The Meaning of 2 Kings 21:5 Explained

2 Kings 21:5

KJV: And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

YLT: And he buildeth altars to all the host of the heavens in the two courts of the house of Jehovah;

Darby: And he built altars to all the host of heaven in both courts of the house of Jehovah.

ASV: And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he built  altars  for all the host  of heaven  in the two  courts  of the house  of the LORD. 

What does 2 Kings 21:5 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 21:5 mean?

And he built altars for all the host of heaven in two the courts of the house of Yahweh
וַיִּ֥בֶן מִזְבְּח֖וֹת לְכָל־ צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם בִּשְׁתֵּ֖י חַצְר֥וֹת בֵּית־ יְהוָֽה

וַיִּ֥בֶן  And  he  built 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
מִזְבְּח֖וֹת  altars 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
לְכָל־  for  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
צְבָ֣א  the  host 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם  of  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
בִּשְׁתֵּ֖י  in  two 
Parse: Preposition-b, Number, fdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
חַצְר֥וֹת  the  courts 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: חָצֵר 
Sense: court, enclosure.
בֵּית־  of  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.