The Meaning of 2 Kings 21:2 Explained

2 Kings 21:2

KJV: And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

YLT: and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, according to the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel,

Darby: And he did evil in the sight of Jehovah, like the abominations of the nations that Jehovah had dispossessed from before the children of Israel.

ASV: And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, after the abominations of the nations whom Jehovah cast out before the children of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he did  [that which was] evil  in the sight  of the LORD,  after the abominations  of the heathen,  whom the LORD  cast out  before  the children  of Israel. 

What does 2 Kings 21:2 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 21:1-15 - An Evil Leader's Terrible Influence
It seems incredible that the good Hezekiah should have had such a son; but the young prince was evidently under the power of that reactionary party which, during Hezekiah's reign, had been kept in check only by the strong influence of Isaiah. Hence, on becoming king, Manasseh reintroduced the worst forms of idolatry which had disgraced the nations of Canaan and were rife in neighboring countries. It was the height of presumptuous impiety to place an Asherah, such as Ahab made, 1 Kings 16:32, in the very precincts of the Temple, and to patronize the Chaldean astrologers who poured into the country from Babylon. See Ezekiel 8:1-18.
Vigorous protests were raised against these shameful abominations by Hosea, Joel, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Isaiah; but in vain. Nothing could stay the mad fanaticism of the people for licentious rites, and their doom became inevitable. The gentle voice of love was of none avail, and the brazen clangor of Babylonian captivity must speak in tones that could not be silenced. For Manasseh's end consult 2 Chronicles 33:1-25. Surely none need despair, since he found mercy. But alas! nothing can restore the years that the locust hath eaten. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 21

1  Manasseh's reign
3  His great idolatry
10  His wickedness causes prophecies against Judah
17  Amon succeeds him
19  Amon's wicked reign
23  He being slain by his servants, and those murderers slain by the people,
26  Josiah is made king

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 21:2 mean?

And he did evil in the sight of Yahweh according to the abominations of the nations whom had cast out Yahweh before the sons of Israel
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כְּתֽוֹעֲבֹת֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹרִ֣ישׁ יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ  And  he  did 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הָרַ֖ע  evil 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
בְּעֵינֵ֣י  in  the  sight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
כְּתֽוֹעֲבֹת֙  according  to  the  abominations 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: תֹּועֵבָה  
Sense: a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable.
הַגּוֹיִ֔ם  of  the  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁר֙  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הוֹרִ֣ישׁ  had  cast  out 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִפְּנֵ֖י  before 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בְּנֵ֥י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.