2 kings 13:2 - He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t depart from it.

Generated Verse: 2 kings 13:2

What does "2 kings 13:2" mean?


This verse from 2 Kings 13:2 describes the reign of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. Let's break down its meaning:

"He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight": This is a standard phrase used throughout the books of Kings to indicate that a king disobeyed God's commandments and did things that were morally wrong in God's eyes. The specific nature of this evil isn't explicitly stated here, but it's tied to the next part of the verse.

"and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin": This is the key to understanding the nature of Jehoahaz's evil. Jeroboam I, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel after the split from Judah, established a system of idolatry to prevent the people from going to Jerusalem to worship in the Temple. He set up golden calves in Bethel and Dan, and appointed his own priests who were not Levites. Thus, he created an alternate worship system intended to politically unify his kingdom.
By "following the sins of Jeroboam," Jehoahaz perpetuated this idolatry. He allowed the worship of the golden calves to continue, leading the people to sin by turning away from the exclusive worship of Yahweh in the Temple at Jerusalem. The phrase "with which he made Israel to sin" underscores the king's responsibility in leading his people astray.

"He didn’t depart from it": This emphasizes that Jehoahaz did not repent or turn away from this sin. He continued to allow and even encourage the idolatrous practices established by Jeroboam, demonstrating a lack of commitment to worshipping Yahweh alone.

In summary, 2 Kings 13:2 indicates that Jehoahaz continued to embrace the idolatrous practices instituted by Jeroboam I, specifically the worship of golden calves. This led the people of Israel to sin by worshipping idols instead of Yahweh. Jehoahaz's failure to turn away from this practice is a condemnation of his reign in the eyes of the biblical author.

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