2 Kings 18:4
in 2 Kings 18He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze snake called Nehushtan that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had burned incense to it.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He removed the high places, and brake the pillars, and cut down the Asherah: and he brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made; for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan.
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.
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This verse in 2 Kings 18
Commentary
12 notes on this verseBrake in pieces the brazen serpent - The history of this may be seen in Num 21:8 (note), Num 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.
This site's exposition
brake in pieces the brasen serpent
Hezekiah breaks in pieces the brasen serpent Moses made in the wilderness, the bronze figure of Numbers 21:9 that healed a look of faith, because by Hezekiah's day Israel burned incense to it as an idol. The text names it only at the moment of its destruction, Nehushtan, a mere piece of brass, and Scripture never uses the word again. John 3:14 later stands behind the serpent itself rather than the relic, as the Son of man must be lifted up, so the same image carries both a warning about a mercy turned into idolatry and a picture the Lord fills with meaning centuries after Hezekiah melts it down.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A sovereign serves God one way as man, another way as king; he serves him as man by living according to faith, he serves him as king by exerting the necessary strength to sanction laws that command goodness and prohibit its opposite. It was thus that Hezekiah served him by destroying the groves and temples of idols and the high places that had been set up contrary to the commandments of God.
But because he goes on to add "of this man's seed God, according to his promise, has raised up to Israel a Savior, Jesus," he indicates that that testimony must have a deeper meaning in the Lord Jesus, who truly does all the will of God the Father, rather than in the great King David, who, even though according to the previous discussion his sins had been remitted and not imputed and also because of the holy penitence mentioned, could not unjustly be said to have been found according to the heart of God. Yet, how did he do all the will of God? Even if he was exceptionally praised when Scripture relates his times and his deeds, he is marked because he did not destroy the high places where the people of God used to sacrifice contrary to the command of God, who had ordered that sacrifices be offered to him only in the tabernacle of the testament, although in these same high places sacrifice is offered to the same God. The king Hezekiah, himself sprung from the seed of David, afterwards destroyed these places, accompanied by the testimony of his great praise.
Then there were the miracles ... of the deadly bites of serpents, inflicted as just punishment for sin, and healed when a brazen serpent was raised on a wooden pole in sight of all, so that not only did relief come to an afflicted people but also the destruction of death by death was symbolized by this image of the crucifixion. This serpent was preserved intact in memory of the miracle but afterwards was worshiped as an idol by the unfaithful people until King Hezekiah, religiously using his power in the service of God, destroyed it and thus gained great renown for his piety.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
We must never dishonour God, in honour to our earthly parents. Brazen serpent - Which had been hitherto kept as a memorial of God's mercy; but being now commonly abused to superstition, was destroyed. To it - Not doubtless as to a God, but only as to an instrument of God's mercy, by and through which, their adoration was directed to God, and given to that only for God's sake.
But in process of time, when they began to worship the creature more than the Creator, those that would not worship images borrowed from the heathen, as some of their neighbours did, were drawn in by the tempter to burn incense to the brazen serpent, because that was made by order from God himself and had been an instrument of good to them.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He removed the high places,....
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Isa 7:1-25). so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah--Of course David and Solomon are excepted, they having had the sovereignty of the whole country. In the petty kingdom of Judah, Josiah alone had a similar testimony borne to him (2Ki 23:25).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
THE First Commandment instructs us that there is but one God, who alone is to be worshipped. And the Second Commandment teaches that no attempt is to be made to represent the Lord, neither are we to bow down before any form of sacred similitude. "You shall not make unto you any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them."
THE First Commandment instructs us that there is but one God, who alone is to be worshipped. And the Second Commandment teaches that no attempt is to be made to represent the Lord, neither are we to bow down before any form of sacred similitude. "You shall not make unto you any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them." The two commandments thus make a full sweep of idolatry. We are not to worship any other god. We are not to worship the true God by the use of representative symbols. He is a Spirit and is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth, and not by the use of visible imagery. It seems clear that the human mind, since the Fall, finds it hard to keep to this. All over the world men set up images and idols—not at first with the view of worshipping the wood or stone—but with the intention of being helped to worship the Deity by having some outward symbol of his presence. After awhile the evil heart falls into something even more debasing, and the image itself is adored. Even the people of God, the children of Israel, who so peculiarly enjoyed the Lord's Presence in their midst, and who were taught to worship Him by Lawgivers and Prophets inspired of the Most High could not keep to pure and spiritual worship. Though their weakness was somewhat helped to the understanding of the Truth of God by a system of types, they were not content with these because they contained no similitude of God. The religion of pious Jews was mainly spiritual, for only at the one appointed spot at Jerusalem was sacrifice allowed, and there the sacred vessels of ceremonial worship were in secret places and seldom, if ever, seen by the people. A worship so little outward was too spiritual for unregener-ate Israel.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He 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 (Deu 12:2-4, Deu 12:11-14; compare Lev 26:30), had practically received the sanction of Samuel 1Sa 7:10; 1Sa 9:12-14, David 2Sa 15:32, Solomon 1Ki 3:4, and others, and had long been the favorite resorts of the mass of the people (see 1Ki 3:2 note). They were the rural centers for the worship of Yahweh, standing in the place of the later synagogue;, and had hitherto been winked at, or rather regarded as legitimate, even by the best kings. Hezekiah’s desecration of these time-honored sanctuaries must have been a rude shock to the feelings of numbers; and indications of the popular discontent may be traced in the appeal of Rab-shakeh 2Ki 18:22, and in the strength of the reaction under Manasseh 2Ki 21:2-9; 2Ch 33:3-17. The brasen serpent - See the marginal reference. Its history from the time when it was set up to the date of Hezekiah’s reformation is a blank. The present passage favors the supposition that it had been brought by Solomon from Gibeon and placed in the temple, for it implies a long continued worship of the serpent by the Israelites generally, and not a mere recent worship of it by the Jews. And he called it Nehushtan - Rather, “And it was called Nehushtan.” The people called it, not “the serpent” נחשׁ nāchâsh, but “the brass,” or “the brass thing” נחשׁתן nechûshtān. Probably they did not like to call it “the serpent,” on account of the dark associations which were attached to that reptile (Gen 3:1-15; Isa 27:1; Psa 91:13; etc.).
The words behind it
28 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ה֣וּא׀ | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הֵסִ֣יר | hesir | he removed | H5493 → | 299 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַבָּמ֗וֹת | habamot | the high places | H1116 → | 102 times |
| וְשִׁבַּר֙ | veshibar | and he broke | H7665 → | 147 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמַּצֵּבֹ֔ת | hamatzevot | the sacred pillars | H4676 → | 32 times |
| וְכָרַ֖ת | vekharat | and he cut down | H3772 → | 288 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָֽאֲשֵׁרָ֑ה | haasherah | the Asherah pole | H842 → | 40 times |
| וְכִתַּת֩ | vekhitat | and he crushed to pieces | H3807 → | |
| נְחַ֨שׁ | nechash | [the] snake of | H5175 → | |
| הַנְּחֹ֜שֶׁת | hanechoshet | <the> bronze | H5178 → | 140 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂ֣ה | ʾasah | he had made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֗ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| הַיָּמִ֤ים | haiyamim | the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הָהֵ֙מָּה֙ | hahemah | <the> those | H1992 → | 553 times |
| הָי֤וּ | hayu | they were | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| מְקַטְּרִ֣ים | mekaterim | making smoke | H6999 → | 116 times |
| ל֔וֹ | lo | to it | ||
| וַיִּקְרָא־ | vaiyikra'- | and someone had called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| ל֖וֹ | lo | <to> it | ||
| נְחֻשְׁתָּֽן׃ | nechushtan | Nehushtan | H5180 → |
ה֣וּא׀he
hu'H1931 →1879 times
הֵסִ֣ירhe removed
hesirH5493 →299 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַבָּמ֗וֹתthe high places
habamotH1116 →102 times
וְשִׁבַּר֙and he broke
veshibarH7665 →147 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמַּצֵּבֹ֔תthe sacred pillars
hamatzevotH4676 →32 times
וְכָרַ֖תand he cut down
vekharatH3772 →288 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָֽאֲשֵׁרָ֑הthe Asherah pole
haasherahH842 →40 times
וְכִתַּת֩and he crushed to pieces
vekhitatH3807 →
נְחַ֨שׁ[the] snake of
nechashH5175 →
הַנְּחֹ֜שֶׁת<the> bronze
hanechoshetH5178 →140 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
עָשָׂ֣הhe had made
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
מֹשֶׁ֗הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
הַיָּמִ֤יםthe days
haiyamimH3117 →2304 times
הָהֵ֙מָּה֙<the> those
hahemahH1992 →553 times
הָי֤וּthey were
hayuH1961 →3559 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] people of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
מְקַטְּרִ֣יםmaking smoke
mekaterimH6999 →116 times
ל֔וֹto it
lo
וַיִּקְרָא־and someone had called
vaiyikra'-H7121 →733 times
ל֖וֹ<to> it
lo
נְחֻשְׁתָּֽן׃Nehushtan
nechushtanH5180 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Judges 6:25On that very night the LORD said to Gideon, “Take your father’s young bull and a second bull seven years old, tear down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole…
it leads to
- Exodus 34:13
Rather, you must tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and chop down their Asherah poles.
- 2 Corinthians 6:15–17
What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
- Judges 3:7
So the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.
- Acts 5:29
But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
- Matthew 10:37
Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;
- Exodus 34:13
Through
2 Chronicles 31:1When all this had ended, the Israelites in attendance went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 32:12
Did not Hezekiah himself remove His high places and His altars and say to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn sacrifices’?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Chronicles 32:12
Through
2 Kings 12:3Nevertheless, the high places were not removed; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.
it leads to
- 2 Kings 14:4
Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away, and the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.
- 2 Kings 14:4
Through
2 Kings 18:22But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is He not the One whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem: ‘You must worship…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 31:1
When all this had ended, the Israelites in attendance went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and…
- 2 Chronicles 31:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
About 2 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 185.19; Augustine of Hippo, EIGHT QUESTIONS OF DULCITIUS 5; Augustine of Hippo, City of God 10.8; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 960: “Iconoclast” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.