2 kings 13:6 - Nevertheless they didn’t depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin, but walked in them; and the Asherah also remained in Samaria.)

Generated Verse: 2 kings 13:6

What does "2 kings 13:6" mean?


This verse from 2 Kings 13:6 describes the continued religious failings of the kings of Israel, specifically the kingdom of the ten northern tribes. Let's break it down:

"Nevertheless they didn’t depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam...": This means that the kings ruling in Israel (the northern kingdom) were still committing the same religious transgressions that Jeroboam I, the first king of the northern kingdom after the split from Judah, had established.
"...with which he made Israel to sin...": Jeroboam I introduced idolatrous practices. He feared that if the people of the northern kingdom went to Jerusalem (which was in Judah) to worship at the Temple, they would be drawn back to the rule of the Davidic dynasty. To prevent this, he set up golden calves in Bethel and Dan as alternative places of worship and appointed non-Levitical priests. These acts were considered a grave sin against God.
"...but walked in them...": The kings after Jeroboam continued to follow these idolatrous practices, perpetuating the religious corruption within the kingdom.
"and the Asherah also remained in Samaria.)": An "Asherah" was a wooden pole or tree representing the Canaanite goddess Asherah, a symbol of fertility. Keeping the Asherah in Samaria, the capital city of the northern kingdom, indicates the ongoing worship of pagan deities alongside (or even instead of) the true God of Israel.

In summary:

This verse highlights the consistent failure of the kings of Israel to fully worship the one true God. They continued the idolatrous practices established by Jeroboam, which involved worshipping golden calves and the goddess Asherah, demonstrating a lack of true repentance and obedience to God's commands. This sets the stage for the judgment and eventual downfall of the northern kingdom.

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