For the enormious impietie of Manasses, 10. God threatneth destruction of the kingdom. 16. He spilleth innocent bloud, 18. dieth, and his senne Amon reigneth also wickedly: 23. is slaine by his seruantes, and his sonne Iosias reigneth.
1Manasses was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned five and fifty years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Haphsiba.Manasse era in età di dodici anni quando principiò a regnare; e regnò cinquantacinque anni in Gerusalemme: sua madre ebbe nome Haphsiba.TWELVE yeares old was Manasses, when he began to reigne, & he reigned fiue and fiftie yeares in Ierusalem: the name of his mother was haphsiba.Duodecim annorum erat Manasses cum regnare cœpisset, et quinquaginta quinque annis regnavit in Jerusalem: nomen matris ejus Haphsiba. 2And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the idols of the nations, which the Lord destroyed from before the face of the children of Israel.Egli fece il male nel cospetto del Signore, onorando gl'idoli delle nazioni sterminate già dal Signore all'arrivo de' figliuoli d'Israele.And he did euil in the sight of our Lord, acording to the idols of the Nations, which our Lord destroyed from the face of the children of Israel.Fecitque malum in conspectu Domini, juxta idola gentium quas delevit Dominus a facie filiorum Israël. 3And he turned, and built up the high places, which Ezechias, his father, had destroyed: and he set up altars to Baal, and made groves, as Achab, the king of Israel, had done: and he adored all the host of heaven, and served them.E si rivolse a rimettere in piedi i luoghi eccelsi rovinati da Ezechia suo padre, e alzò altari a Baal, e piantò dei boschetti, come avea fatto Achab re d'Israele, e adorò tutta la milizia del cielo, e le rendette onore.And he was turned, and built the excelses, which Ezechias his father had destroyed: and he sette vp altars to Baal, and made groues, as Achab the king of Israel had done: and he adored al the host of heauen, and worshipped it.Conversusque est, et ædificavit excelsa quæ dissipaverat Ezechias pater ejus: et erexit aras Baal, et fecit lucos sicut fecerat Achab rex Israël, et adoravit omnem militiam cæli, et coluit eam. 4And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said: In Jerusalem I will put my name.Ed eresse altari nella casa del Signore, per ragion della quale il Signore avea detto: Porrò il nome mio in Gerusalemme.And he built altars in the house of our Lord, of the which our Lord sayd: In Ierusalem I wil put my name.Exstruxitque aras in domo Domini, de qua dixit Dominus: In Jerusalem ponam nomen meum. 5And he built altars for all the host of heaven, in the two courts of the temple of the Lord.Ed eresse altari a tutta la milizia del cielo nei due atri del tempio del Signore.And he built altars to al the host of heauen in the two courtes of the temple of our Lord.Et exstruxit altaria universæ militiæ cæli in duobus atriis templi Domini.
6And he made his son pass through fire: and he used divinations, and observed omens, and appointed pythons, and multiplied soothsayers, to do evil before the Lord, and to provoke him.E fece passar pel fuoco il proprio figliuolo, e andò dietro agl'indozzamenti, e badò agli auguri, e istituì dei maghi, e moltiplicò gli aruspici facendo il male dinanzi al Signore, e provocandolo ad ira.And he made his sonne passe through fyre: and he vsed sooth saying, and obserued diuinations, and made pithones, and multiplied inchanters, to doe euil before our Lord, and to prouoke him.Et traduxit filium suum per ignem: et ariolatus est, et observavit auguria, et fecit pythones, et aruspices multiplicavit, ut faceret malum coram Domino, et irritaret eum. 7He set also an idol of the grove, which he had made, in the temple of the Lord: concerning which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son: In this temple, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name for ever.Pose eziandio l'idolo del bosco piantato da lui, nel tempio del Signore, intorno al quale il Signore avea detto a Davidde, e a Salomone suo figliuolo: In questo tempio, e in Gerusalemme eletta tra tutte le tribù d'Israele, porrò dio il mio nome in sempiterno.He sette also the idol of the groue, which he had made in the temple of our Lord: concerning the which our Lord spake to Dauid, and to Salomon his sonne: In this temple, and in Ierusalem, which I haue chosen out of al the tribes of Israel, I wil put my name for euer.Posuit quoque idolum luci quem fecerat, in templo Domini, super quod locutus est Dominus ad David, et ad Salomonem filium ejus: In templo hoc, et in Jerusalem quam elegi de cunctis tribubus Israël, ponam nomen meum in sempiternum. 8And I will no more make the feet of Israel to be moved out of the land, which I gave to their fathers: only if they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, according to the law which my servant Moses commanded them.E non permetterò, che Israele abbia mai più a muovere il piede dalla terra data da me ai padri loro: se però eglino osserveranno tutti i miei comandamenti, e tutta la legge intimata ad essi da Mosè mio servoAnd I wil noe more make the foote of Israel to be moued out of the land, which I gaue to their fathers: yet so if in worke they shal keepe al things, that I haue commanded them, al the law which my seruantes Moyses commanded them.Et ultra non faciam commoveri pedem Israël de terra quam dedi patribus eorum: si tamen custodierint opere omnia quæ præcepi eis, et universam legem quam mandavit eis servus meus Moyses. 9But they hearkened not: but were seduced by Manasses, to do evil more than the nations which the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.Ma quelli non ascoltarono; ma furon sedotti da Manasse per mal fare più, che non avean fatto le genti sterminate dal Signore alla venuta de' figliuoli d'Israele.But they heard not: but were seduced by Manasses, to doe euil aboue the Nations, which our Lord destroyed before the face of the children of Israel.Illi vero non audierunt: sed seducti sunt a Manasse, ut facerent malum super gentes quas contrivit Dominus a facie filiorum Israël.
10And the Lord spoke in the hand of his servants, the prophets, saying:E il Signore parlò per bocca de' profeti suoi servi, e disse:And our Lord spake in the hand of his seruantes the prophetes, saying:Locutusque est Dominus in manu servorum suorum prophetarum, dicens: 11Because Manasses, king of Juda, hath done these most wicked abominations, beyond all that the Amorrhites did before him, and hath made Juda also to sin with his filthy doings:Perchè Manasse re di Giuda ha commesse queste orrende abbominazioni, le quali passano tutto quello, che avanti a lui fecero gli Amorrei, e ha ancora indotto Giuda a prevaricare colle sue immondezze:Because Manasses the king of Iuda hath done these most wicked abominations, passing al thinges that the Amorrheites did before him, and hath made Iuda also to sinne in his filthes:Quia fecit Manasses rex Juda abominationes istas pessimas, super omnia quæ fecerunt Amorrhæi ante eum, et peccare fecit etiam Judam in immunditiis suis: 12Therefore thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring on evils upon Jerusalem and Juda: that whosoever shall hear of them, both his ears shall tingle.Per questo così dice il Signore Dio d'Israele: Ecco che io pioverò tali sciagure sopra Gerusalemme, e sopra Giuda, che a chiunque ne udirà parlare fischieranno ambedue le orecchie.therfore thus sayth our Lord the God of Israel: Behold I wil bring in euils vpon Ierusalem and Iuda: that whosoeuer shal heare it, both his eares shal tingle.propterea hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël: Ecce ego inducam mala super Jerusalem et Judam, ut quicumque audierit, tinniant ambæ aures ejus. 13And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the weight of the house of Achab: and I will efface Jerusalem, as writings tables are wont to be effaced, and I will erase and turn it, and draw the pencil often over the face thereof.E sopra Gerusalemme stenderò la corda, che stesi sopra Samaria, e il peso della casa di Achab; e ripulirò Gerusalemme come suol ripulirsi una tavoletta (da scrivere), e per ripulirla volgerò, e rivolgerò lo stile sopra di essa.And I wil stretch out vpon Ierusalem the corde of Samaria, and the weight of the house of Achab: and I wil wipe out Ierusalem, as tables are wont to be wiped out, and wyping out I wil turne it, and draw often the pencil vpon the face therof.Et extendam super Jerusalem funiculum Samariæ, et pondus domus Achab: et delebo Jerusalem, sicut deleri solent tabulæ: et delens vertam, et ducam crebrius stylum super faciem ejus.
14And I will leave the remnants of my inheritance, and will deliver them into the hands of their enemies: and they shall become a prey, and a spoil to all their enemies.E io lascerò in abbandono gli avanzi del mio retaggio, e li darò in potere de' lor nemici, e saranno spersi, e fatti preda di tutti i loro avversari;But I wil leaue remnantes of mine inheritance, and wil deliuer them into the handes of their enemies: and they shalbe vnto waste, and vnto spoile to al their aduersaries:Dimittam vero reliquias hæreditatis meæ, et tradam eas in manus inimicorum ejus, eruntque in vastitatem, et in rapinam cunctis adversariis suis: 15Because they have done evil before me, and have continued to provoke me, from the day that their fathers came out of Egypt, even unto this day.Perchè eglino han fatto il male dinanzi a me, e han continuato ad irritarmi dal giorno, in cui i padri loro uscirono dall'Egitto fino al di d'oggi;because they haue done euil before me, and haue continewed prouoking me, from the day that their fathers came out of Aegypt, vntil this day.eo quod fecerint malum coram me, et perseveraverint irritantes me, ex die qua egressi sunt patres eorum ex Ægypto usque ad hanc diem. 16Moreover, Manasses shed also very much innocent blood, till he filled Jerusalem up to the mouth: besides his sins, wherewith he made Juda to sin, to do evil before the Lord.Manasse di più sparse del sangue innocente senza misura, fino ad inondare Gerusalemme: senza contare i peccati, ch'ei fe' commettere a Giuda, facendo il male nel cospetto del Signore.Moreouer Manasses shed also innocent bloud exceding much til he filled Ierusalem euen to the mouth: beside his sinnes, wherin he made Iuda to sinne, to doe euil before our Lord.Insuper et sanguinem innoxium fudit Manasses multum nimis, donec impleret Jerusalem usque ad os: absque peccatis suis quibus peccare fecit Judam, ut faceret malum coram Domino. 17Now the rest of the acts of Manasses, and all that he did, and his sin, which he sinned, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?Il resto poi delle azioni di Manasse, e tutto quello, ch'ei fece, e il peccato, che egli commise, queste cose non son elleno scritte nel diario de' fatti dei re di Giuda?But the rest of the wordes of Manasses, and al that he did, and his sinne, which he sinned, are not these thinges written in the Booke of the wordes of the dayes of the kinges of Iuda?Reliqua autem sermonum Manasse, ut universa quæ fecit, et peccatum ejus quod peccavit, nonne hæc scripta sunt in libro sermonum dierum regum Juda ?
18And Manasses slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Oza: and Amon, his son, reigned in his stead.E si addormentò Manasse coi padri suoi, e fu sepolto nell'orto di sua casa, nell'orto di Oza: e succedette a lui nel regno Amon suo figliuolo.And Manasses slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Oza: and Amon his sonne reigned for him.Dormivitque Manasses cum patribus suis, et sepultus est in horto domus suæ, in horto Oza: et regnavit Amon filius ejus pro eo. 19Two and twenty years old was Amon when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Messalemeth, the daughter of Harus, of Jeteba.Ventidue anni aveva Amon quando principiò a regnare, e regnò due anni in Gerusalemme: sua madre ebbe nome Messalemeth figliuola di Harus di Jeteba.Two and twentie yeares old was Amon when he began to reigne: two yeares also he reigned in Ierusalem: the name of his mother was Messalemeth the daughter of Ieteba.Viginti duorum annorum erat Amon cum regnare cœpisset: duobus quoque annis regnavit in Jerusalem: nomen matris ejus Messalemeth filia Harus de Jeteba. 20And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasses, his father, had done.Ed egli fece il male nel cospetto del Signore, come avea fatto Manasse suo padre,And he did euil in the sight of our Lord, as Manasses his father had done.Fecitque malum in conspectu Domini, sicut fecerat Manasses pater ejus. 21And he walked in all the way in which his father had walked: and he served the abominations which his father had served, and he adored them.E imitò in tutto, e per tutto il padre suo, e servì agli idoli immondi, come avea servito il padre suo, e gli adorò.And he walked in al the way, by the which his father had walked: and he serued the filthes, which his father had serued, and he adored them,Et ambulavit in omni via per quam ambulaverat pater ejus, servivitque immunditiis quibus servierat pater ejus, et adoravit eas: 22And forsook the Lord, the God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the Lord.E abbandonò il Signore Dio de' padri suoi, e non battè le vie del Signore.and forsooke our Lord the God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of our Lord.et dereliquit Dominum Deum patrum suorum, et non ambulavit in via Domini. 23And his servants plotted against him, and slew the king in his own house.E i suoi servi gli tesero insidie, e uccisero il re in sua casa.And his seruantes lay in wayte agaynst him, and slewe the king in his house.Tetenderuntque ei insidias servi sui, et interfecerunt regem in domo sua.
24But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon: and made Josias, his son, their king in his stead.Ma il popolo del paese fece morire tutti quelli, che avean congiurato contro del re Amon, e dichiararono re in sua vece Josia suo figliuolo.But the people of the land stroke al them, that had conspired agaynst king Amon: and made Iosias his sonne their king for him.Percussit autem populus terræ omnes qui conjuraverant contra regem Amon, et constituerunt sibi regem Josiam filium ejus pro eo. 25But the rest of the acts of Amon, which he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?Il resto poi delle azioni di Amon, non son elleno scritte nel diario de' fatti dei re di Giuda?But the rest of the wordes of Amon which he did, are not these writen in the Booke of the wordes of the dayes of the kinges of Iuda?Reliqua autem sermonum Amon quæ fecit, nonne hæc scripta sunt in libro sermonum dierum regum Juda ? 26And they buried him in his sepulchre, in the garden of Oza: and his son, Josias, reigned in his stead.Ed ei fu sepolto nella sua sepoltura, nell'orto di Oza: e Josia suo figliuolo gli succedette nel regno.And they buried him in his sepulchre, in the garden of Oza: and Iosias his sonne reigned for him.Sepelieruntque eum in sepulchro suo, in horto Oza: et regnavit Josias filius ejus pro eo.
21:1
Year of the World 3306.
Twelve. Being born three years after his father's recovery.
Fifty. Including the years of captivity.
21:2
Haydock
Idols. Hebrew, "abominations," (Calmet) as their worship was attended with the greatest infamy and dissolution, and was in itself the source of God's chastisements. (Haydock)
21:3
Haydock
Groves. Hebrew Ashera, "the grove," or the idol of Astarte, (Calmet) as both were worshipped. (Haydock)
Menochius
Achab, whom he imitated also in spilling the blood of the saints. (Menochius)
21:4
Altars, in honour of the sun, moon, and stars, (Haydock) in the courts of the priests and of the people, 2 Paralipomenon 33:4.
21:6
Fire, for purification, or as a holocaust to Moloch. See 4 Kings 16:3.
Montanus
Divination, or, "he observed times," Arabic. (Montanus)
Calmet
Omens. Protestants, "used enchantments," (Haydock) by means of brass or of serpents, etc. (Calmet)
Haydock
Septuagint agrees with the Vulgate, "he took notice of birds." (Haydock)
Pythons. That is, diviners by spirits (Challoner) particularly by Apollo. He authorized and encouraged such ventriloquists, etc., Leviticus 19:31.
Calmet
Soothsayers, who inspected the entrails of victims, to foretell future things. (Calmet)
Haydock
Protestants, "He dealt with familiar spirits and wizards." (Haydock)
21:7
Tirinus
Of the grove. Hebrew, "a graven thing of Ashera," the grove or Astarte, (Haydock) ver. 3. This was an engraving in sculpture of a sacred grove. (Sa) (Chap. 23:6.) (Tirinus)
Haydock
My name. I alone will be adored, and there allow an altar to be erected. (Haydock)
21:9
Worthington
More, because they had received more favours and instructions from above. (Worthington)
21:10
Tirinus
Prophets, Joel, Osee, Amos, Nahum, Jonas, Abdias, Micheas, and particularly by Isaias, who was related to the king. (Tirinus)
Tradition informs us, that Manasses was so irritated, that he ordered Isaias to be slain with a wooden saw, (St. Augustine, City of God 18:24.) for greater torment; (Calmet) and his companions were daily executed, Josephus, [Antiquities?] 10:3.
Haydock
Isaias (xxii. 13.) seems to pronounce his sin irremissible, (Calmet) or that he should not, at least, escape the punishment of it, as long as he lived. But we are assured that the eyes of Manasses were at last opened by adversity, and that he performed many laudable things after his return from captivity; (2 Paralipomenon xxxiii.) so that the latter part of his reign resembled that of his father; though the beginning had been like that of the impious Achab. His coming to the throne so soon, before his pious father could have time to impress upon his mind the truths of salvation, had nearly proved his ruin. The sins of my youth, and my ignorances, remember not, O Lord, Psalm 24:7. (Haydock)
21:11
Haydock
Doings. Hebrew, "idols," ver. 2. See 4 Kings 17:12. (Haydock)
21:12
Calmet
Tingle, through astonishment, as if he had been stunned with too loud a noise, 1 Kings 3:11. (Calmet)
21:13
Haydock
The line, or rope, to pull down the walls, Lamentations 2:8., (Calmet) and 2 Kings 17:13. Jerusalem, which has imitated Samaria in sinning, shall experience the same fate; the same weight of punishment shall fall upon the royal family, as upon the house of Achab. (Haydock)
Menochius
The prophets frequently entitle their menaces a weight, or burden, Isaias 13:1. (Menochius)
Du Hamel
Septuagint have, "the balance of the house," etc., as if God had weighed all the good and evil, and would now reward the people accordingly, (Haydock) with judgment. (Du Hamel)
Calmet
Table, or board, covered with wax. The ancients were accustomed to write in this manner with a style which was sharp at one end and blunt at the other. Altera pars revocat quicquid pars altera fecit. (Aenig. Symponii.) When the wax was rendered smooth, no vestige of the former writing could appear, and God threatens to destroy Jerusalem, in like manner. Hebrew is variously translated. (Calmet)
Haydock
Septuagint, "I will wipe out Jerusalem as an alabaster vase is wiped, and turned downwards." Protestants, "as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down." (Haydock)
21:14
Leave. Septuagint, "with horror," apeasomai (Haydock) "I will cast off." So Chaldean, Syriac, etc.
Calmet
Remnants. Juda, etc., who shall be treated like the ten tribes. (Calmet)
Worthington
All shared in the punishment, though some preserved the true religion, Psalm 88:35. (Worthington)
21:16
Mouth. Chaldean, "extremity." All was full of blood, and impure idols, ver. 11.
Besides, (absque) "without" mentioning his other scandalous sins of idolatry.
21:17
Haydock
Sinned. It is rather wonderful that his repentance is not here noticed; but we find it mentioned [in] 2 Paralipomenon 33:12. (Haydock)
Haydock
He was probably taken prisoner by Thartan, general of Sargon, or Asarhaddon, who had reunited the two kingdoms of Assyria and Babylon, Isaias 20:1. In prison Manasses composed a penitential prayer, which is not absolutely rejected by the Church, but left in the rank of Apocryphal writings; (Calmet) the authority of which is not clearly ascertained. (Haydock)
Haydock
The Greek church admits this prayer into her Euchologium, (Calmet) or Office-book. (Haydock)
Being liberated, probably by Saosduchin, Manasses did all things well, only he left the high places, where the people had been accustomed to sacrifice to the Lord. Hozai wrote his history, 2 Paralipomenon 33:19.
21:18
Year of the World 3361, Year before Christ 643.
Calmet
Oza, a private man, to whom it had belonged; (Menochius) or the place where the Levite had been punished for touching the ark; (1 Kings 6:8.) or, in fine, the garden to which king Ozias had retired after he became a leper. (Calmet)
Grotius
It is said, that Manasses chose this place for his tomb out of humility. (Grotius)
21:20
Tirinus
Done, in his youth, flattering himself that he should also repent, when he had gratified his passions, (Glycas) but God presently chastised this presumption, after suffering him to reign only two years. (Tirinus)
21:6
Pythons.... That is, diviners by spirits.
21:9
the Iewes sinned more greuously reuolting from the Law of God and contemning the admonitions of holie prophetes, then the nations that had neither law nor prophetes to instruct them.
21:14
God stil preserued some in true religion, though they also suffered tribulations with the wicked for the general sinnes of the king and people. Psal. 88. v. 35. Yea this king Manasses in captiuitie became vertuous and recouered his kingdom. 2, Pacalip. 33.
21:5
Ecumenical Councils The Canons of the Council in Trullo 65
… For it is written in the Fourth Book of the Kings “And Manasses built an altar to the whole host of heaven, in the two courts of the Lord, and made his sons to pass through the fire, he used lots and augurs and divinations by birds and made ventriloquists [or pythons ] and multiplied diviners, that he might do evil before the Lord and provoke him to anger.”
21:7
7. Posuit quoque idolum luci, quem fecerat, (idolum in luco ante a se constructo positum, puta luco sculptili circumdatum, posuit) in templo, — q. d. Manasses prius construxerat lucum, scilicet sylvam diis sacram, in eoque collocarat idolum, quod deinde ex luco transtulit in templum; sed quia lucum cum idolo transferre non poterat, hinc loco luci, fecit simulacrum sive similitudinem luci ex auro, argento vel aere, in eoque posuit idolum, illudque cum luco transtulit in templum, ut ibidem jam non Deus in templo, sed daemon in luco coleretur. Unde utrumque postea destruxit Josias Manassis nepos, cap. XXIII, vers. 6 et 7.
21:10
10. Locutusque est Dominus in manu servorum suorum Prophetarum, — scilicet per Osee, Amos, Joelem, Nahum, Jonam, Abdiam, ac maxime Isaiam Manassis socerum, qui proinde a Manasse serra lignea dissectus Christi in ligno crucifixi fuit typus, ut dixi prooemio in Isaiam, ac plures alios prophetas, adeo ut Josephus, lib. X, cap. 14, asserat, «ex eorum numero per singulos dies aliquem a Manasse fuisse punitum.»
21:13
13. Extendam super Jerusalem funiculum Samariae, — «Funiculus» mensorius metaphorice significat eamdem poenae mensuram, q. d. Qua mensura punivi, vastavi et abduxi e Samaria Israelitas in Assyrium, eadem puniam, vastabo et abducam Judaeos e Jerusalem in Babylonem: sicut enim fuerant pares in culpa et idololatria, sic pares erunt in poena et captivitate. Est metaphora a fabris, qui utuntur ferro sive funiculo, quem extendunt plumbi massa, ut juxta illud ad perpendiculum fabricam construant, vel constructam diruant et destruant, q. d. Ego Jerusalem destruam, et quasi funiculo ad solum coaequabo, sicut solet faber domos diruere, et per funiculum mensorium terrae coaequare et complanare; unde explicans idipsum per aliam similitudinem cerae declarat, dicens: «Delebo Jerusalem, sicut deleri solent tabulae; et delens vertam, et ducam crebrius stylum super faciem terrae,» q. d. Delebo Jerusalem sicut deleri solent litterae in tabula ex cera exaratae. Solebant enim olim, ante inventionem chartae, scribere in tabulis cera obductis, et in ea stylo quasi calamo litteras efformare. Quare stylus hic inferne acutus erat: superne vero obtusus, ut eodem litteras in cera scriptas cum vellent obducerent, et cera complanata alias in illa litteras pingerent; si ergo una vox vel littera duntaxat delenda foret, id faciebant uno alterove styli per ceram ductu; sin plures, pluribus ductibus; sin omnes, omnibus ductibus, donec erasis litteris para et complanata restitueretur cera. Ita fecit hic Deus in excidio Judaeae et Jerosolymae. Nam primo induxit in eam stylum hostilem regis Babylonis, cum ex ea Manassen, et primores regni in Babylonem captivos abduxit, II Paral. XXXIII, 11. Secundo, cum Pharao Nechao Josiam, qui tota erat Judaeorum spes, occidit, ejusque filium Joachaz in Aegyptum abripuit, cap. XXIII, 33. Tertio, cum Nabuchodonosor Joakim fratrem Joachaz cepit et vinxit. Quarto, cum idem Joachim filium Joakim cum magno nobilium et populi numero in Babylonem transmisit. Quinto et ultimo, cum idem Sedeciam ultimum regem cum reliquis abduxit, urbemque et templum concremavit. Sensus ergo est: «Extendam super Jerusalem funiculum,» q. d. Non tantum urbem demoliar, sed fundamenta refodiam, eaque terrae quasi per funiculum admetiens coaequabo, ut nullum sit reliquum ejus vestigium, neque delineatio prima illius; non secus ac fieri solet, cum tabellae ceratae, lineae vel characteres delentur. Pro tabula Hebraice est צלחת tsallachat, quod passim vertunt scutella, frixorium, lebes, caldaria. Unde Vatablus sic vertit: Detergam Jerusalem, sicut quis patinam detergit et eam vertit. Sicque explicat, q. d. Repurgabo Jerusalem ab hominibus sceleratis, quos ubi fugavero, invertam illam, uti inverti solet a rusticis scutella expurgata. Noster vero Hieronymus Prado in Ezech. cap. v, vers. 11, sic vertit, et exponit: «Abstergam Jerusalem, ut mundari solet caldarium abstersione et verti super faciem suam.» Id est, ut solet, cum probe extersum est, converti dorsum in faciem, ut nil lustramenti fiat reliquum, sed ad ultimam guttam distillet in terram: sic mundabo Jerusalem abstergens ex ea omnes incolas et domos, eamque a fundamentis evertens.
21:16
16. Insuper et sanguinem innoxium fudit Manasses multum nimis, — praesertim eorum qui suae impietati resistebant, illumque de ea arguebant, uti erant Isaias caeterique Prophetae; ita ut quotidie aliquem e Prophetis occideret, ait Josephus. Hinc apposite vocatus est «Manasses,» id est «ab insurgente vel ex oblivione,» ait Auctor Imperf. hom. 4 in Matth.: «Providentia enim Dei sic eum dispensavit vocari, quia obliturus fuerat omnem conversationem patris sui sanctam, et omnia beneficia Dei pro merito ejus collata in ipsum, et stimulatus ab insurgente diabolo, qui solet insurgere super genus humanum ad evertendum, gesturus omnia quae Deum ad iracundiam provocarent.» Addit idem Auctor de Manasse quid novi et miri, aitque: «Denique cum aegrotasset Ezechias in tempore quodam, et venisset ad eum Isaias Propheta visitandum, vocavit Ezechias filium suum Manassen, et coepit ei mandare, quod debeat Deum timere, quomodo regere regnum, et alia multa. Et dixit ad eum Isaias: Vere quia non descendant verba tua in cor ejus, sed et meipsum oportet per manum ejus interfici. Quod audiens Ezechias volebat filium suum interficere, dicens: Quia melius est me sine filio mori, quam talem filium relinquere, qui et Deum exasperet, et sanctos ejus persequatur. Tenuit autem eum vix Isaias propheta, dicens: Irritum faciat Deus consilium tuum hoc, videns Ezechiae religionem, quia plus amabat Deum, quam filium suum.» Verum haec videtur Rabbinorum fabella. Nam aegrotante Ezechia necdum natus erat Manasses, quia post morbum Ezechias supervixit 15 annos, eique deinde morienti succedens Manasses erat duodecim annorum. Natus est ergo Manasses tertio a morbo et sanitate recuperata Ezechiae patris sui anno.
21:18
18. Dormivitque (somno mortis) cum patribus suis. — Nota II Paral. xxxiii, 11, narratur poena a Deo inflicta Manassi, scilicet captivitas in Babylone, indeque seria ejus poenitentia et conversio ad Deum. Porro Manasses in Babylonem abductus videtur a Merodach Baladan: hic enim tunc in Babylone regnabat: unde huic Ezechias pater Manassis opes suas ostenderat, ideoque eum illexerat ad eas abripiendas; quod et futurum ei praedixit Deus, cap. xx, 17, atque idipsum paulo post praestitit, dum effecit ut Manasses ob sua scelera, per eumdem Baladan cum gaza regia in Babylonem vinctus abduceretur. Ita Bellarminus, Salianus et alii. Dicitur tamen Manasses captus a rege Assyriorum, vel quia Babylonii vocantur Assyrii, vel quia Merodach vectigalis fuit Asarhaddon regi Assyriorum, cujus postea jugum excussit. Et sepultus est in horto domus suae, in horto Oza, — ubi scilicet Oza occisus est a Deo, eo quod temere tetigisset arcam titubantem, II Reg. vi, 8. Hic hortus erat prope Jerusalem, et regiis hortis copulatus, in quo Manasses Babylone rediens regium sibi mausolaeum construxit, atque in eo ipse et filius ejus Amon sepulti sunt.
21:20
20. Fecitque malum. — Ita Scriptura vocat idololatriam, quasi malum malorum summum; nam ut ait Sapiens, cap. xiv, vers. 27: «Infandorum idolorum cultura, omnis mali causa est, et initium, et finis.» Imitatus est Amon patrem Manassen peccantem, sed non poenitentem. Addit Glycas eum dixisse: «Pater meus a puero multa scelera fecit, ac in senecta poenitentiam egit; quare et ego in hac aetate pro animi libidine me geram, et deinceps ad Dominum me convertam.» Quocirca Deus hanc ejus praefidentiam cita morte punivit: nam post biennium a suis servis occisus est. Audi S. Clementem, libro II Constit. Apost. cap. xxiii: «Talis, inquit, exstitit Amon filius Manassis de quo ait Scriptura: Decepit se Amon mala cogitatione transgressionis, et dixit: Pater meus multa peccata ab adolescentia commisit, et cum senex esset, commisisse paenituit; et nunc ego ambulabo, ut expetit anima mea, et postea convertam me ad Dominum: et egit improbe coram Domino super omnes natos ante se, et delevit eum Deus celeriter ex terra ejus bona, et servi impetum in eum fecerunt, et domi ejus interfecerunt, et regnavit duobus tantum annis.» Notent hoc juvenes, qui in juventute voluptuantur et luxuriantur, eamque dicant diabolo, promittentes se senectam dicaturos Deo: nam plerique talium variis humanae vitae casibus intercipiuntur et moriuntur, justoque Dei judicio ad senectam indeque ad vitae emendationem et salutem aeternam non pertingunt.
21:1
2. Re di Giuda, figlio e successore del re Ezechia (II Reg. 21, 1-17; II Par. 33, 4-20). Il suo regno fu fatale per la religione monoteistica. …
21:3
… Questi, tra i suoi tributari, ricorda «Manasse re di Giuda», che adottò culti e pratiche dei dominatori (II Reg. 21, 3).
BAAL (BA'AL = «SIGNORE, PADRONE, POSSESSORE»)
… osteggiato da Ioram e sradicato da Iehu (I Reg. 22,54; II Reg. 3,2; 10, 18-28). Atalia l'introdusse anche in Gerusalemme, ma l'abolì Ioas (II Reg. 11, 18; II Par. 23,17). Rimesso in onore da Achaz e Manasse, fu combattuto da Ezechia e Giosia (II Reg. 18,4; 21,3; 23,4-5). Però i sacerdoti di B. operarono fino all'esilio, dopo il quale il culto di B. scompare (Ier. 2,8, 2,5; 7,9; 9,14 agg.). …
21:5
… La sua porta non aveva battenti (I Reg. 6, 3; II Reg. 11, 10). Gli atri erano due (II Reg. 21, 5; 23, 12; II Par. 33, 5). L'atrio esterno (ibid. 4, 9; cf. Ez. 10, 17) era un quadrato, recinto di muro e lastricato con pietre. …
21:6
… Con tale denominazione toponimica s'indicava un burrone a sud-ovest di Gerusalemme, tristemente famoso perché ivi Achaz (II Reg. 16, 3) e Manasse (ibid. 21, 6) avevano immolato e bruciato in onore di Moloch delle vittime umane, specialmente dei bambini. …
… griglia (tōpheth) a bruciare, secondo la tipica espressione ebraica: ha-ābhīr... bā'ēl lam-mōlekh (II Reg. 23, 10) o ha-ābhīr lam-mōlekh (Lev. 18, 21; Ier. 32, 35) o anche senza il nome del dio M. che è sottinteso (Deut. 18, 10; II Reg. 16, 3; 17, 17; 21, 6; Ier. 7, 31; 19, 5; Ez. 16, 21; 20, 26.31; 23, 37; ecc.).
… immolò due dei suoi figli (I Reg. 16, 34; cf. Ios. 6, 26, ove il misfatto è oggetto d'esecuzione); parimenti alcuni empi principi sacrificarono vite umane a Moloch nella stessa Gerusalemme, ossia nella valle di Ben-Hinnom o Geenna (cf. II Reg. 16, 3; 21, 6). Soprattutto nel regno settentrionale furono frequenti i s. dei bambini (ibid. 17, 17: in quel delitto è ravvisata una delle cause della fine del Regno d'Israele). …
21:9
RE, I E II (III E IV) LIBRO DEI
… Sono pessimi alcuni: Abia (ibid. 15, 23 sgg.), Achaz (II Reg. 16, 2 sgg.), Manasse (ibid. 21, 9) ecc.; parecchi hanno praticato sostanzialmente la religione di David, ma usando tolleranza verso il culto degli alti luoghi (così anche Iosaphat: I Reg. 22, 44); ben pochi meritano …
21:15
… L'opposizione fu stroncata senza pietà (II Reg. 21, 15) e, secondo una tradizione rabbinica, anche il profeta Isaia fu ucciso per ordine di M. Nella lotta fra l'Assiria e l'Egitto, M. fu per molto tempo vassallo e tributario di Asarhaddon e Assurbanipal;
21:16
ISAIA (EBR. JĒŠA-JĀH[Ā] «SALUTE [È] JAHWEH», SETTANTA 'HOZĪZ)
Racconta infatti l'Ascensione d'I. (5, 1 sg.) che il profeta morì tagliato con una sega di legno (cf. Hebr. 11, 37) per ordine dell'empio Manasse (cf. II Reg. 21, 16), a cui aveva rimproverato l'idolatria.
21:18
… divorato da una belva! Num. 16, 30: si apre la terra e inghiotte i colpevoli che «discendono vivi nello šē'ōl; cf. Indec. 2, 10. David, Amri, Manasse si «ricongiunsero ai padri», ma non furono sepolti nella tomba di famiglia (I Reg. 2, 10; 16, 28; II Reg. 21, 18); lo stesso vale per Abramo, Ismacle, Aronne e Mosè.
In II Reg. 21, 18.26, ove si passa dal « giardino di O. », situato forse nella valle del Cedron (cf. ibid. 25, 4; Neh. 3, 15), la lezione più probabile sarebbe « Ozia » o « Azaria » (cf. ibid. 15, 1.13), …
21:19
AMON (EBRAICO «COSTRUTTORE»; SETTANTA: 'ΑΜΏΣ')
… (II Reg. 21, 19-26; II Par. 33, 21-25).
21:21
AMON (EBRAICO «COSTRUTTORE»; SETTANTA: 'ΑΜΏΣ')
Segui le orme del padre, parteggiando per gli Assiri e favorendo l'idolatria: «servi anche tutte le immondizie cui servi suo padre e le adorò» (II Reg. 21, 21). Anzi lo sorpassò nella irreligiosità (II Par. 33, 23), riscuotendo simpatia dal basso popolo corrotto.
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Douai 1609-10), trascrizione EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Pubblico dominio.