The Meaning of 2 Kings 21:9 Explained

2 Kings 21:9

KJV: But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.

YLT: And they have not hearkened, and Manasseh causeth them to err, to do the evil thing above the nations that Jehovah destroyed from the presence of the sons of Israel.

Darby: But they would not hearken, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations that Jehovah had destroyed from before the children of Israel.

ASV: But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do that which is evil more than did the nations whom Jehovah destroyed before the children of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But they hearkened  not: and Manasseh  seduced  them to do  more evil  than did the nations  whom the LORD  destroyed  before  the children  of Israel. 

What does 2 Kings 21:9 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 21:9 mean?

But no they paid attention and seduced them Manasseh to do - more evil than the nations whom had destroyed Yahweh before the sons of Israel
וְלֹ֖א שָׁמֵ֑עוּ וַיַּתְעֵ֤ם מְנַשֶּׁה֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת אֶת־ הָרָ֔ע מִן־ הַ֨גּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הִשְׁמִ֣יד יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וְלֹ֖א  But  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁמֵ֑עוּ  they  paid  attention 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
וַיַּתְעֵ֤ם  and  seduced  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: תָּעָה  
Sense: to err, wander, go astray, stagger.
מְנַשֶּׁה֙  Manasseh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְנַשֶּׁה  
Sense: the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh.
לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת  to  do 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָרָ֔ע  more  evil 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
מִן־  than 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הַ֨גּוֹיִ֔ם  the  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁר֙  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הִשְׁמִ֣יד  had  destroyed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַד  
Sense: to destroy, exterminate, be destroyed, be exterminated.
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.