2 Kings 3:2

2 Kings 3:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he wrought evil in the sight of the Lord; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father and mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made.
• New Living Translation (NLT)He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, but not to the same extent as his father and mother. He at least tore down the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had set up.

Context of 2 Kings 3:2

1Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made. 3Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them. 4Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.

2 Kings 3:2 word by word

וַיַּעֲשֶׂ֤ה הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה רַ֕ק לֹ֥א כְאָבִ֖יו וּכְאִמּ֑וֹ וַיָּ֙סַר֙ אֶת־מַצְּבַ֣ת הַבַּ֔עַל אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה אָבִֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he wroughtעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• in the sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• but not like his fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• and like his motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
• for he put awayסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• the imageמַצֵּבָהmatstsêbâh · pillarH4676
• of Baalבַּעַלba‛al · BaalH1168
• had madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213

Cross-references for 2 Kings 3:2

• 2 Kings 6:31He said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today!”
• 2 Kings 21:6He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.
• 1 Samuel 15:19Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”
• 1 Kings 16:19because of the sins he had committed, doing evil in the eyes of the Lord and following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.
• 1 Kings 16:33Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.
• 1 Kings 21:20Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!” “I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord.
• 2 Kings 9:22When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?” “How can there be peace,” Jehu replied, “as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?”
• 1 Kings 21:5His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?”
• 2 Kings 10:18Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much.
• 1 Kings 16:31He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 3:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2He put away the image of Baal - He abolished his worship; but he continued that of the calves at Dan and Beth-el.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2On the “evil” done by Ahab, see especially 1 Kings 16:30-34. Jehoram, warned by the fate of his brother (2 Kings 1:4 note), began his reign by a formal abolition of the Phoenician state religion introduced by Ahab - even if he connived at its continuance among the people 2 Kings 10:26-27; and by a re-establishment of the old worship of the kingdom as arranged by Jeroboam.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Ahab likely set up the sacred pillar (or stela) of Baal when he started Baal worship (see 1 Kings 16:32–33). People also erected similar stones for pagan gods in Judah (1 Kings 14:23). Jehu (2 Kings 10:26–27) and Josiah (23:13–15) later removed these pillars.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-32Ki 3:1-3. Jehoram's Evil Reign over Israel. 1-2. Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat--(compare 1Ki 22:51). To reconcile the statements in the two passages, we must suppose that Ahaziah, having reigned during the seventeenth and the greater part of the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, was succeeded by his brother Joram or Jehoram, in the end of that eighteenth year, or else that Ahaziah, having…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 3:2

• Ahab
• Baal
• Jezebel
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Baal
• Colour
• Compass
• Idol
• Indignation
• Jehoram
• Regard
• Stop
• Zoar
• Arnon

Commentaries on 2 Kings 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings