2 Kings 24 3

2 Kings 24:3 kjv

Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did;

2 Kings 24:3 nkjv

Surely at the commandment of the LORD this came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done,

2 Kings 24:3 niv

Surely these things happened to Judah according to the LORD's command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done,

2 Kings 24:3 esv

Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the LORD, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done,

2 Kings 24:3 nlt

These disasters happened to Judah because of the LORD's command. He had decided to banish Judah from his presence because of the many sins of Manasseh,

2 Kings 24 verses

2 Kings 24 3 Meaning

2 Kings 24:3 states that the catastrophic events befalling Judah, culminating in their removal from their land, were not random occurrences or merely the result of political weakness. Instead, these calamities were divinely ordained by the Lord, a direct consequence and just judgment for the profound and deeply rooted sins of King Manasseh, which permeated the nation. The verse emphasizes that this judgment was executed precisely according to God's decree, holding Judah accountable for the persistent apostasy and innocent bloodshed introduced by Manasseh's extended reign of wickedness.

2 Kings 24 3 Context

The Book of 2 Kings functions as a theological history of the Israelite monarchy, explaining the downfall of both the northern kingdom (Israel) and the southern kingdom (Judah) due to their consistent disobedience to the Lord's covenant. Chapter 24 describes the final days of Judah's monarchy, specifically during the reign of King Jehoiakim and his short-lived successor Jehoiachin, leading up to Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem.

Historically, after Josiah's reign of righteousness which delayed God's wrath (2 Ki 22:19-20), Judah quickly reverted to idolatry. Jehoiakim, a wicked king, reigned by the will of Pharaoh Necho initially (609-598 BC) and then became a vassal of Babylon. The calamities described in 2 Kings 24:1-2 —raiding bands of Chaldeans, Arameans, Moabites, and Ammonites— were signs of Judah's unraveling and God's escalating judgment. Verse 3 directly links these specific misfortunes, and the eventual exile, to the enduring legacy of King Manasseh's profound wickedness from almost a century earlier, clarifying that God, the sovereign Lord, was actively orchestrating these events as a divine judgment, not merely permitting them.

2 Kings 24 3 Word analysis

• Surely (אךְ - 'akh): This Hebrew particle introduces an emphatic affirmation or strong confirmation, indicating that what follows is an undeniable truth or a solemn declaration. It conveys certainty that this judgment originated directly from God.
• according to the commandment (כְּפִי־דְבַר - k'fi-d'var): Literally "according to the mouth/word of." This denotes an explicit divine decree or fixed pronouncement, not an arbitrary act. It implies God's will and purpose were fulfilled precisely.
• Lord (יְהוָה - YHWH): The covenant God of Israel. The judgment stems from His holy and just character, and His faithfulness to the covenant warnings previously outlined in the Torah (e.g., Deut 28, Lev 26).
• this came upon Judah (הָיְתָה עַל־יְהוּדָה - hay'tah 'al-yehûdah): "This" refers to the severe national calamities and the impending exile described in the preceding verses. The phrase indicates that these events were divinely inflicted or brought about, emphasizing divine agency in Judah's suffering.
• to remove them (לְהָסִיר - l'hasir): A verb meaning to take away, banish, or cause to depart. Here, it specifically points to the exile—the forceful removal of the people from the Promised Land.
• out of his sight (מֵעַל פָּנָיו - me'al panav): Literally "from upon his face" or "from his presence." This signifies being cast out from God's favor and protection within the land that He consecrated with His presence. It speaks of a profound spiritual alienation and the revocation of the unique relationship between God and Israel within the land.
• for the sins (עַל חַטֹּאות - 'al khaṭṭô't): Clearly states the reason or cause. "Sins" refers to rebellion against God's laws, moral wrongdoing, and spiritual defilement, particularly idolatry and the shedding of innocent blood.
• of Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה - M'nassheh): King of Judah who reigned for 55 years (2 Ki 21:1-18). His reign was marked by extreme idolatry, child sacrifice, divination, and the shedding of much innocent blood, pushing Judah into deep spiritual apostasy from which it never fully recovered nationally.
• according to all that he did (כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה - k'chol 'asher 'asah): This emphasizes the comprehensiveness and severity of Manasseh's actions, indicating that the judgment was a just and full recompense for the totality of his widespread evil influence.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Surely according to the commandment of the Lord this came upon Judah": This phrase underlines divine causality. It asserts God's sovereignty over the historical unfolding of events, affirming that Judah's plight was not arbitrary but directly linked to God's deliberate, pre-declared judgment against covenant breaking. It highlights that even in destruction, God acts with purpose and justice.
• "to remove them out of his sight": This phrase encapsulates the devastating consequence of the divine judgment – exile and spiritual abandonment. Being removed from God's "sight" or "presence" means losing the privileged status of dwelling in His special land under His immediate protection, signifying a covenant breach and resulting expulsion.
• "for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did": This firmly attributes the ultimate, foundational cause of Judah's catastrophic fate. While later kings and the people continued to sin, Manasseh's prolonged and entrenched wickedness set the national trajectory toward irrevocable judgment. It establishes the theological framework for the end of the Davidic dynasty and the exile.

2 Kings 24 3 Bonus section

• Delayed but Inevitable Judgment: While Manasseh's reign was long past, the consequences of his actions were so deeply ingrained that even the zealous reforms of King Josiah, though pleasing to the Lord, could only delay, but not avert, the national judgment prophesied by Huldah the prophetess (2 Ki 22:15-20). This highlights the cumulative effect of generational sin and leadership's profound spiritual influence.
• The Problem of Corporate Guilt: This verse brings to the fore the theological concept of corporate guilt and its consequences. While individual accountability is emphasized elsewhere in Scripture (e.g., Ezek 18), here the focus is on the impact of a king's profound wickedness on the entire nation and future generations, demonstrating that leaders' choices have national and lasting repercussions.
• Divine Righteousness: The statement that "this came upon Judah" according to God's "commandment" underscores that God's actions, even those involving severe judgment, are not arbitrary. They are rooted in His unchanging, just, and holy character, reflecting His covenant faithfulness in carrying out the warnings previously given for persistent disobedience.

2 Kings 24 3 Commentary

2 Kings 24:3 provides the ultimate theological explanation for Judah's imminent exile and the end of its national sovereignty. It asserts unequivocally that these calamities were not random or merely politically driven, but directly ordained by God as a just consequence of the nation's spiritual rebellion. The verse pins the primary culpability on King Manasseh. Despite King Josiah's righteous reforms which delayed judgment, the profound idolatry, pagan practices, and innocent blood shed during Manasseh's extraordinarily long reign had so deeply corrupted the nation's spiritual fabric that national repentance was insufficient to avert the prophesied covenant curses. God's decision to "remove them out of His sight" signifies a tragic breaking of the covenant relationship in terms of their dwelling in the land, illustrating God's holiness and His unyielding commitment to justice when His people flagrantly violate their commitments to Him. This verse confirms that the Babylonian invasion and the subsequent exile were God's instruments for His righteous judgment, a painful fulfillment of warnings from earlier biblical texts (like Deuteronomy).