2 kings 18:4 - He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because in those days the children of Israel burned incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan.
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What does "2 kings 18:4" mean?
This verse describes religious reforms enacted by King Hezekiah of Judah. Let's break down the meaning of each part:
"He removed the high places": "High places" were elevated areas (hills or platforms) where the Israelites often worshipped pagan deities, sometimes alongside or instead of Yahweh (the God of Israel). Hezekiah's removal of these was an effort to purify the worship of God by centralizing it in the Temple in Jerusalem.
"and broke the pillars": Pillars (Hebrew: matzevot) were standing stones that were often associated with Canaanite pagan worship. They were considered to be objects of veneration or even representations of deities. Hezekiah's destruction of them was meant to eliminate pagan practices.
"and cut down the Asherah": Asherah poles (Hebrew: asherah) were wooden poles or trees dedicated to the Canaanite goddess Asherah. These were commonly erected near altars and were considered sacred objects. Their destruction symbolized a rejection of polytheism and the worship of false gods.
"He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because in those days the children of Israel burned incense to it": This is a particularly important detail. The bronze serpent (also known as the Nehushtan) had been created by Moses according to God's instructions during the Israelites' wanderings in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4-9). It was initially used to heal people who were bitten by snakes. However, over time, it had become an object of idolatry. The Israelites began to burn incense to it, treating it as a deity rather than as a symbol of God's healing power.
"and he called it Nehushtan": This is a crucial piece of context. "Nehushtan" is a Hebrew word that literally means "a thing of bronze" or "a piece of bronze." By calling it Nehushtan, Hezekiah was essentially demystifying it and reducing it to its material components. This was a way of diminishing its perceived power and emphasizing that it was just an object, not something worthy of worship.
In summary, the verse describes Hezekiah's efforts to purify the religious practices of Judah by:
Eliminating pagan worship sites and objects (high places, pillars, Asherah poles).
Addressing the idolatrous worship of an object that had originally been created with God's blessing (the bronze serpent), but had become corrupted into an idol.
Reasserting the exclusive worship of Yahweh and emphasizing the importance of worshipping God according to His commands.
The destruction of the bronze serpent and the renaming of it to Nehushtan demonstrates that even objects with a divine origin can become a source of idolatry if they are venerated improperly. Hezekiah's actions were seen as righteous because he prioritized the worship of God above all else, even if it meant destroying objects that had historical or religious significance.
2 kings 18:4 - He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because in those days the children of Israel burned incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan.
What does "2 kings 18:4" mean?
This verse describes religious reforms enacted by King Hezekiah of Judah. Let's break down the meaning of each part:
"He removed the high places": "High places" were elevated areas (hills or platforms) where the Israelites often worshipped pagan deities, sometimes alongside or instead of Yahweh (the God of Israel). Hezekiah's removal of these was an effort to purify the worship of God by centralizing it in the Temple in Jerusalem.
"and broke the pillars": Pillars (Hebrew: matzevot) were standing stones that were often associated with Canaanite pagan worship. They were considered to be objects of veneration or even representations of deities. Hezekiah's destruction of them was meant to eliminate pagan practices.
"and cut down the Asherah": Asherah poles (Hebrew: asherah) were wooden poles or trees dedicated to the Canaanite goddess Asherah. These were commonly erected near altars and were considered sacred objects. Their destruction symbolized a rejection of polytheism and the worship of false gods.
"He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because in those days the children of Israel burned incense to it": This is a particularly important detail. The bronze serpent (also known as the Nehushtan) had been created by Moses according to God's instructions during the Israelites' wanderings in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4-9). It was initially used to heal people who were bitten by snakes. However, over time, it had become an object of idolatry. The Israelites began to burn incense to it, treating it as a deity rather than as a symbol of God's healing power.
"and he called it Nehushtan": This is a crucial piece of context. "Nehushtan" is a Hebrew word that literally means "a thing of bronze" or "a piece of bronze." By calling it Nehushtan, Hezekiah was essentially demystifying it and reducing it to its material components. This was a way of diminishing its perceived power and emphasizing that it was just an object, not something worthy of worship.
In summary, the verse describes Hezekiah's efforts to purify the religious practices of Judah by:
Eliminating pagan worship sites and objects (high places, pillars, Asherah poles).
Addressing the idolatrous worship of an object that had originally been created with God's blessing (the bronze serpent), but had become corrupted into an idol.
Reasserting the exclusive worship of Yahweh and emphasizing the importance of worshipping God according to His commands.
The destruction of the bronze serpent and the renaming of it to Nehushtan demonstrates that even objects with a divine origin can become a source of idolatry if they are venerated improperly. Hezekiah's actions were seen as righteous because he prioritized the worship of God above all else, even if it meant destroying objects that had historical or religious significance.