had upheld during most of his reign, including child sacrifice. He served, i.e., worshiped, all the idols his father had servedBaal, Ashtoreth, Moloch, and Asherah (2Ki. 21:21). While other wicked kings of Judah continued to worship Yahweh along with the idols of heathendom, Amon made no pretense of worshiping the Lord. Of only Manasseh and his son does the author of Kings say, he forsook the Lord God of his fathers (2Ki. 21:22).
[636] It is apparent that Amon was not elevated to coregency in the reign of his father. The failure of Manasseh to appoint a coregent in spite of his age is the first lapse of this custom in Judah since Azariah (Uzziah) became coregent with Amaziah in 790 B.C.
Palace intrigue was not as common in Judah as it had been in Israel. No clue is given as to what might have triggered the conspiracy against Amon. Probably Amons allegiance to Assyria aroused the indignation of many patriots who desired freedom.[637] In any case, the attendants of the king fell upon him in his own house and slew him (2Ki. 21:23). These conspirators apparently did not have the support of the powerful people of the land, i.e., the landed gentry, for those who had murdered the king were swiftly executed.[638] If the conspirators had intended to bring about a change of dynasty, their plot failed. The people of the land sought out the rightful heir, though he was but a lad of eight, and made him king (2Ki. 21:24).
[637] Gray (OTL, 712) suggests the assassins were Egyptian agents.
[638] A, Malamat suggests that the assassins were slain out of fear of reprisals from the powerful Ashurbanipal who was campaigning in the west at this time. See IEJ. III (1953), pp. 2629. Cf. also JNES, XII (1953), pp. 5658.
No information about any other significant acts of Amon has survived, though there must have been additional material in the annals from which the author derived his material (2Ki. 21:25). Amon probably remained a submissive vassal of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal during his two years on the throne. Amon was buried in the sepulcher which his father had constructed in what formerly had been the garden of Uzza (2Ki. 21:26).
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
THE REIGN OF AMON (2Ki. 21:19-26).
(19) Amon.The Vatican LXX. reads , Amos (So Josephus ). The name is perhaps that of the Egyptian sun-god Amen (Greek ), as Anions father was an idolater.
Meshullemeth.Feminine form of Meshullam, friend i.e. of God; Isa. 42:19. Ewald compares the Latin Pius, Pia, as a proper name.
Jotbah.Thenius imitates the name with Gutstadi. St. Jerome says it was in Judah. A similar name occurs in Num. 33:33; Deu. 10:7
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
REIGN OF AMOS, 2Ki 21:19-26.
19. Two years The rabbies say, that the sons of idolatrous kings who succeeded their fathers seldom reigned more than two years, and Nadab, (1Ki 15:25,) Elah, (2Ki 16:8,) and Ahaziah, (2 Kings 22:51,) are cited as instances. The site of Jotbah is unknown.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Reign Of Amon, King Of Judah c. 642/1-640/39 BC ( 2Ki 21:19-26 ).
Amon continued in the way in which he had been brought up and reinstituted the idolatrous practises of the reign of his father prior to his repentance. He neither worshipped YHWH truly nor continued in the ways prescribed by His Law. This may partly have been in order to ingratiate himself with Assyria who would take an immediate interest in the new king. But his activities in general clearly angered the ruling elite in Jerusalem so much so that they conspired against him and assassinated him in his own house. This may have been at the instigation of a reviving Egypt in the face of Assyrian decline. Feelings were now set against Assyria whose king Ashur-bani-pal had lost his enthusiasm for adventuring, replacing it with antiquarian interests, and was beset with problems from elsewhere. But these would be rulers were not popular generally and not acceptable to the people so that the ‘people of the land’, the aristocrats of ancient lineage, the landed gentry and the free men of Judah (who probably hated the idea of Egyptian influence as much as they hated Assyrian influence) slew them in their turn and restored the rule of the house of David.
Analysis.
a
b And he did what was evil in the sight of YHWH, as did Manasseh his father, and he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them (2Ki 21:20-21).
c And he forsook YHWH, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of YHWH, and the servants of Amon conspired against him, and put the king to death in his own house (2Ki 21:22-23).
d But the people of the land slew all those who had conspired against king Amon (2Ki 21:24 a).
c And the people of the land made Josiah his son king instead of him (2Ki 21:24 b).
b Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? (2Ki 21:25).
a And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza, and Josiah his son reigned instead of him (2Ki 21:26).
Note that in ‘a’ Amon began to reign and in the parallel he was buried, and his son reigned instead of him. In ‘b’ he did what was evil in the sight of YHWH, and in the parallel the remainder of his acts are found in the royal annals of Judah. In ‘c’ the bureaucrats put Amon to death, and in the parallel the people of the land ensured that his son reigned instead of him. Centrally in ‘d’ the people of the land slew the conspirators against Amon.
2Ki 21:19
‘Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.’
There is no specific hint of a co-regency in the case of Amon, but he may well have acted when his father was a hostage, although only under Assyrian supervision, especially as he is said to have come to the throne at twenty two years of age, an age which given Manasseh’s long reign would be a little surprising if it referred to his sole reign. He may thus have presided at that age under Assyrian supervision when his father was a hostage, first in Egypt and then in Babylon. His sole reign was for little longer than a year. It has been suggested that the queen mother Meshumelleth was of Arabian descent, but this is not at all certain. The name Haruz is attested in Sinai and Hejaz, but it is also found in Phoenicia. Jotbah (Jotbathah) on the other hand is given as two stages from Ezion-geber in Num 33:33. Compare Deu 10:7. This might be seen as confirming the Arabic connection.
2Ki 21:20
‘And he did what was evil in the sight of YHWH, as did Manasseh his father.’
Amon followed in the evil ways of his father, doing what was ‘evil in the eyes of YHWH’ in the same way as his father had done, and reversing Manasseh’s later policy. This may partly have been due to Assyrian influence.
2Ki 21:21
‘And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them,’
He behaved as his father had done in his evil days, and served the same idols as his father had done, and worshipped them. His idolatry was too ingrained to be affected by his father’s conversion.
2Ki 21:22
‘And he forsook YHWH, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of YHWH.’
But above all he forsook YHWH, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in His ways. The Law of YHWH was thrust to one side. This was his crowning sin.
2Ki 21:23
‘And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and put the king to death in his own house.’
In the author’s view, for he gives no other explanation, it was the forsaking of YHWH that was the real and ultimate cause of his courtiers conspiring against him and putting him to death in his own house. That does not mean that that was the courtiers’ motive. We are not told what that was. But it does suggest that the author saw it as YHWH’s motive for bringing it about.
Amon’s return to full idolatry might be seen as suggesting that he wanted to placate his Assyrian masters, while the conspiring of his courtiers might have been because of Egyptian influence in view of Assyria’s growing weakness. That it was not a popular uprising comes out in the sequel. It was a court conspiracy.
2Ki 21:24
‘But the people of the land slew all those who had conspired against king Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king instead of him.’
However, the people of the land were not happy with the situation, and they in their turn slew the conspirators so that they could make Amon’s son Josiah king instead of him. They no more wanted Egyptian interference than they wanted Assyrian rule.
2Ki 21:25
‘Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?’
As usual we are referred for his further acts to the royal annals of Judah.
2Ki 21:26
‘And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza, and Josiah his son reigned instead of him.’
Like his father Amon was buried in his sepulchre (no doubt already prepared) in the garden of Uzza, and he was succeeded by the young Josiah.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Amon’s Reign
v. 19. Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jothbah, v. 20. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh did, v. 21. And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, v. 22. And he forsook the Lord God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the Lord.
v. 23. And the servants of Amon, v. 24. And the people of the land, v. 25. Now, the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? v. 26. And he was buried in his sepulcher in the garden of Uzza, his resting-place being next to that of his father; and Josiah, his son, reigned in his stead.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
We have here the short but distressing account of Amon’s reign. And in the parallel passage in the 2d book of the Chronicles, there is nothing to soften it as in the instance of his father; but on the contrary, we are told that he did not humble himself before the Lord as his father had done. Alas! sin only tends to harden more and more, unless almighty grace subdue. As Amon was succeeded by his son Josiah, concerning whom the Holy Ghost hath given a gracious record: the next chapter will be a relief from the sad circumstances related in this. 2Ch 33:23 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ki 21:19 Amon [was] twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name [was] Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
Ver. 19. And he reigned two years in Jerusalem. ] He was soon cut off for his great wickedness. Some grievous sinners God soon punisheth, lest his providence – but not all, lest his patience and promise of judgment – should be called into question. a Glycas saith that Amon hardened himself in sin by his father’s example, who took his swing in sin, and yet at length repented. So, thought he, will I do; wherefore he was soon sent out of the world for his presumption, dying in his sins, as 2Ch 33:23 .
a August.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jotbah. Compare Num 33:33. Deu 10:7.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Amon
(Training, or skilled)
(2Ki 21:19-26; 2Ch 33:21-25)
Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?-Job 34:18
Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mothers name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh did. And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshiped them: and he forsook the Lord God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the Lord.
He was probably born after his fathers return from Babylon, so must have had a godly training. The expression, he forsook the Lord, would seem to indicate that he had in his earlier days professed to worship Him. His mothers name, Meshullemeth (reconciliation, or, to be safe), might have reference to his having been born subsequently to her husbands reconciliation to the Lord, or his safe return from his Babylonian captivity. This would increase Amons responsibility,-having had such advantages,-and consequently enhance his guilt. Her fathers name, Haruz (earnest) of Jotbah (pleasantness) leads to the supposition that Anions mother, like his grandmother, must have been a good woman. But all good women do not always prove to be good mothers; and it would be no strange or unusual thing if some of these Hebrew heirs-apparent to the throne were permitted to do pretty much as they pleased, and in this way prepared to act the part of self-willed transgressors and rebels against God, when the time came for them to take the kingdom. For a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame (Pro 29:15).
There is not one bright spot in this kings character to relieve the darkness of his lifes brief record. He humbled not himself before the Lord, it says, as Manasseh his father humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more (or, multiplied trespass, marg.). So odious did he make himself, even to the backslidden people, that they rid themselves of his unwelcome presence by the hand of assassins. And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house. His subjects must have been reduced to desperate straits when they would thus violate Gods expressed prohibition-Touch not Mine anointed. Jeremiah and Zephaniah must have been youths about this time, and the formers reluctance to taking up the prophetic work to which he was called can well be understood when the true condition of affairs in Judah at that time is known. Both could see quite plainly what they might expect if faithful to their trust.
But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead. The people of the land, or country, may be in contradistinction to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The centre of light and privilege is not always the seat of righteousness and godly sincerity, but commonly the reverse, as here, apparently. The provincial is frequently more loyal and upright than the imperious citizen of the capital.
The record of the reign of Amon is most briefly told-in but sixteen verses. And well it should be so. There is enough for our admonition, after the lessons given in his fathers history.
And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead. Uzza means strength; and death, the strong one, overcame this king of Judah, trained, or skilled, in wickedness, in his twenty-fourth year.
He passed away, and, lo, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets
am 3361-3363, bc 643-641
Amon: 1Ch 3:14, 2Ch 33:21-23, Mat 1:10
two years: 2Ki 15:23, 1Ki 15:25, 1Ki 16:8, 1Ki 22:51
Reciprocal: 2Ch 33:20 – Amon
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
C. Amon’s Evil Reign 21:19-26
Amon reigned two years (642-640 B.C.). Rather than continuing to follow the Lord, which his father’s repentance encouraged, Amon reverted to the policies of Manasseh’s earlier reign and rebelled against Yahweh completely. This provoked some of his officials to assassinate him (2Ki 21:23). Again we see that rebellion against God often leads to one’s premature personal destruction (cf. 1Jn 5:16). To their credit, the leaders of Judah executed the king’s assassins and so prevented anarchy.
Amon may have been the only king of either Israel or Judah who bore the name of a foreign god. Amon-Re was the sun god of Egypt. His father may have named him in honor of this god. However, the Hebrew word amon means "faithful," so his name may not connect with Amon-Re.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
AMON
B.C. 641-639
2Ki 21:19-26
THE brief reign of Amon is only a sort of unimportant and miserable annex to that of his father. As he was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, he must have witnessed the repentance and reforming zeal of his father, if, in spite of all difficulties, we assume that narrative to be historical. In that case, however, the young man was wholly untouched by the latter phase of Manassehs life, and flung himself headlong into the career of the kings earlier idolatries. “He walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them”-which was the more extraordinary if Manassehs last acts had been to dethrone and destroy these strange gods. He even “multiplied trespass,” so that in his sons reign we find every form of abomination as triumphant as though Manasseh had never attempted to check the tide of evil. We know nothing more of Amon. Apparently he only reigned two years. He is the only Jewish king who bears the name of a foreign-an Egyptian-deity.
For pictures of the state of things in this reign we may look to the prophets Zephaniah and Jeremiah, and they are forced to use the darkest colors.
This is Zephaniahs picture:-
“Woe to her that is rebellious and polluted, to the oppressing city!
She obeyed not the voice: she received not instruction;
She trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.
Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions;
Her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones on the morrow
Her prophets are light and treacherous persons:-
Her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.”
He tells us that Baal and his black-robed chemarim are still prevalent-that men worshipped on their housetops the host of heaven, and swore by “Moloch their king.” Therefore would God search Jerusalem with candles, and would visit the men who had sunk, like thick wine on the lees, and who said-in their infidel hearts, “Jehovah will not do good, neither will He do evil” He is an Epicurean God, a cypher, a fainant. “Men make all kinds of fine calculations,” says Luther, “but the Lord God says to them, For whom, then, do you hold Me? For a cypher? Do I sit here in vain, and to no purpose? You shall know that I will turn their accounts about finely, and make them all false reckonings.”
Not less dark is the view of Jeremiah. Like Diogenes in Athens, Jeremiah in vain searches Jerusalem for a faithful man. Among the poor he finds brutish obstinacy, among the rich insolent defiance. They are like fed horses in the morning-lecherous and unruly. They are slanderers, adulterers, corrupters, murderers. They worship Baal and strange gods. “They set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. They are waxen fat, they shine; yea, they overpass in deeds of wickedness.” “An astonishment and horror is done in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means: and My people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” {Jer 5:30-31} “From the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have treated also the hurt of My people lightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. Were they ashamed- when they had committed abominations? Nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall.” {Jer 6:13-15}
The wretched reign ended wretchedly. Amon met the fate of Amaziah and of Joash. He was murdered by conspirators-by some of his own courtiers-in his own palace. He was not the victim of any general rebellion. The people of the land were apparently content with the existent idolatry, which left them free for lives of lust and luxury, of greed and gain. They resented the disorder introduced by an intrigue of eunuchs or court officials. They rose and slew the whole band of conspirators. Amon was buried with his father in the new burial-place of the Kings in the garden of Uzza, and the people placed his son Josiah-a child of eight years old-upon the throne.