2 Chronicles 33:20-25

16. THE REIGN OF AMON (2 Chronicles 33:20-25)

TEXT

2 Chronicles 33:20. So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

21. Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, as did Manasseh his father; and Amon sacrificed unto all the graven images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them. 23. And he humbled not himself before Jehovah, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more. 24. And his servants conspired against him, and put him to death 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.

PARAPHRASE

2 Chronicles 33:20-21. When Manasseh died he was buried beneath his own palace, and his son Amon became the new king. Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign in Jerusalem, but he lasted for only two years. 22. It was an evil reign like the early years of his father Manasseh; for Amon sacrificed to all the idols just as his father had. 23. But he didn-'t change as his father did; instead he sinned more and more. 24. At last his own officers assassinated him in his palace. 25. But some public-spirited citizens killed all of those who assassinated him, and declared his son Josiah to be the new king.

COMMENTARY

Amon, Manasseh's son, reigned only two years. The principal feature of his reign was the re-installation of the images and idolatries which Manasseh had brought to Jerusalem. He was a very irresponsible prince and king. A conspiracy resulting in his death cut his reign short. He made no significant contribution to the lives of his people.