2 Kings 23 26

2 Kings 23:26 kjv

Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal.

2 Kings 23:26 nkjv

Nevertheless the LORD did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath, with which His anger was aroused against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him.

2 Kings 23:26 niv

Nevertheless, the LORD did not turn away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to arouse his anger.

2 Kings 23:26 esv

Still the LORD did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him.

2 Kings 23:26 nlt

Even so, the LORD was very angry with Judah because of all the wicked things Manasseh had done to provoke him.

2 Kings 23 verses

2 Kings 23 26 Meaning

This verse states that despite King Josiah's profound reforms and efforts to purge Judah of idolatry and return to the LORD's covenant, the divine wrath of the LORD against Judah was not appeased. This unwavering anger stemmed from the extensive and egregious provocations enacted by King Manasseh during his long reign, actions which had deeply offended God and set the nation on an irreversible course toward judgment. The verse highlights that even a generation of righteous leadership could not negate the cumulative weight of long-standing national sin that had profoundly corrupted the people.

2 Kings 23 26 Context

This verse occurs near the end of the narrative detailing King Josiah's reign in Judah. Chapters 22 and 23 extensively describe Josiah's profound reforms: discovering the Book of the Law, publicly renewing the covenant, tearing down altars, defiling high places, destroying idolatrous Asherah poles and cult objects, executing idolatrous priests, and reinstituting the Passover as prescribed by the Law. These actions were unprecedented in their zeal and thoroughness, leading the biblical text to praise Josiah as the greatest king since David, none before or after him turned to the LORD "with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might" (2 Kgs 23:25).

Despite such fervent devotion and obedience from the king, 2 Kings 23:26 reveals the stark reality that God's judgment on Judah remained inevitable. The immediate historical context points towards the impending Babylonian exile. The national sins accumulated over generations, particularly the deep-seated idolatry and atrocities committed under Manasseh (2 Kgs 21), had reached a tipping point, a threshold of wickedness where divine forbearance gave way to unalterable judgment. Josiah's reforms were true and necessary, yet they could not entirely reverse the spiritual rot and the corporate covenant violations of previous eras, especially as the people's hearts may not have fully matched Josiah's own devotion. The verse serves as a sober reminder of God's justice and the severe consequences of persistent sin against the covenant.

2 Kings 23 26 Word analysis

• Notwithstanding: Signifies a strong contrast or opposition. Despite Josiah's earnest and comprehensive reforms, God's decree was unaltered. It highlights the depth of national apostasy, indicating that the outward cleansing, though significant, did not negate the prior accumulation of guilt.

• the LORD (Yahweh - יְהֹוָה): The covenant God of Israel. His identity as Yahweh emphasizes His faithfulness to His covenant promises (blessings for obedience, curses for disobedience) and His immutable character in executing justice.

• turned not: From shuv (שׁוּב), meaning "to turn back, return, turn away." Here, in the negative, it denotes an unyielding, determined course of action. It underscores the permanence of God's decision regarding Judah's fate. It signifies a point of no return for national corporate judgment.

• from the fierceness: From charon (חָרוֹן), which denotes burning or heat, specifically intense, burning anger. It suggests a passion that has reached a boiling point, ready to consume. This is not a passing emotion but a profound, settled indignation.

• of his great wrath: From 'aph gadol (אַף־גָּדֹול), literally "great nose/anger." 'Aph refers to the nostrils, through which a heated person exhales forcefully, metaphorically representing intense anger. Combined with gadol (great), it signifies the enormity and profound depth of God's anger, justly deserved and fully warranted. This wrath is righteous and holy, a response to egregious offense.

• wherewith his anger was kindled: Harta (חָרְתָה), derived from charah (חָרָה), meaning "to burn, be hot, be kindled." It paints a picture of a fire that has already ignited and is blazing, implying an active, ongoing, and consuming judgment. It ties back to the idea of fierce, burning wrath.

• against Judah: Specifically identifies the Southern Kingdom as the target of this divine wrath, the remnant of Israel that had preserved the Davidic lineage and the Temple, yet had also profoundly fallen into idolatry.

• because of all: Al kol (עַל־כָּל), meaning "over all" or "concerning all." It indicates the comprehensive and overwhelming nature of the cause. It's not one isolated sin, but a vast collection, an accumulation.

• the provocations: From ka'as (כַּעַס), meaning "indignation, provocation, vexation, anger." In the context of divine-human interaction, it describes actions that provoke God's displeasure, particularly rebellion and idolatry that betray the covenant. This word emphasizes intentional rebellion against God's nature and commands.

• that Manasseh had provoked him withal: Directly identifies Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה), king of Judah for 55 years, as the primary agent of this profound provocation. 2 Kgs 21 details his sins: rebuilding high places, erecting altars to Baal, worshipping heavenly hosts, setting up Asherah poles in the Temple, child sacrifice, divination, witchcraft, and necromancy. These were an unparalleled affront to Yahweh, and though Manasseh himself may have repented according to 2 Chronicles, his systemic introduction and entrenchment of pagan practices deeply corrupted the nation's spiritual fabric, making Judah "do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel" (2 Kgs 21:9).

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath": This phrase starkly juxtaposes Josiah's righteousness with God's unyielding judgment. It conveys the immutability of God's decree and the settled nature of His justice. Even exceptional human repentance on one front (Josiah's) could not entirely avert consequences for deep, corporate sin, implying that the spiritual corruption was too deep-seated in the population's heart to be undone by the king's external reforms alone.
  • "wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah": This group vividly depicts God's righteous indignation as a consuming fire directed specifically at Judah. The imagery of "kindling" indicates that the wrath was not a momentary burst but a state of being, brought to life and continually burning due to their prolonged idolatry.
  • "because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal": This explicitly states the direct and singular cause of God's sustained wrath. It emphasizes the profound cumulative effect of Manasseh's egregious sins and the lasting national impact. It points to a corporate guilt that transcended even the passing of generations, highlighting the seriousness of actions that systematically defy God and lead a nation astray. Manasseh's idolatry wasn't superficial; it fundamentally changed the spiritual landscape of Judah.

2 Kings 23 26 Bonus section

The concept of a point of no return for national sin, where accumulated guilt triggers an irreversible divine judgment, is a recurring theme in prophetic literature (e.g., Jer 7, 15; Hos 4). Josiah's reforms, while commendable and bringing a temporary reprieve, highlight that mere external conformity or a king's personal piety might not negate generations of systemic, heart-deep apostasy within the populace. It raises the theological distinction between God's personal forgiveness for individual repentance and the corporate consequences that a nation must bear for its accumulated transgressions, especially for profound covenant breaking that leads a people away from Him on a broad scale. Manasseh's sin wasn't just personal; he established cults, spilled innocent blood, and set up idols in the very Temple, thereby defiling the national worship and leading the entire land astray to an unprecedented degree (2 Kgs 21:9). His acts left a legacy of spiritual degradation that, despite Josiah's best efforts, had rendered Judah too corrupt for full national restoration in their land before the coming judgment of exile.

2 Kings 23 26 Commentary

2 Kings 23:26 is a solemn declaration of divine justice. Despite the truly extraordinary and extensive reforms enacted by King Josiah, which brought Judah into outward compliance with the covenant as perhaps never before, the text reveals God's determination to bring judgment upon the nation. The cause is unequivocally linked to the pervasive and deeply rooted idolatry introduced by Manasseh, whose long and wicked reign established spiritual rebellion as the national norm. God's wrath, described with intense language of "fierceness" and "great," was not a fleeting emotion but a settled, holy indignation kindled by sustained, flagrant disobedience to the covenant.

This verse teaches that while individual repentance (like Josiah's, or even Manasseh's own repentance in 2 Chronicles, though distinct from the national consequences of his acts) can bring personal forgiveness, there are corporate and historical consequences for national sin that may not be averted even by a subsequent generation's faithfulness. The nation's "cup of iniquity" was full; the seeds of idolatry and covenant breach sown so deeply by Manasseh had germinated into a corrupt spiritual landscape among the people that external reforms alone could not reverse. It implies that Judah's heart, though led by a righteous king, was largely unmoved to true internal repentance, unlike Josiah's personal devotion. Thus, the covenant curses, including exile, were inexorably due, demonstrating God's unwavering righteousness in fulfilling both His promises and His warnings. It underscores the severity of prolonged national apostasy and serves as a powerful reminder of God's holiness and justice against systemic sin.