2 Kings 18:4

2 Kings 18:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
• New International Version (NIV)He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)
• English Standard Version (ESV)He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan).
• New King James Version (NKJV)He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.

Context of 2 Kings 18:4

2He was 25 years old when he became king and he reigned for 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi daughter of Zechariah. 3He did what was right in Adonai’s eyes, according to all his ancestor David had done. He removed the high places, smashed the pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made—for up to those days Bnei-Yisrael were still burning incense to it—it was called Nehushtan . 5He trusted in Adonai, the God of Israel. Indeed, none of all the kings of Judah after him was like him—and none before him. 6For he clung to Adonai. He did not turn away from following Him, but kept His mitzvot, which Adonai had commanded Moses.

2 Kings 18:4 word by word

ה֣וּא׀ הֵסִ֣יר אֶת־הַבָּמ֗וֹת וְשִׁבַּר֙ אֶת־הַמַּצֵּבֹ֔ת וְכָרַ֖ת אֶת־הָֽאֲשֵׁרָ֑ה וְכִתַּת֩ נְחַ֨שׁ הַנְּחֹ֜שֶׁת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֣ה מֹשֶׁ֗ה כִּ֣י עַד־הַיָּמִ֤ים הָהֵ֙מָּה֙ הָי֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מְקַטְּרִ֣ים ל֔וֹ וַיִּקְרָא־ל֖וֹ נְחֻשְׁתָּֽן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He removedסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• the high placesבָּמָהbâmâh · high placeH1116
• and brakeשָׁבַרshâbar · to breakH7665
• the imagesמַצֵּבָהmatstsêbâh · pillarH4676
• and cut downכָּרַתkârath · to cut: cutH3772
• the grovesאֲשֵׁרָה'ăshêrâh 'ăshêyrâh · AsherahH842
• and brake in piecesכָּתַתkâthath · to crushH3807
• the brasenנְחֹ֫שֶׁתnechôsheth · bronzeH5178
• serpentנָחָשׁnâchâsh · serpentH5175
• that Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• had madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• for unto those daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• did burn incenseקָטַרqâţar · to offer: offerH6999
• to it: and he calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
• it Nehushtanנְחֻשְׁתָּןnechûshtân · NehushtanH5180

Cross-references for 2 Kings 18:4

• 2 Kings 12:3Now Jehoash did what was right in Adonai’s eyes all his days, just as Jehoiada the kohen instructed him.
• 2 Kings 14:4Still, the high places were not taken away. The people were still sacrificing and burning incense in the high places.
• 2 Kings 15:4However, the high places were not taken away—the people were still sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.
• Leviticus 26:30I will destroy your high places and cut down your altars of incense, cast your dead bodies upon the bodies of your idols, and My soul will abhor you.
• 1 Kings 3:2The people, however, were still sacrificing on the high places, because there was no House built for the Name of Adonai until those days.
• 1 Kings 15:14But they did not take away the high places. Nevertheless Asa’s heart was wholly devoted to Adonai all his days.
• 1 Kings 22:43He walked in all the ways of his father Asa, not straying from them, but doing what was right in Adonai’s eyes.
• Psalms 78:58For they provoked Him with their high places, so they aroused His jealousy with their graven images.
• Ezekiel 20:28When I brought them into the land, which I lifted up My hand to give to them, they saw every high hill and every leafy tree. There they slaughtered their sacrifices and presented their offensive offering. There they made their soothing aroma and poured out their drink offerings.
• 2 Kings 23:4Then the king commanded Hilkiah the kohen gadol , the kohanim of the second order and the doorkeepers to bring out of the Temple of Adonai all the vessels made for Baal and Asherah, and all the host of heaven, and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and took their ashes to Bethel.
• Deuteronomy 7:5Instead, you are to deal with them like this: tear down their altars, smash their pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their carved images with fire.
• Deuteronomy 12:2You must utterly destroy all the places where the nations that you will dispossess served their gods—on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
• Judges 6:25Now it came to pass the same night that Adonai said to him, “Take the young bull that belongs to your father and a second bull of seven years old, pull down the altar of Baal that belongs to your father, cut down the Asherah that is beside it,
• 1 Kings 15:12He also expelled the male prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
• 2 Chronicles 19:3Nevertheless, good things are found in you, for you have removed the Asherah poles out of the land and have set your heart to seek God.”
• 2 Chronicles 31:1When all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the towns of Judah and smashed the pillars, smashed the Asherah poles and demolished the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, as well as throughout Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all Bnei-Yisrael returned to their towns, each to their own property.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 18:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Brake in pieces the brazen serpent - The history of this may be seen in Numbers 21:8; (note), Numbers 21:9; (note). We find that this brazen serpent had become an object of idolatry, and no doubt was supposed to possess, as a telesm or amulet, extraordinary virtues, and that incense was burnt before it which should have been burnt before the true God. And he called it Nehushtan - נהשתן . Not one of the versions has attempted to translate this word. Jarchi…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4He removed the high places - This religious reformation was effected in a violent and tumultuous manner (marginal reference). The “high places,” though forbidden in the Law (Deuteronomy 12:2-4, Deuteronomy 12:11-14; compare Leviticus 26:30), had practically received the sanction of Samuel 1 Samuel 7:10; 1 Samuel 9:12-14, David 2 Samuel 15:32, Solomon 1 Kings 3:4, and others, and had long been the favorite resorts of the mass of the people (see 1 Kings 3:2…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4Unlike Ahaz (2 Kings 16:2), Hezekiah was more like David. Hezekiah destroyed false worship objects, including pagan shrines, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles (see 2 Kings 16:3–10; 17:9–11, 19). The bronze serpent used by Moses (Numbers 21) had become an object of improper worship.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. He removed the high places and brake the images, &c.--The methods adopted by this good king for extirpating idolatry, and accomplishing a thorough reformation in religion, are fully detailed (2Ch 20:3; 31:19). But they are indicated very briefly, and in a sort of passing allusion. brake in pieces the brazen serpent--The preservation of this remarkable relic of antiquity (Nu 21:5-10) might, like the pot of manna and Aaron's rod, have remained an…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 18:4

• Brazen Serpent
• Groves
• Hezekiah
• High Places
• Iconoclasm
• Idolatry
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Nehushtan
• Religion
• Revivals

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Moses
• Children of Israel
• Agreement
• Brass
• Carry
• Hezekiah
• Nehushtan
• Put
• Serpent, Fiery

Commentaries on 2 Kings 18

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings