2 Kings 21:6

2 Kings 21:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
• New International Version (NIV)He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.

Context of 2 Kings 21:6

4He built altars in the Lord’s temple, about which the Lord had said, “Jerusalem will be my home.” 5In the two courtyards of the Lord’s temple he built altars for all the stars in the sky. He passed his son through the fire and practiced divination and omen reading. He set up a ritual pit to conjure up underworld spirits, and appointed magicians to supervise it. He did a great amount of evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 7He put an idol of Asherah he had made in the temple, about which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, “This temple in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will be my permanent home. 8I will not make Israel again leave the land I gave to their ancestors, provided that they carefully obey all I commanded them, the whole law my servant Moses ordered them to obey.”

2 Kings 21:6 word by word

וְהֶעֱבִ֤יר אֶת־בְּנוֹ֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ וְעוֹנֵ֣ן וְנִחֵ֔שׁ וְעָ֥שָׂה א֖וֹב וְיִדְּעֹנִ֑ים הִרְבָּ֗ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לְהַכְעִֽיס׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he made his sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• passעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• through the fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• and observed timesעָנַן‛ânan · to divineH6049
• and used enchantmentsנָחַשׁnâchash · to divineH5172
• and dealtעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• with familiar spiritsאוֹב'ôb · mediumH178
• and wizardsיִדְּעֹנִיyidde‛ônîy · spiritistH3049
• muchרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• wickednessרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• in the sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• to angerכָּעַסka‛as · to provokeH3707

Cross-references for 2 Kings 21:6

• 2 Kings 16:3He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel. He passed his son through the fire, a horrible sin practiced by the nations whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites.
• 2 Kings 17:17They passed their sons and daughters through the fire, and practiced divination and omen reading. They committed themselves to doing evil in the sight of the Lord and made him angry.
• Leviticus 18:21You must not give any of your children as an offering to Molech, so that you do not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord!
• Leviticus 20:2“You are to say to the Israelites, ‘Any man from the Israelites or from the foreigners who reside in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death; the people of the land must pelt him with stones.
• 2 Chronicles 28:3He offered sacrifices in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom and passed his sons through the fire, a horrible sin practiced by the nations whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites.
• 2 Chronicles 33:6He passed his sons through the fire in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom and practiced divination, omen reading, and sorcery. He set up a ritual pit to conjure up underworld spirits and appointed magicians to supervise it. He did a great amount of evil in the sight of the Lord and angered him.
• Micah 6:7Will the Lord accept a thousand rams, or ten thousand streams of olive oil? Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for my rebellion, my offspring – my own flesh and blood – for my sin?
• Leviticus 19:26“‘You must not eat anything with the blood still in it. You must not practice either divination or soothsaying.
• Deuteronomy 18:10There must never be found among you anyone who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, anyone who practices divination, an omen reader, a soothsayer, a sorcerer,
• 1 Chronicles 10:13So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord and did not obey the Lord’s instructions; he even tried to conjure up underworld spirits.
• Isaiah 8:19They will say to you, “Seek oracles at the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, from the magicians who chirp and mutter incantations. Should people not seek oracles from their gods, by asking the dead about the destiny of the living?”
• Isaiah 19:3The Egyptians will panic, and I will confuse their strategy. They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead, from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians.
• Acts 16:16Now as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit that enabled her to foretell the future by supernatural means. She brought her owners a great profit by fortune-telling.
• 2 Kings 24:3Just as the Lord had announced, he rejected Judah because of all the sins which Manasseh had committed.
• Genesis 13:13(Now the people of Sodom were extremely wicked rebels against the Lord.)

Commentaries on 2 Kings 21:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Made his son pass through the fire - Consecrated him to Moloch. Observed times - ועונן veonen ; he practiced divination by the clouds; by observing their course at particular times, their different kinds, contrary directions, etc., etc. Used enchantments - ונחש venichesh ; he used incantations, spells, and charms. Dealt with familiar spirits - אוב ועשה veasah ob ; he was a necromancer; was a raiser of spirits, whom he endeavored to press into his service…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6On the meaning of the phrase “passing through the fire,” see 2 Kings 16:3, and Leviticus 20:2-5. To “observe times” was forbidden in the Law (marginal references), and was no doubt among the modes of divination practiced by the Canaanite nations. It has been explained as, (1) Predicting from the state of the clouds and atmosphere; (2) Fascination with the eye; (3) Watching and catching at chance words as ominous. Dealt with familiar spirits - This…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Manasseh's evil actions included taking part in the terrible Molech ceremonies and various forbidden cult and occult practices (2 Kings 16:3; see Leviticus 18:21). provoking Him to anger: God reacted to Manasseh's awful religious practices with fair judgment, just as he did with the northern kingdom (2 Kings 17:18–20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. made his son pass through the fire--(See on 2Ki 16:3). observed times--from an observation of the clouds. used enchantments--jugglery and spells. dealt with familiar spirits--Septuagint, "ventriloquists," who pretended to ask counsel of a familiar spirit and gave the response received from him to others. and wizards--wise or knowing ones, who pretended to reveal secrets, to recover things lost and hidden treasure, and to interpret dreams. A great…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 21:6

• Groves
• Idolatry
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Manasseh
• Molech
• Rulers
• Temple

In the dictionaries

• Divination
• Familiar spirit
• Kings, The Books of
• Meonenim
• Prey
• Wipe
• Alliance
• Augury
• Baal (1)
• Communion With Demons; Devils

Commentaries on 2 Kings 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings