2 Kings 21 18

2 Kings 21:18 kjv

And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

2 Kings 21:18 nkjv

So Manasseh rested with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza. Then his son Amon reigned in his place.

2 Kings 21:18 niv

Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried in his palace garden, the garden of Uzza. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.

2 Kings 21:18 esv

And Manasseh slept with his fathers and was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza, and Amon his son reigned in his place.

2 Kings 21:18 nlt

When Manasseh died, he was buried in the palace garden, the garden of Uzza. Then his son Amon became the next king.

2 Kings 21 verses

2 Kings 21 18 Meaning

This verse concisely records the end of Manasseh’s extraordinarily long and wicked reign over Judah and the immediate transition of power to his son, Amon. It notes Manasseh’s physical death using a common biblical euphemism and details his unique burial location outside the traditional royal tombs, followed by Amon’s succession to the throne. The verse highlights the inevitable conclusion of a human life and the continuous succession of the Judean monarchy, even through periods of great apostasy.

2 Kings 21 18 Context

2 Kings Chapter 21 details the reign of King Manasseh, spanning an unprecedented 55 years, making him the longest-reigning monarch in Judah’s history. Coming after his righteous father Hezekiah, Manasseh tragically reversed many of Hezekiah’s religious reforms. He reintroduced and amplified pagan practices, including idolatry, worship of Baal and Asherah, astral cults, and even child sacrifice in the Temple precincts (2 Ki 21:3-7). He also "shed very much innocent blood" (2 Ki 21:16), making Jerusalem utterly corrupt. This verse (2 Ki 21:18) marks the end of his destructive era, noting his death and burial. Historically, Judah was under the shadow of the mighty Assyrian Empire during much of Manasseh’s reign, which likely influenced his policies, as many of the pagan practices he adopted were common in Assyrian and Canaanite cultures. The severity and duration of Manasseh's wickedness in the narrative of Kings are depicted as the ultimate catalyst for Judah's eventual judgment and exile, a sin so deeply ingrained that even the reforms of his grandson Josiah could not entirely undo its effects (2 Ki 23:26-27).

2 Kings 21 18 Word analysis

• And Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה, Menasheh): The king of Judah, son of Hezekiah. His name means "causing to forget." Despite his long life and prestigious royal lineage, his legacy in the Book of Kings is overwhelmingly negative, remembered for unprecedented idolatry and wickedness, sealing Judah's fate towards exile.

• slept (שָׁכַב, shakhav): Literally means "to lie down," used here as a common euphemism for death in the Hebrew Bible. This formula often applies to all kings, irrespective of their character, suggesting a peaceful passing from life. It doesn't inherently comment on their spiritual state but notes their physical demise.

• with his fathers (עִם־אֲבֹתָיו, im avotayv): Refers to being gathered to one's ancestors or past generations in the afterlife (Sheol). It indicates a natural death and joining the company of those who have died before, upholding the continuity of human generations.

• and was buried (וַיִּקָּבֵר, vayyiqqaver): The common act of internment. The emphasis here is not on the act itself, but where he was buried.

• in the garden (בְּגַן, beghan): A significant deviation from typical royal burials. Kings of Judah were usually buried in the "City of David" (e.g., David, Solomon), in royal sepulchers, indicating a place of honor. Burial in a garden, while not inherently negative (e.g., Jesus' tomb was in a garden), for a king it suggests a deliberate break from custom. This might imply disgrace, or a personal choice to avoid the official royal burial ground due to his own unrighteousness or public sentiment.

• of his own house (בֵּיתוֹ, beyto): Implying a private family estate or residence, further reinforcing the departure from official royal burial grounds. This suggests a burial within personal property rather than the state-designated burial site.

• in the garden of Uzza (בְּגַן עֻזָּא, beghan Uzza): "Uzza" means "strength" or "my strength." This could be a specific proper name for the owner of the garden or a geographic marker. It emphasizes the exact location of his distinct burial, away from the standard royal cemetery. The uniqueness of the location contrasts sharply with the established pattern for most Judahite kings, suggesting a different status in death than in life (where he wielded immense power).

• and Amon (וַאֲמ֣וֹן, va'amon): Manasseh’s son, his successor. His name likely relates to the Egyptian deity Amun, suggesting a continued influence of foreign religion in the royal family, reinforcing the extent of Manasseh's idolatrous impact.

• his son (בְּנוֹ, beno): Confirms the direct patrilineal succession typical of the Judean monarchy.

• reigned in his stead (תַּחְתָּיו, takhtayv): A standard phrase confirming the transfer of power and the immediate establishment of the new king's reign. This signals the ongoing continuity of the Davidic dynasty, despite the severe unrighteousness of these specific monarchs.

• "Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried...": This entire phrase, particularly the euphemism for death, contrasts with the pervasive evil of his long life. Despite his wickedness, Manasseh died a natural death, not a sudden, violent, or divinely inflicted one as sometimes occurred with wicked rulers (e.g., Jeroboam, Ahaziah of Israel, or Amon himself). This underscores God's long-suffering and patience, allowing him a full, natural life span, despite the pronouncements of judgment against Judah due to his sins.

• "in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza": This distinct burial site subtly underscores Manasseh's anomalous reign. Unlike most of his predecessors and successors (especially righteous kings), he was not laid in the royal sepulchers within the City of David. This could be interpreted as a slight, a refusal by the people to grant him full royal burial honor, or even Manasseh's own choice reflecting his spiritual alienation from the legitimate religious traditions associated with the City of David. It suggests a separation in death from the tradition he had vehemently rejected in life. The naming of a specific private garden, "garden of Uzza," further particularizes this departure from public, royal burial.

• "and Amon his son reigned in his stead": This common phrase signals the enduring nature of the Davidic covenant of kingship (2 Sam 7:12-16). Despite Manasseh's profound sin and its detrimental effects on the nation, and the personal unrighteousness of his son Amon, the line of David continued. This continuity, even through unrighteous kings, preserved the lineage that would eventually lead to the Messiah.

2 Kings 21 18 Bonus section

The narrative of Manasseh’s death in 2 Kings, portraying him as relentlessly evil until his demise, contrasts significantly with the account in 2 Chronicles 33. The Chronicler records Manasseh's capture by the Assyrians, his deep repentance during imprisonment, his humble prayer to God, his return to Judah, and his subsequent efforts to remove idols and repair the altar of the Lord. While Kings emphasizes Manasseh's public and lasting impact on Judah's spiritual corruption as the catalyst for exile, Chronicles focuses on personal repentance and God's willingness to restore even the most wicked individual. The silence in Kings about Manasseh’s repentance serves its literary purpose: to demonstrate that despite any private change of heart, the damage done to the nation by his long and profound idolatry was so extensive that it fundamentally altered Judah's fate. Therefore, 2 Kings 21:18 presents the standard end of life for a king, subtly implying through his unusual burial location that his legacy, at least from the Deuteronomistic historian's perspective, remained predominantly one of devastating wickedness.

2 Kings 21 18 Commentary

2 Kings 21:18 marks the official conclusion of King Manasseh’s infamous 55-year reign, concisely outlining his death and the royal succession. The use of "slept with his fathers" is a standard formula, signaling a peaceful, natural death common to all kings regardless of their piety or wickedness. This underscores a significant theological point: even the most depraved king, who brought Judah to the brink of ruin, was allowed a full life and natural end, illustrating God's immense longsuffering and delay of judgment against the individual, while the consequences for the nation, as established by Manasseh, remained sealed (2 Ki 23:26-27).

The verse highlights a notable deviation from royal custom regarding burial: Manasseh was not interred in the traditional "City of David" sepulchers reserved for most Judean kings but "in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza." This unique burial site implies a subtle indictment or consequence for his unparalleled idolatry. It may suggest a diminished honor bestowed upon him, a choice he made due to the shame of his actions, or the populace’s reluctance to grant him a place among the righteous kings. This echoes other instances where kings who behaved unrighteously (like Ahaz) were also denied burial in the most honored royal tombs. The immediate succession by Amon further emphasizes the continuous yet deeply troubled royal line that would continue Manasseh's sinful legacy, inevitably leading Judah towards its decreed exile.