New King James Version
2 Kings 21:6
6Also 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Manasseh also sacrificed his own son in the fire. He practiced sorcery and divination, and he consulted with mediums and psychics. He did much that was evil in the Lord’s sight, arousing his anger.
Context of 2 Kings 21:6
4He also built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name.” 5And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 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. 7He even set a carved image of Asherah that he had made, in the house of which the Lord had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; 8and I will not make the feet of Israel wander anymore from the land which I gave their fathers—only if they are careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that My servant Moses commanded them.”
Read all of 2 Kings 212 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 16:3But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel; indeed he made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out from before the children of Israel.
- 2 Kings 17:17And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.
- Leviticus 18:21And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.
- Leviticus 20:2“Again, you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘Whoever of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who gives any of his descendants to Molech, he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.
- 2 Chronicles 28:3He burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and burned his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 33:6Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.
- Micah 6:7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
- Leviticus 19:26‘You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying.
- Deuteronomy 18:10There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
- 1 Chronicles 10:13So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance.
- Isaiah 8:19And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?
- Isaiah 19:3The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst; I will destroy their counsel, And they will consult the idols and the charmers, The mediums and the sorcerers.
- Acts 16:16Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
- 2 Kings 24:3Surely at the commandment of the Lord this came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done,
- Genesis 13:13But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries