(19) His prayer also . . . of him.--And his prayer, and the hearing him. Literally, and the being propitious to him (the same verb as in 2Chronicles 33:13 and Genesis 25:21).

All his sins, and his trespass.--All his sin and his unfaithfulness. 2Kings 21:17 has, "And his sin that he sinned." The chronicler, as usual, heightens the expression.

Groves.--The Ash?rim. (See Note on 2Chronicles 33:3.)

Among the sayings of the seers.--In the history of Hozai. This work was, therefore, the source from which the chronicler derived his additional information about the reign of Manasseh. (See Introduction.) The LXX. has "the seers;" but the Vulg., "in sermonibus Hozai," and the Syriac, "in the story of Hanan the prophet." It is pretty clear that Hozai is simply a mutilated form of ha-hozim, "the seers," a term which occurred in 2Chronicles 33:17.

33:1-20 We have seen Manasseh's wickedness; here we have his repentance, and a memorable instance it is of the riches of God's pardoning mercy, and the power of his renewing grace. Deprived of his liberty, separated from his evil counsellors and companions, without any prospect but of ending his days in a wretched prison, Manasseh thought upon what had passed; he began to cry for mercy and deliverance. He confessed his sins, condemned himself, was humbled before God, loathing himself as a monster of impiety and wickedness. Yet he hoped to be pardoned through the abundant mercy of the Lord. Then Manasseh knew that Jehovah was God, able to deliver. He knew him as a God of salvation; he learned to fear, trust in, love, and obey him. From this time he bore a new character, and walked in newness of life. Who can tell what tortures of conscience, what pangs of grief, what fears of wrath, what agonizing remorse he endured, when he looked back on his many years of apostacy and rebellion against God; on his having led thousands into sin and perdition; and on his blood-guiltiness in the persecution of a number of God's children? And who can complain that the way of heaven is blocked up, when he sees such a sinner enter? Say the worst against thyself, here is one as bad who finds the way to repentance. Deny not to thyself that which God hath not denied to thee; it is not thy sin, but thy impenitence, that bars heaven against thee.His prayer also,.... Was not only recorded in the above annals, but in the writings of another person after mentioned:

and how God was entreated of him; heard his prayer, and showed him favour both in a temporal and spiritual way; for though the Jews would not allow that he was saved, or had a part in the world to come, eternal life (q), yet there appears no just reason why it should be so thought:

and all his sin, and his trespass; his impieties, idolatries, and murders: and the places wherein he built high places; see 2 Chronicles 33:3.

and set up groves; statues in groves:

and graven images, before he was humbled; see 2 Chronicles 33:7,

behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers; or of Hosea, the name of a prophet who wrote the history of his own times; so the Targrim and Vulgate Latin version; and, according to the Jewish chronology (r), there was a prophet of this name in the times of Amon the son of Manasseh.

(q) Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 2.((r) Seder Olam Zuta, p. 105. Ed. Meyer.