For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
He rebuilt the worship sites on hilltops that his father Hezekiah had torn down. He set up altars for the false god Baal and made sacred poles for idol worship, just like King Ahab of Israel had done. He also worshipped and served all the stars and heavenly bodies.
This verse describes how King Manasseh completely reversed his godly father's reforms by rebuilding all the places of false worship that had been destroyed.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of the divided kingdom, King Hezekiah of Judah had been a reformer who destroyed pagan worship sites and altars to turn the people back to the worship of God alone. However, his son Manasseh, upon ascending the throne, reversed these reforms by rebuilding the high places, erecting altars to Baal, and promoting the worship of celestial bodies, mimicking the idolatry of King Ahab of Israel during a time when foreign influences from surrounding nations like Assyria were strong. This reflects the ongoing tension in Judah between covenant faithfulness and the allure of Canaanite and other pagan religions.
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