2 Chronicles 33:11 kjv
Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
2 Chronicles 33:11 nkjv
Therefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon.
2 Chronicles 33:11 niv
So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.
2 Chronicles 33:11 esv
Therefore the LORD brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon.
2 Chronicles 33:11 nlt
So the LORD sent the commanders of the Assyrian armies, and they took Manasseh prisoner. They put a ring through his nose, bound him in bronze chains, and led him away to Babylon.
2 Chronicles 33 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 26:33 | "I will scatter you among the nations..." | Divine judgment of exile/scattering |
| Deut 28:36 | "The LORD will bring you and your king, whom you set over you, to a nation that neither you nor your fathers have known..." | Fulfillment of covenant curse: royal captivity |
| 2 Ki 21:1-9 | Detailed account of Manasseh's extensive evil, idolatry, and child sacrifice, parallel to 2 Chr 33:1-9. | Manasseh's extreme wickedness |
| 2 Ki 21:10-15 | "Because Manasseh king of Judah has committed these abominations... therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel..." | God's announced judgment on Judah/Manasseh |
| Isa 10:5-6 | "Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hand is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him..." | Assyria as God's instrument of judgment |
| Jer 25:9 | "I will send for all the tribes of the north... and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land..." | God using foreign kings as instruments |
| Hab 1:6 | "For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own." | God raising nations for judgment |
| Hos 11:5 | "They shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me." | Captivity by Assyria as divine consequence |
| Prov 3:11-12 | "My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights." | Divine discipline as a form of love |
| Heb 12:5-11 | Exhortation to endure discipline as a sign of sonship, leading to righteousness. | God's discipline for growth |
| Gen 15:16 | "in the fourth generation they shall come back here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” | God waits for iniquity to be full |
| 1 Ki 11:14, 23, 26 | "And the LORD raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite... Another adversary God raised up... another adversary..." | God raising adversaries as punishment |
| Isa 3:1-7 | Descriptions of judgment where God takes away strong leaders and support, leaving weakness. | Divine removal of leadership/support |
| Lam 1:3 | "Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and hard servitude..." | Experience of exile/hardship |
| Jer 4:18 | "Your ways and your deeds have brought this upon you. This is your punishment, and it is bitter..." | Sin leading to bitter consequences |
| Neh 9:36-37 | "Behold, we are slaves today; in the land that you gave to our fathers to eat its fruit and its good! Behold, we are slaves in it. And its abundant produce goes to the kings whom you have set over us..." | Humiliation and subservience in captivity |
| Psa 106:34-40 | Lists Israel's disobedience, adoption of pagan practices, and God's anger and subjugation to other nations. | Consequences of idolatry |
| 2 Chr 36:15-17 | God's persistent warnings rejected, leading to Him sending the king of the Chaldeans who destroyed Jerusalem and took captives. | Pattern of warnings, rejection, and judgment |
| Deut 32:35 | "Vengeance is mine, and recompense; in due time their foot shall slip..." | God's righteous retribution |
| Eze 20:28-32 | Details Israel's forsaking God for idolatry, drawing wrath. | Spiritual prostitution brings judgment |
| Job 40:24 | Imagery of leading Leviathan with a hook through the nose or with a snare. (Illustrates the use of hooks for control/capture, even for mighty creatures, paralleling Manasseh's capture). | Use of hooks for capture/control |
| 2 Chr 33:12-13 | Crucially, describes Manasseh's repentance in captivity and God's restoration. | Prelude to repentance and grace |
2 Chronicles 33 verses
2 Chronicles 33 11 Meaning
2 Chronicles 33:11 describes the severe judgment of God upon King Manasseh and Judah due to their profound wickedness and persistent idolatry. It details the precise and humiliating method of Manasseh's capture by the Assyrians, specifying that it was the LORD Himself who orchestrated these events. Manasseh, the king who led Judah into unprecedented spiritual depravity, was taken captive with hooks and bronze chains, and deported to Babylon, then a prominent city within the vast Assyrian Empire. This event serves as a stark testament to God's holiness and His commitment to covenant curses, fulfilling the warnings given to His rebellious people.
2 Chronicles 33 11 Context
Verse 11 is embedded within the narrative of King Manasseh's incredibly wicked reign over Judah, lasting 55 years (2 Chr 33:1-9). He reversed all the reforms of his father Hezekiah, rebuilding idolatrous high places, erecting altars to Baal, worshipping heavenly bodies, and even putting idols in the Temple of the LORD. Worse still, he practiced child sacrifice in the Valley of Hinnom, engaged in divination, enchantments, and sorcery, and consulted with mediums and necromancers (v. 6). He "shed very much innocent blood" (2 Ki 21:16), polluting Jerusalem. Despite warnings from the LORD (v. 10), Manasseh and his people refused to listen. Consequently, verse 11 describes the inevitable divine judgment. This verse is the pivot point leading to Manasseh's transformation in the subsequent verses (2 Chr 33:12-13), where his humiliation in captivity leads to repentance and ultimately, God's gracious restoration to his throne. Historically, this event likely occurred during one of Manasseh's encounters with Assyrian emperors like Esarhaddon or Ashurbanipal, who frequently demanded loyalty oaths from vassal kings, punishing any perceived disloyalty with severe humiliation. The Neo-Assyrian Empire was known for its brutal subjugation tactics, including leading captives with hooks through the nose or lips as a display of power.
2 Chronicles 33 11 Word analysis
- Therefore (לָכֵן, lakēn): This adverb signals a direct consequence, emphasizing that what follows is a divinely orchestrated reaction to Manasseh's profound and prolonged sin detailed in the preceding verses. It underscores divine justice.
- the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): The covenant God of Israel. His action is not random but deliberate, demonstrating His sovereignty over all nations and His active involvement in the history of His people. It shows His ownership of justice.
- brought (הֵבִיא, hēvi): A causative verb. God actively "caused to come." This isn't just an event that happened to Manasseh, but a direct intervention by God. He is the prime mover, using Assyria as His instrument. This contrasts with a deterministic view, showing intentional divine purpose.
- against them: Refers to Judah and specifically its leader, Manasseh, representing the people's collective sinfulness and refusal to heed divine warnings.
- the commanders of the army: Not merely generic soldiers, but military leadership, indicating an organized, strategic move, highlighting the might and authority of the invading force. These are specific instruments in God's hand.
- of the king of Assyria: Assyria was the dominant global superpower of that era, notorious for its military prowess and brutal subjugation methods. By naming Assyria, the text underlines the immensity of the threat and the effectiveness of God's chosen instrument. The king would likely have been Esarhaddon or Ashurbanipal, known for their strict control over vassal states like Judah. This choice emphasizes that even mighty pagan empires serve God's ultimate purpose.
- who captured: An active, forceful taking. This signifies Manasseh's loss of freedom, dignity, and power.
- Manasseh: The very king who defied God so grievously is now utterly helpless before a human army, brought against him by God. This personal humiliation of the highest human authority in Judah is significant.
- with hooks (בַּחֹחִים, bachochim): A graphic detail. Ancient Near Eastern reliefs, particularly Assyrian ones, vividly depict kings leading captured enemies by ropes attached to hooks passed through their lips, noses, or jaws. This method was extremely painful, humiliating, and asserted absolute control, reducing a king to an animal.
- and bound him (וַיַּאַסְרֻהוּ, vayya'asruhu): Secured him, ensuring his inability to escape or resist.
- with bronze chains (בַנְחֻשְׁתַּיִם, b'nachushtayim): A heavy, restrictive, and public means of confinement. Bronze was durable and valuable, signifying a secure and significant prisoner. It adds to the public degradation, marking him as a prisoner of war.
- and took him to Babylon: While Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, Babylon was a very significant city within the Neo-Assyrian Empire, often a center for rebellious activity that Assyria needed to control. Kings from vassal states might be brought there not just as captives, but sometimes for political re-education or to affirm loyalty in a prominent imperial center. This act underscored his complete subjugation and displacement from his kingdom, confirming the prophetic warnings of exile.
2 Chronicles 33 11 Bonus section
The long reign of Manasseh (55 years) allowed an extensive period for Judah to deeply entrench itself in pagan practices. God's patience during this time was immense, culminating in the severity of the judgment described here. The humiliation of being led by hooks and chains would have been unimaginable for a king, designed to strip away all dignity and perceived power, both of the king and his false gods, forcing a realization of utter dependence. The destination of Babylon is noteworthy within the Neo-Assyrian Empire, implying not just generic imprisonment, but potentially a period where Assyrian authorities exerted deep psychological and political pressure on the vassal king to ensure future compliance and submission, creating a ripe environment for Manasseh's repentance. This detail emphasizes the comprehensive nature of Manasseh's fall.
2 Chronicles 33 11 Commentary
2 Chronicles 33:11 starkly reveals God's unyielding commitment to justice and His covenant. It demonstrates that no human power, however great or sinful, operates outside the scope of His sovereignty. Manasseh's descent into unprecedented idolatry and bloodshed demanded divine intervention, not as arbitrary punishment, but as a necessary disciplinary act. The imagery of hooks and chains is crucial; it vividly communicates the utter humiliation and powerlessness of a once-mighty monarch reduced to an enslaved beast, mirroring his spiritual degradation. This was not a random geopolitical event, but a direct consequence ("Therefore") brought about by God. This discipline was profound, not merely as an end in itself, but as a severe turning point designed to break Manasseh's pride and pave the way for his later repentance. It underscores that God, though slow to anger, will eventually bring about the promised consequences of persistent rebellion, often using even ungodly nations as His instruments for correction and judgment against His own people when they turn from Him.