MPV Commentary

He Is Carried unto Babylon, Where He Humbles Himself

The Assyrian king Esar-haddon, who had taken over after his father's death, turned his attention to reasserting control over the western provinces that had rebelled against Assyria following Sennacherib's defeat and death. He dispatched his generals, including Tartan (Isaiah 20:1), with a portion of his army to conquer Judah as well. In a successful attack on Jerusalem, they took many captives, including King Manasseh.

Manasseh was taken prisoner and bound in chains, likely made of brass, and carried off to Babylon. The Assyrian king had established his residence there after recovering the city from its previous rulers. This picture gives us an idea of how a royal captive like Manasseh might have been received in the court of Babylon.

When Manasseh was in exile or imprisonment, he had time for reflection on his past life and the calamities that had befallen him. He realized that his apostasy from God (2 Chronicles 33:7) was the cause of his troubles. In humility, he repented and prayed for an opportunity to demonstrate his repentance. His prayer was answered when his conqueror released him after two years in exile and restored him to a tributary kingdom.

Some historians believe that Esar-haddon's decision to restore Manasseh was motivated by a desire to have Judah as a buffer between Egypt and Assyria. However, God used this event for greater purposes. Manasseh now showed himself to be a changed man, influenced by his experiences in exile. He made a complete reversal of his former policy by destroying the idolatrous statues and altars he had erected in Jerusalem and promoting the worship of God.

Manasseh built a wall around the city on the west side of Gihon Valley, extending from the vicinity of the northeast corner of Mount Zion to the fish gate. This wall would have provided additional protection for the city.

Despite Manasseh's efforts to promote true worship, the people continued to sacrifice in high places, but only to the Lord their God. It appears that this practice, which originated from heathenism, did not necessarily imply idolatry.