2 Chronicles 33:9

Authorized King James Version

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.

Word-by-Word Analysis

וַיֶּ֣תַע

H8582

made

to vacillate, i.e., reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causative of both

מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה

H4519

So Manasseh

menashsheh, a grandson of jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territory

אֶת

H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

יְהוּדָ֖ה

H3063

Judah

jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

וְיֹֽשְׁבֵ֣י

H3427

and the inhabitants

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם

H3389

of Jerusalem

jerushalaim or jerushalem, the capital city of palestine

לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת

H6213

and to do

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

רָ֔ע

H7451

worse

bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)

מִן

H4480

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

#10

הַ֨גּוֹיִ֔ם

H1471

than the heathen

a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts

#11

אֲשֶׁר֙

H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

#12

הִשְׁמִ֣יד

H8045

had destroyed

to desolate

#13

יְהוָ֔ה

H3068

whom the LORD

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

#14

מִפְּנֵ֖י

H6440

before

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

#15

בְּנֵ֥י

H1121

the children

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

#16

יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

H3478

of Israel

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine sovereignty contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

What practical applications emerge from understanding salvation as presented in this verse, particularly in light of addressing questions of religious pluralism and the exclusivity of Christ?
How does this passage contribute to our understanding of from physical deliverance in the Old Testament to spiritual redemption in the New, and what implications does this have for Christian discipleship?
How might the original audience's understanding of divine sovereignty differ from modern interpretations, and what bridges can be built between ancient meaning and contemporary application?