II Kings 13:6
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Nevertheless, they did not turn away from the sins that the house of Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit, but they continued to walk in them. The Asherah pole even remained standing in Samaria.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This chapter brings us again to the history of the kings of Israel, and particularly of the family of Jehu. We have here an account of the reign, I. Of his son Jehoahaz, which continued seventeen years. 1. His bad character in general (Kg2 13:1, Kg2 13:2), the trouble he was brought into (Kg2 13:3), and the low ebb of his affairs (Kg2 13:7). 2. His humiliation before God, and God's compassion towards him (Kg2 13:4, Kg2 13:5, and Kg2 13:23). 3. His continuance in his idolatry notwithstanding (Kg2 13:6). 4. His death (Kg2 13:8, Kg2 13:9). II. Of his grandson Joash, which continued sixteen years. Here is a general account of his reign in the usual form (Kg2 13:10-13), but a particular account of the death of Elisha in his time. 1. The kind visit the king made him (Kg2 13:14), the encouragement he gave the king in his wars with Syria (Kg2 13:15-19). 2. His death and burial (Kg2 13:20), and a miracle wrought by his bones (Kg2 13:21). And, lastly, the advantages Joash gained against the Syrians, according to his predictions (Kg2 13:24, Kg2 13:25).
Open source ↗13:6 Despite God’s rescue, Israel continued to sin, eventually resulting in the fall of the northern kingdom (17:21-23; 1 Kgs 14:15-16). • This Asherah pole (a Canaanite fertility symbol erected by Ahab, 1 Kgs 16:33) had apparently been spared in Jehu’s purge of Baal worship (2 Kgs 10:26-29).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
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Then he set up an Asherah pole. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him.
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.
Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.
Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire.
but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
And Abijam walked in all the sins that his father before him had committed, and his heart was not as fully devoted to the LORD his God as the heart of David his forefather had been.
For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sins, which he caused Israel to commit, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger with their worthless idols.
They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal.
He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze snake called Nehushtan that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had burned incense to it.