Key Verse Spotlight
2 Chronicles 33:21 - Meaning and Application
Understand how this verse speaks to what you're facing and how to apply it today
Translation: World English Bible — Catholic Edition
" Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. "
2 Chronicles 33:21
Verse in Context
Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:
19 His prayer also, and how God listened to his request, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places in which he built high places and set up the Asherah poles and the engraved images before he humbled himself: behold, they are written in the history of Hozai.
20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house; and Amon his son reigned in his place.
21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.
22 He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, as did Manasseh his father; and Amon sacrificed to all the engraved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them.
23 He didn’t humble himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more.
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We know little about Amon, but what is recorded is enough, unless it would have been better if less had been written. His first mark was great wickedness. He did what Manasseh had done in the days when Manasseh was turning away from God (2 Chronicles 33:22). Some take this as proof that Manasseh never truly repented, but that argument ignores how often good kings had wicked sons.
It seems more likely that Manasseh was still careless in one respect. When he removed the idols, he did not fully destroy them, as the law required Israel to burn such images with fire (Deuteronomy 7:2). This shows how necessary that command was. Since the carved images were only cast aside and not burned, Amon knew where to find them, quickly set them up again, and offered sacrifices to them.
The writer adds two things to show how sinful Amon was and to justify God in removing him so soon. First, he went farther in sin than his father had gone. He “trespassed more and more” (2 Chronicles 33:23). His father did evil, but he did worse. Those who give themselves to idols often grow more and more attached to them.
Second, Amon fell short of his father in repentance. He did not humble himself before the Lord as his father had humbled himself. He fell into sin like his father, but he did not rise again like his father. It is not sin itself that ruins people so much as staying proud in sin. The real danger is not only that a person offends, but that he refuses to humble himself and turn back. The disease is serious, but the greater loss is neglecting the cure.
Amon’s destruction came quickly. He reigned only two years, and then his servants plotted against him and killed him (2 Chronicles 33:24). Perhaps, since he began as his father had begun, he imagined he would also repent later as his father had done. If so, he was badly mistaken. To assume that one will repent someday is a dangerous folly. If he hoped to repent in old age, he was sadly disappointed, because he was cut off while still young.
He rebelled against God, and then his own servants rebelled against him. In this, God was acting justly, though the servants were acting wickedly. The people of the land were right to put the murderers to death as traitors. The lives of kings are especially under the care of God’s providence, and they are also guarded by the laws of both God and man.
From This Chapter
2 Chronicles 33:1
"Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem."
2 Chronicles 33:2
"He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, after the abominations of the nations whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel."
2 Chronicles 33:3
"For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he raised up altars for the Baals, made Asheroth, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them."
2 Chronicles 33:4
"He built altars in the LORD’s house, of which the LORD said, “My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.”"
2 Chronicles 33:5
"He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts of the LORD’s house."
2 Chronicles 33:6
"He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits and with wizards. He did much evil in the LORD’s sight, to provoke him to anger."
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