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英文原文
In this chapter we have the history of the reign, I. Of Manasseh, who reigned long. 1. His wretched apostasy from God, and revolt to idolatry and all wickedness, 2Ch 33:1-10. 2. His happy return to God in his affliction; his repentance (2Ch 33:11-13), his reformation (2Ch 33:15-17), and prosperity (2Ch 33:14), with the conclusion of his reign, 2Ch 33:18-20. II. Of Amon, who reigned very wickedly (2Ch 33:21-23), and soon ended his days unhappily, 2Ch 33:24,25.
1-20
The Reign of Manasseh (662 BC)
瑪拿西的治期（主前 662 年）
¹ 瑪拿西登基的時候年十二歲，在耶路撒冷作王五十五年。 ² 卻行耶和華眼中看為惡的事，正如耶和華在以色列人面前所趕出的外邦人那可憎的事。 ³ 他重新建築他父親希西家所拆毀的邱壇，又為巴力築壇，做木偶，且敬拜事奉天上的萬象。 ⁴ 又在耶和華的殿中築壇，耶和華曾指著這殿說：「我的名必永遠在耶路撒冷。」 ⁵ 他在耶和華殿的兩個院中，為天上的萬象築壇。 ⁶ 又在欣嫩子谷使他的兒女經火；又觀兆、用法術、行邪術、交鬼、行巫術；他在耶和華眼中行了大大的惡，惹他發怒。 ⁷ 又在 神的殿內為自己所造的偶像立了雕刻的像； 神曾對大衛和他兒子所羅門說：「我在這殿和揀選了在以色列各支派以上的耶路撒冷，必永遠立我的名。 ⁸ 我必不再使以色列人的腳離開我所賜給你們列祖的地，只要他們謹守遵行我藉摩西手所吩咐的一切律法、律例、典章。」 ⁹ 瑪拿西引誘猶大和耶路撒冷的居民犯罪，以致他們行惡比耶和華在以色列人面前所滅的外邦人更甚。 ¹⁰ 耶和華對瑪拿西和他百姓說話，他們卻不肯聽。
此處記載瑪拿西的大惡。這與我們在列王紀下 21:1–9 所讀的幾乎逐字相同，我們已從中作過沉痛的觀察。這並非令人喜悅的題目，我們不必樂於在此逗留。這位愚昧的少君，違背他父親所立的好榜樣、所給的好教導，放縱自己於一切不敬虔之中，抄襲外邦人的可憎之事（代下 33:2），敗壞了確立的宗教，拆毀了他父親榮耀的改革（代下 33:3），以偶像崇拜褻瀆了 神的殿（代下 33:4–5），把兒女獻給摩洛，並以魔鬼虛謊的諭言作為他的引導和謀士（代下 33:6）。他藐視 神揀選錫安為他永遠安息之所、揀選以色列為他立約之民的事實（代下 33:8），以及他與 神之間美好的條件，竟去擁抱別神，褻瀆 神所揀選的聖殿，並引誘他所揀選的百姓。他「使他們犯罪」，「行惡比外邦人更甚」（代下 33:9）；因為污鬼若回來，必帶「七個比自己更惡的鬼」同來。加重瑪拿西之罪的是： 神藉先知「對他和他百姓說話」，「他們卻不肯聽」（代下 33:10）。我們在此可驚奇於 神對他們說話的恩典，以及他們充耳不聞的頑梗——或他們的惡未能完全轉去他的善，他仍等候施恩；或他的善未能轉去他們的惡，他們仍恨惡受改正。如今我們可從中學到：1. 敬虔父母的兒女偏離他們從小所受教導之 神的善道，這並非新事，卻是極其可悲的事。父母可給兒女許多好東西，卻不能給他們恩典。2. 敬拜中的腐敗是教會易於重新陷入的病症，即使看來已經痊愈。3. 這世界的神已經奇妙地弄瞎了人的心眼，對那些被他擄掠的人有奇異的能力；否則他便不能把人從 神他們最好的朋友那裡，拉到去倚靠他們的死仇敵。
¹¹ 因此，耶和華使亞述王的將帥來攻擊他們，他們用鉤子鉤住瑪拿西，用銅鍊鎖住他，帶到巴比倫去。 ¹² 他在急難的時候，就懇求耶和華他的 神，且在他列祖的 神面前極其自卑。 ¹³ 他祈禱耶和華，耶和華就允納他的祈求，垂聽他的懇求，使他歸回耶路撒冷，仍坐國位。那時瑪拿西才知道耶和華是 神。 ¹⁴ 此後，他在大衛城外、基訓西邊的谷中，從魚門口直到入城之處，建築城牆，環繞俄斐勒，築得極高；又在猶大各堅固城內設立軍長。 ¹⁵ 他除掉外邦人的神像，和耶和華殿裡的偶像，以及他在耶和華殿的山上和耶路撒冷所築的一切壇，把它們都扔在城外。 ¹⁶ 他重修耶和華的壇，在壇上獻平安祭和感謝祭，又吩咐猶大人事奉耶和華以色列的 神。 ¹⁷ 然而百姓仍在邱壇獻祭，只是獻給耶和華他們的 神。 ¹⁸ 瑪拿西其餘的事，和他向 神所禱告的話，並奉耶和華以色列 神的名向他說話的先見的話，都寫在以色列諸王紀上。 ¹⁹ 他的禱告，與 神怎樣允納他的懇求，他未自卑以前的一切罪和過犯，並他在何處建築邱壇、設立木偶和雕刻的像，都寫在先見的言行錄上。 ²⁰ 瑪拿西與他列祖同睡，葬在自己的宮中；他兒子亞們接續他作王。
我們已看見瑪拿西以惡行拆毀他父親所立的善工；此處我們看見他以悔改拆毀自己所作的惡。奇哉，此事在《列王紀》中竟隻字未提，那裡看來他似乎一直堅持到底、至終沉淪。但或許原因是：那卷歷史的目的是要顯明招致毀滅的全國之惡；而瑪拿西的這悔改及其益處既是個人的、不是全國的，便在那裡被略過了；然而此處卻詳盡記述，這是 神赦免之憐憫的豐富，與他更新之恩的大能，極其可記念的例證。此處有：
一、瑪拿西悔改的機會，那就是他的患難。他在急難之中並未（如亞哈斯王那樣）「越發得罪 神」，卻自卑而歸向 神。蒙恩的患難常常成為歸正的蒙福途徑。我們得知他的患難是甚麼（代下 33:11）。 神使外敵臨到他；那曾與他忠心事奉 神的父親交好的巴比倫王，如今竟侵犯他——因他已背信地離棄了 神。此處稱他為「亞述王」，因他已制服了亞述——這事因西拿基立大軍在耶路撒冷前的敗績與覆滅而更易成就。他覬覦使者所曾看見的那些財寶和一切貴重之物；但 神差他是要懲罰犯罪的百姓、制服偏離的君王。將帥「在荊棘中拿住瑪拿西」——或指實際的灌木叢中，也許在他躲藏的花園裡；或是喻指：他在謀略中困惑，在事務中艱難。他正如我們所說，陷於荊棘之中，不知如何自拔，便成了亞述將帥輕易的獵物——他們無疑掠奪了他的家，隨意取去，正如以賽亞所預言的（王下 20:17–18）。希西家的驕傲成了他們的獵物。他們用鍊子鎖住瑪拿西——他從前被自己罪孽的繩索所捆——把他擄到巴比倫去。這事發生於他在位何時，並未告訴我們；猶太人說是在他第二十二年。
二、他悔改的表現（代下 33:12–13）：「他在急難之中」，有了反省的時間，也有了充足的理由。他看見自己的罪把他帶到何等地步。他發現自己所事奉的神不能救他。他知道悔改是恢復他處境的唯一途徑；所以他歸向他所背道的那位。1. 他深信耶和華是獨一又真又活的 神：「那時他才知道（即他相信並思量）耶和華他是 神」。他若肯留心並相信所寫、所傳的道，本可付較小的代價知道此事；但付這樣重的代價來認識 神，總勝過在無知與不信中滅亡。他若留在巴比倫的宮中作王，或許他的偶像崇拜反得堅定；但他既成了巴比倫監獄中的囚徒，便因此被說服、被挽回。2. 他如今以他為「他的」 神，棄絕一切別神，決心單單依附他——他列祖的 神，與他立約的 神。3. 他在他面前極其自卑，為自己的罪真誠憂傷、羞愧，並懼怕 神的烈怒。罪人在所得罪的 神面前自卑，是合宜的。受苦者在管教他們的 神手下自卑，接受自己罪孽的刑罰，是合宜的。我們的心當在使人謙卑的護理之下謙卑下來；那時我們才能適應它們，並答覆 神在其中的旨意。4. 他向他祈求罪的赦免和恩典的轉回。禱告是悔罪者的解脫，是受苦者的解脫。在旁經中有一篇很好的禱告，極合此情，名為《猶大王瑪拿西被囚於巴比倫時的祈禱》。是否他所寫，未可確定；若是他的，其中他「將榮耀歸於 神」，稱他為「他們列祖的 神」、「他們公義的後裔之 神」，為「創造世界之 神」，一位「怒氣難當」、卻又「應許之憐憫無量」的 神。他懇求 神已「應許悔改與赦免給那犯罪的人」，並「為罪人定了悔改之例，使他們可以得救」——「不是為義人，如亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各，而是為我這罪人」（他說）；「因為我犯罪比海沙更多」——他如此大大認罪，並加重其罪。他祈求：「主啊，求你赦免我！赦免我，不要毀滅我」；他懇求：「你是悔改之人的 神」云云，並以「所以我必永遠讚美你」云云作結。
三、 神對他悔改的恩典悅納：「 神允納他的祈求，垂聽他的懇求。」患難雖驅使我們到 神面前，他卻不因此拒絕我們——只要我們真誠尋求他，因為患難正是為把我們帶到他面前而差來的。作為 神向他施恩的記號，他為他開了逃生的路。患難不會延續超過它們完成工作的時候。瑪拿西既被帶回他的 神與他的本分那裡，便很快「被帶回他的國」。請看 神是何等樂於接納並歡迎回轉的罪人，何等「速速施憐憫」。大罪人不要絕望——連瑪拿西在悔改之時尚且蒙 神悅納；在 he 身上 神「顯明忍耐的榜樣」（提前 1:16；賽 1:18）。
四、他歸回本地之後所結「與悔改相稱的果子」（代下 33:15–16）。1. 他轉離他的罪。他除掉「外邦人的神像」——它們的偶像，以及他曾以極大莊嚴設立「在耶和華殿中」的那偶像（無論是甚麼），彷彿它是那殿的主人。他把「耶和華殿的山上」和耶路撒冷一切偶像的壇，當作可憎之物扔出城外。如今（我們盼望）他厭惡它們，正如他曾愛慕它們；對它們說：「去吧」（賽 30:22）。「我如今還與偶像有何干係？我已受夠了。」2. 他歸回他的本分；因為他「重修耶和華的壇」——那壇或被某些拜偶像的祭司所毀壞，或至少因疏於使用而失修。他在其上獻平安祭，以求 神的恩惠；獻感謝祭，以讚美他拯救之恩。不但如此，他如今運用自己的權柄改革他的百姓，正如他從前濫用它來敗壞他們：「他吩咐猶大人事奉耶和華以色列的 神。」請注意：凡真心為罪悔改的，不僅自己要歸向 神，也要盡力挽回那些因自己的榜樣而被引誘、被帶離 神 的人；否則他們便沒有徹底（如所當行的）拆毀自己所行的惡，也沒有使膏藥與傷口同寬。我們看見他成功使他們放棄了「假神」，卻未能放棄「邱壇」（代下 33:17）。他們仍在其上獻祭，「只是獻給耶和華他們的 神」；瑪拿西不能把改革推行得像他從前推行腐敗那樣遠。敗壞人的品行是易事，重新改革卻不易。
五、他在悔改之後某種程度上的亨通。他可以清楚地看出，正是罪毀了他；因為當他在盡本分的路上歸向 神， 神就在施憐憫的路上轉向他：於是他「在大衛城外建築城牆」（代下 33:14），因為罪已經使它失去保護，把它暴露給仇敵。他也在堅固城設立軍長，以保衛本國。約瑟夫說，他餘下的時間改變得如此之大，以致被視為一個非常幸福的人。
末了，此處是他生平的結尾。關於那些我們被指向其他當時尚存的著作以求詳述的內容，其綱要多於任何一位王（代下 33:18–19）。看來有詳細的記錄：1. 關於「他的一切罪和過犯」——「他所建築的邱壇、所設立的木偶和偶像，在他自卑之前」。這大概是從他自己悔改時所作的認罪中摘錄的，他留下的記錄名為《先見的話》。他向那些曾「對他說話」（代下 33:18）責備他罪的先見，在他悔改之時送達他的認罪，要插入他們的回憶錄中，作為對他們責備之恩的感謝記號。悔罪者當如此自取羞愧、感謝責備他們的人、並警戒別人。2. 關於「奉耶和華的名對他說話的先見的話」（代下 33:10、18）——他們對他罪的責備和悔改的勸勉。請注意：罪人當思想，無論他們如何輕忽，那些奉 神差遣責備他們罪、警告他們危險、呼召他們盡本分的先見的話，都有記錄存留，到了大日必作見證控告他們。3. 關於他「向 神的禱告」（此事被兩次提及，視為奇事）和「 神怎樣允納他」。這是「為後代寫的，使將來造的百姓可以讚美耶和華」，因他樂意接納回頭的浪子。他的葬地也被記下——不是葬在「諸王的墳墓」裡，而是葬在「自己的宮中」；他葬得隱密，死時並未享有他父親所得的那種尊榮。悔罪者或能較早恢復安慰，卻較遲恢復名聲。
英文原文
The Reign of Manasseh (662 BC)
¹ Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:
² But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
³ For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
⁴ Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
⁵ And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
⁶ And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
⁷ And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
⁸ Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.
⁹ So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
¹⁰ And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
We have here an account of the great wickedness of Manasseh. It is the same almost word for word with that which we had 2Ki 21:1-9, and took a melancholy view of. It is no such pleasing subject that we should delight to dwell upon it again. This foolish young prince, in contradiction to the good example and good education his father gave him, abandoned himself to all impiety, transcribed the abominations of the heathen (2Ch 33:2), ruined the established religion, unravelled his father's glorious reformation (2Ch 33:3), profaned the house of God with his idolatry (2Ch 33:4,5), dedicated his children to Moloch, and made the devil's lying oracles his guides and his counsellors, 2Ch 33:6. In contempt of the choice God had made of Sion to be his rest for ever and Israel to be his covenant-people (2Ch 33:8), and the fair terms he stood upon with God, he embraced other gods, profaned God's chosen temple, and debauched his chosen people. He made them to err, and do worse than the heathen (2Ch 33:9); for, if the unclean spirit returns, he brings with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself. That which aggravated the sin of Manasseh was that God spoke to him and his people by the prophets, but they would not hearken, 2Ch 33:10. We may here admire the grace of God in speaking to them, and their obstinacy in turning a deaf ear to him, that either their badness did not quite turn away his goodness, but still he waited to be gracious, or that his goodness did not turn them from their badness, but still they hated to be reformed. Now from this let us learn, 1. That it is no new thing, but a very sad thing, for the children of godly parents to turn aside from that good way of God in which they have been trained. Parents may give many good things to their children, but they cannot give them grace. 2. Corruptions in worship are such diseases of the church as it is very apt to relapse into again even when they seem to be cured. 3. The god of this world has strangely blinded men's minds, and has a wonderful power over those that are led captive by him; else he could not draw them from God, their best friend, to depend upon their sworn enemy.
¹¹ Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
¹² And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
¹³ And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.
¹⁴ Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.
¹⁵ And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
¹⁶ And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.
¹⁷ Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only.
¹⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.
¹⁹ His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.
²⁰ So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
We have seen Manasseh by his wickedness undoing the good that his father had done; here we have him by repentance undoing the evil that he himself had done. It is strange that this was not so much as mentioned in the book of Kings, nor does any thing appear there to the contrary but that he persisted and perished in his son. But perhaps the reason was because the design of that history was to show the wickedness of the nation which brought destruction upon them; and this repentance of Manasseh and the benefit of it, being personal only and not national, is overlooked there; yet here it is fully related, and a memorable instance it is of the riches of God's pardoning mercy and the power of his renewing grace. Here is,
I. The occasion of Manasseh's repentance, and that was his affliction. In his distress he did not (like king Ahaz) trespass yet more against God, but humbled himself and returned to God. Sanctified afflictions often prove happy means of conversion. What his distress was we are told, 2Ch 33:11. God brought a foreign enemy upon him; the king of Babylon, that courted his father who faithfully served God, invaded him now that he had treacherously departed from God. He is here called king of Assyria, because he had made himself master of Assyria, which he would the more easily do for the defeat of Sennacherib's army, and its destruction before Jerusalem. He aimed at the treasures which the ambassadors had seen, and all those precious things; but God sent him to chastise a sinful people, and subdue a straying prince. The captain took Manasseh among the thorns, in some bush or other, perhaps in his garden, where he had hid himself. Or it is spoken figuratively: he was perplexed in his counsels and embarrassed in his affairs. He was, as we say, in the briers, and knew not which way to extricate himself, and so became an easy prey to the Assyrian captains, who no doubt plundered his house and took away what they pleased, as Isaiah had foretold, 2Ki 20:17,18. What was Hezekiah's pride was their prey. They bound Manasseh, who had been held before with the cords of his own iniquity, and carried him prisoner to Babylon. About what time of his reign this was we are not told; the Jews say it was in his twenty-second year.
II. The expressions of his repentance (2Ch 33:12,13): When he was in affliction he had time to bethink himself and reason enough too. He saw what he had brought himself to by his sin. He found the gods he had served unable to help him. He knew that repentance was the only way of restoring his affairs; and therefore to him he returned from whom he had revolted. 1. He was convinced the Jehovah is the only living and true God: Then he knew (that is, he believed and considered) that the Lord he was God. He might have known it at a less expense if he would have given due attention and credit to the word written and preached: but it was better to pay thus dearly for the knowledge of God than to perish in ignorance and unbelief. Had he been a prince in the palace of Babylon, it is probable he would have been confirmed in his idolatry; but, being a captive in the prisons of Babylon, he was convinced of it and reclaimed from it. 2. He applied to him as his God now, renouncing all others, and resolving to cleave to him only, the God of his fathers, and a God on covenant with him. 3. He humbled himself greatly before him, was truly sorry for his sins, ashamed of them, and afraid of the wrath of God. It becomes sinners to humble themselves before the face of that God whom they have offended. It becomes sufferers to humble themselves under the hand of that God who corrects them, and to accept the punishment of their iniquity. Our hearts should be humbled under humbling providences; then we accommodate ourselves to them, and answer God's end in them. 4. He prayed to him for the pardon of sin and the return of his favour. Prayer is the relief of penitents, the relief of the afflicted. That is a good prayer, and very pertinent in this case, which we find among the apocryphal books, entitled, The prayer of Manasses, king of Judah, when he was holden captive in Babylon. Whether it was his or no is uncertain; if it was, in it he gives glory to God as the God of their fathers and their righteous seed, as the Creator of the world, a God whose anger is insupportable, and yet his merciful promise unmeasurable. He pleads that God has promised repentance and forgiveness to those that have sinned, and has appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved, not unto the just, as to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but to me (says he) that am a sinner; for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea: so he confesses his sin largely, and aggravates it. He prays, Forgive me, O Lord! forgive me, and destroy me not; he pleads, Thou art the God of those that repent, etc., and concludes, Therefore I will praise thee for ever, etc.
III. God's gracious acceptance of his repentance: God was entreated of him, and heard his supplication. Though affliction drive us to God, he will not therefore reject us if in sincerity we seek him, for afflictions are sent on purpose to bring us to him. As a token of God's favour to him, he made a way for his escape. Afflictions are continued no longer than till they have done their work. When Manasseh is brought back to his God and to his duty he shall soon be brought back to his kingdom. See how ready God is to accept and welcome returning sinners, and how swift to show mercy. Let not great sinners despair, when Manasseh himself, upon his repentance, found favour with God; in him God showed forth a pattern of long-suffering, as 1Ti 1:16, Isa 1:18.
IV. The fruits meet for repentance which he brought forth after his return to his own land, 2Ch 33:15,16. 1. He turned from his sins. He took away the strange gods, the images of them, and that idol (whatever it was) which he had set up with so much solemnity in the house of the Lord, as if it had been master of that house. He cast out all the idolatrous altars that were in the mount of the house and in Jerusalem, as detestable things. Now (we hope) he loathed them as much as ever he had loved them, and said to them, Get you hence, Isa 30:22. "What have I to do any more with idols? I have had enough of them." 2. He returned to his duty; for he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had either been abused and broken down by some of the idolatrous priests, or, at least, neglected and gone out of repair. He sacrificed thereon peace-offerings to implore God's favour, and thank-offerings to praise him for his deliverance. Nay, he now used his power to reform his people, as before he had abused it to corrupt them: He commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. Note, Those that truly repent of their sins will not only return to God themselves, but will do all they can to recover those that have by their example been seduced and drawn away from God; else they do not thoroughly (as they ought) undo what they have done amiss, nor make the plaster as wide as the wound. We find that he prevailed to bring them off from their false gods, but not from their high places, 2Ch 33:17. They still sacrificed in them, yet to the Lord their God only; Manasseh could not carry the reformation so far as he had carried the corruption. It is an easy thing to debauch men's manners, but not so easy to reform them again.
V. His prosperity, in some measure, after his repentance. He might plainly see it was sin that ruined him; for, when he returned to God in a way of duty, God returned to him in a way of mercy: and then he built a wall about the city of David (2Ch 33:14), for by sin he had unwalled it and exposed it to the enemy. He also put captains of war in the fenced cities for the security of his country. Josephus says that all the rest of his time he was so changed for the better that he was looked upon as a very happy man.
Lastly, Here is the conclusion of his history. The heads of those things for a full narrative of which we are referred to the other writings that were then extant are more than of any of the kings, 2Ch 33:18,19. A particular account, it seems, was kept, 1. Of all his sin, and his trespass, the high places he built, the groves and images he set up, before he was humbled. Probably this was taken from his own confession which he made of his sin when God gave him repentance, and which he left upon record, in a book entitled, The words of the seers. To those seers that spoke to him (2Ch 33:18) to reprove him for his sin he sent his confession when he repented, to be inserted in their memoirs, as a token of his gratitude to them for their kindness in reproving him. Thus it becomes penitents to take shame to themselves, to give thanks to their reprovers, and warning to others. 2. Of the words of the seers that spoke to him in the name of the Lord (2Ch 33:10,18), the reproofs they gave him for his sin and their exhortations to repentance. Note, Sinners ought to consider, that, how little notice soever they take of them, an account is kept of the words of the seers that speak to them from God to admonish them of their sins, warn them of their danger, and call them to their duty, which will be produced against them in the great day. 3. Of his prayer to God (this is twice mentioned as a remarkable thing) and how God was entreated of him. This was written for the generations to come, that the people that should be created might praise the Lord for his readiness to receive returning prodigals. Notice is taken of the place of his burial, not in the sepulchres of the kings, but in his own house; he was buried privately, and nothing of that honour was done him at his death that was done to his father. Penitents may recover their comfort sooner than their credit.
21-25
The Reign and Death of Amon (641 BC)
亞們的作王與崩逝（主前641年）
²¹ 亞們登基的時候年二十二歲，在耶路撒冷作王二年。 ²² 他行耶和華眼中看為惡的事，與他父親瑪拿西所行的一樣；亞們向瑪拿西他父親所雕刻的一切偶像獻祭，又事奉它們。 ²³ 他不在耶和華面前自卑，像他父親瑪拿西自卑一樣；這亞們所犯的罪越犯越大。 ²⁴ 他的臣僕背叛，在宮裡殺了他。 ²⁵ 但國民殺了背叛亞們王的人，立他兒子約西亞接續他作王。
關於亞們，聖經所記不多，但所記已經足夠——若非如此更好。此處可見：
一、他極大的罪惡。他「效法瑪拿西……在他背道之日所行的」（代下三十三22）。有人以此為證，認為瑪拿西並未真正悔改，他們卻忘記了許多賢君也有敗德的兒子。只是似乎瑪拿西在這一點上確有疏漏：他「廢去偶像」之時，並未照著律法所吩咐的——「要用火焚燒那些偶像」（申七2）——將它們徹底毀掉。這條律法何等必要，本例正可說明；因為那些「雕刻的偶像」只是被丟在一旁，並未焚毀，亞們知道在何處可以找到，很快便重新樹立起來，並向其獻祭。為表明他罪大惡極，也為證明神如此迅速將他剪除是公義的，經上加添了：1. 他在犯罪上勝過了父親：「他所犯的罪越犯越大」（代下三十三23）。他父親行惡，他行得更惡。那些與偶像聯合的人，越久越對偶像瘋狂。2. 他在悔改上不及父親：「他不在耶和華面前自卑，像他父親自卑一樣。」他像父親一樣跌倒，卻沒有像父親一樣再爬起來。毀滅人的，與其說是罪，不如說是在罪中不悔改；不是因他們冒犯了神，而是因他們不為自己的冒犯自卑；不是疾病本身，而是輕忽了醫治。
二、他迅速的毀滅。他作王僅兩年，他的臣僕便「背叛他」，「在宮裡殺了他」（代下三十三24）。或許亞們效法父親早年那樣犯罪之時，曾滿心指望自己也能像父親那樣在晚年悔改。但他的下場正顯明了這樣的僥倖何等瘋狂。他若指望老來悔改，便大大失望；因為他年紀輕輕就被剪除。他背叛神，他的臣僕也背叛他。在這事上神是公義的，但他們是邪惡的；「國民」將他們當作叛徒處死，乃是公義之舉。君王的性命尤其受護理和神人兩方面律法的保護。
英文原文
The Reign and Death of Amon (641 BC)
²¹ Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.
²² But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them;
²³ And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.
²⁴ And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.
²⁵ But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
We have little recorded concerning Amon, but enough unless it were better. Here is,
I. His great wickedness. He did as Manasseh had done in the days of his apostasy, 2Ch 33:22. Those who think this an evidence that Manasseh did not truly repent forget how many good kings had wicked sons. Only it should seem that Manasseh was in this defective, that, when he cast out the images, he did not utterly deface and destroy them, according to the law which required Israel to burn the images with fire, De 7:2. How necessary that law was this instance shows; for the carved images being only thrown by, and not burnt, Amon knew where to find them, soon set them up, and sacrificed to them. It is added, to represent him exceedingly sinful and to justify God in cutting him off so soon, 1. That he out-did his father in sinning: He trespassed more and more, 2Ch 33:23. His father did ill, but he did worse. Those that were joined to idols grew more and more mad upon them. 2. That he came short of his father in repenting: He humbled not himself before the Lord, as his father had humbled himself. He fell like him, but did not get up again like him. It is not so much sin as impenitence in sin that ruins men, not so much that they offend as that they do not humble themselves for their offences, not the disease, but the neglect of the remedy.
II. His speedy destruction. He reigned but two years and then his servants conspired against him and slew him, 2Ch 33:24. Perhaps when Amon sinned as his father did in the beginning of his days he promised himself that he should repent as his father did in the latter end of his days. But his case shows what a madness it is to presume upon that. If he hoped to repent when he was old, he was wretchedly disappointed; for he was cut off when he was young. He rebelled against God, and his own servants rebelled against him. Herein God was righteous, but they were wicked, and justly did the people of the land put them to death as traitors. The lives of kings are particularly under the protection of Providence and the laws both of God and man.
本章記述兩段王朝的歷史：一、瑪拿西，他作王的時間很長。1. 他從神面前可悲地背道，轉向拜偶像與各樣的惡事（代下 33:1-10）。2. 他在患難中蒙福歸向神——他的悔改（代下 33:11-13），他的改革（代下 33:15-17），以及他的興盛（代下 33:14），並他作王的結束（代下 33:18-20）。二、亞們，他作王極為敗壞（代下 33:21-23），不久便淒慘地結束了自己的日子（代下 33:24,25）。