Here we read a serious aggravation of what was said in 2 Kings 21:4. Altars for heathen gods were appearing in the outer temple court where only Israelites were allowed to come. Furthermore, these altars were placed in the inner temple court where only Levites and priests were allowed to come. Manasseh rudely did his own thing, and in doing so, he desecrated the holy places. Through his actions, idolatry penetrated the temple—the place where the Lord wanted to exercise his reign.
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.