II Chronicles 15:16
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King Asa also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole, crushed it, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Asa and his army were now returning in triumph from the battle, laden with spoils and adorned with the trophies of victory, the pious prince, we may now suppose, studying what he should render to God for this great favour. He knew that the work of reformation, which he had begun in his kingdom, was not perfected; his enemies abroad were subdued, but there were more dangerous enemies at home that were yet unconquered - idols in Judah and Benjamin: his victory over the former emboldened him vigorously to renew his attack upon the latter. Now here we have, I. The message which God sent to him, by a prophet, to engage him to, and encourage him in, the prosecution of his reformation (Ch2 15:1-7). II. The life which this message put into that good cause, and their proceedings in pursuance of it. Idols removed (Ch2 15:8). The spoil dedicated to God (Ch2 15:9-11). A covenant made with God, and a law for the punishing of idolaters (Ch2 15:12-15). A reformation at court (Ch2 15:16). Dedicated things brought into the house of God (Ch2 15:18). All well, but that the high places were permitted (Ch2 15:17). And the effect of this was great peace (Ch2 15:19).
Open source ↗15:16 The queen mother was the first lady of the realm, usually holding the office as long as she lived. When she died, the title passed to the mother of the heir apparent. There is no indication that the queen mother held official duties, but she wielded considerable influence. • Asherah is well known from Canaanite literature as the wife of the god El and the mother of seventy children, including Baal. The image made of her quite possibly had prominent sexual characteristics, a common attribute of Canaanite images. • his grandmother: Literally his mother. The term “mother” can be used generically for any female ancestor. See 11:20, where Maacah is listed as the mother of Abijah (Asa’s father).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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He even pulled down the altar at Bethel, the high place set up by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. Then he burned the high place, ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole.
Rather, you must tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and chop down their Asherah poles.
and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.
and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.
He brought the Asherah pole from the house of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem, and there he burned it, ground it to powder, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people.
I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you.
And I took that sinful thing, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust, and I cast it into the stream that came down from the mountain.
He said of his father and mother, ‘I do not consider them.’ He disregarded his brothers and did not know his own sons, for he kept Your word and maintained Your covenant.
When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”
He pulled down the altars that the kings of Judah had set up on the roof near the upper chamber of Ahaz, and the altars that Manasseh had set up in the two courtyards of the house of the LORD. The king pulverized them there and threw their dust into the Kidron Valley.