2 Kings 21:16 Meaning and Explanation
“Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Beyond idolatry, Manasseh sheds so much innocent blood that it fills Jerusalem from end to end.
What Does 2 Kings 21:16 Mean?
The narrator adds a final, grievous charge. Beyond all his idolatry, Manasseh 'shed innocent blood very much,' filling Jerusalem 'from one end to another.' Violence against the innocent is named alongside false worship as the crowning evil of his reign.
Idolatry and bloodshed travel together, for a heart that abandons God soon discounts the lives He made. The innocent blood that filled Jerusalem cried out to the God who hears it. Scripture never lets us separate love of God from regard for human life. The Lord who is grieved by spilled innocent blood is the same who, in Christ, poured out His own to cleanse the guilt no human hands could wash away.
2 Kings 21:16 in the Original Language
naqi (נָקִי), 'innocent' -- free of guilt, blameless; the blood of those who did not deserve to die.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Kings 21:16
What does 2 Kings 21:16 mean?
Beyond idolatry, Manasseh sheds so much innocent blood that it fills Jerusalem from end to end.