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2 Kings 18

2 Kings 18:4 KJV (With Strong’s)

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4
He removed
cuwr (Hebrew #5493)
a primitive root; to turn off (literal or figurative)
KJV usage: be(-head), bring, call back, decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), X grievous, lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away, down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, X be sour, take (away, off), turn (aside, away, in), withdraw, be without.
Pronounce: soor
Origin: or suwr (Hosea 9:12) {soor}
the high places
bamah (Hebrew #1116)
an elevation
KJV usage: height, high place, wave.
Pronounce: bam-maw'
Origin: from an unused root (meaning to be high)
, and brake
shabar (Hebrew #7665)
to burst (literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken((-hearted)), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, X quite, tear, view (by mistake for 7663).
Pronounce: shaw-bar'
Origin: a primitive root
the γimages
matstsebah (Hebrew #4676)
something stationed, i.e. a column or (memorial stone); by analogy, an idol
KJV usage: garrison, (standing) image, pillar.
Pronounce: mats-tsay-baw'
Origin: feminine (causatively) participle of 5324
, and cut down
karath (Hebrew #3772)
to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces)
KJV usage: be chewed, be con-(feder-)ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league ((covenant)), X lose, perish, X utterly, X want.
Pronounce: kaw-rath'
Origin: a primitive root
the groves
'asherah (Hebrew #842)
from 833; happy; Asherah (or Astarte) a Phoenician goddess; also an image of the same
KJV usage: grove. Compare 6253.
Pronounce: ash-ay-raw'
Origin: or masheyrah {ash-ay-raw'}
, and brake in pieces
kathath (Hebrew #3807)
to bruise or violently strike
KJV usage: beat (down, to pieces), break in pieces, crushed, destroy, discomfit, smite, stamp.
Pronounce: kaw-thath'
Origin: a primitive root
the brazen
nchosheth (Hebrew #5178)
copper, hence, something made of that metal, i.e. coin, a fetter; figuratively, base (as compared with gold or silver)
KJV usage: brasen, brass, chain, copper, fetter (of brass), filthiness, steel.
Pronounce: nekh-o'-sheth
Origin: for 5154
t serpent
nachash (Hebrew #5175)
a snake (from its hiss)
KJV usage: serpent.
Pronounce: naw-khawsh'
Origin: from 5172
that Moses
Mosheh (Hebrew #4872)
drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
KJV usage: Moses.
Pronounce: mo-sheh'
Origin: from 4871
had made
`asah (Hebrew #6213)
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows)
KJV usage: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.
Pronounce: aw-saw'
Origin: a primitive root
: for unto those days
yowm (Hebrew #3117)
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
KJV usage: age, + always, + chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, + (for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually, presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space, then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole (+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.
Pronounce: yome
Origin: from an unused root meaning to be hot
the children
ben (Hebrew #1121)
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.))
KJV usage: + afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
Pronounce: bane
Origin: from {SI 11129}1129{/SI}
of Israel
Yisra'el (Hebrew #3478)
from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity: --Israel.
Pronounce: yis-raw-ale'
did burn incense
qatar (Hebrew #6999)
to smoke, i.e. turn into fragrance by fire (especially as an act of worship)
KJV usage: burn (incense, sacrifice) (upon), (altar for) incense, kindle, offer (incense, a sacrifice).
Pronounce: kaw-tar'
Origin: a primitive root (identical with 7000 through the idea of fumigation in a close place and perhaps thus driving out the occupants)
to it: and he called
qara' (Hebrew #7121)
to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
KJV usage: bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.
Pronounce: kaw-raw'
Origin: a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea of accosting a person met)
it δNehushtan
Nchushtan (Hebrew #5180)
something made of copper, i.e. the copper serpent of the Desert
KJV usage: Nehushtan.
Pronounce: nekh-oosh-tawn'
Origin: from 5178
.
γ
statues.
t
Num. 21:9• 9And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. (Num. 21:9)
δ
i.e. a piece of brass.

More on:

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Grove,
High Place,
Image,
Incense,
Israel,
Moses,
Nehushtan,
Serpent

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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removed.
2 Kings 12:3• 3But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. (2 Kings 12:3)
;
2 Kings 14:4• 4Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places. (2 Kings 14:4)
;
2 Kings 15:4,35• 4Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.
 35Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the Lord. (2 Kings 15:4,35)
;
Lev. 26:30• 30And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you. (Lev. 26:30)
;
1 Kings 3:2‑3• 2Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord, until those days.
 3And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. (1 Kings 3:2‑3)
;
1 Kings 15:14• 14But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord all his days. (1 Kings 15:14)
;
1 Kings 22:43• 43And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places. (1 Kings 22:43)
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Psa. 78:58• 58For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. (Psa. 78:58)
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Ezek. 20:28‑29• 28For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savor, and poured out there their drink offerings.
 29Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day. (Ezek. 20:28‑29)
brake.
2 Kings 23:4• 4And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el. (2 Kings 23:4)
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Deut. 7:5• 5But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. (Deut. 7:5)
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Deut. 12:2‑3• 2Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
 3And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. (Deut. 12:2‑3)
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Judg. 6:25,28• 25And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
 28And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. (Judg. 6:25,28)
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1 Kings 15:12‑13• 12And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
 13And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. (1 Kings 15:12‑13)
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2 Chron. 19:3• 3Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God. (2 Chron. 19:3)
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2 Chron. 31:1• 1Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities. (2 Chron. 31:1)
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2 Chron. 33:3• 3For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. (2 Chron. 33:3)
images.
Heb. statues.
the brasen serpent.
Num. 21:8‑9• 8And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
 9And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. (Num. 21:8‑9)
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John 3:14‑15• 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:14‑15)
unto those days.
2 Kings 16:15• 15And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brazen altar shall be for me to inquire by. (2 Kings 16:15)
Nehushtan.That is, a piece of brass.
• The revival was accomplished in the king’s heart, the king was its agent, and there might have been a question whether the heart and conscience of the people would follow the impetus thus given. Now we see in 2 Chronicles 30:10-14; 31:1that Hezekiah’s zeal bore fruit and was followed by the humiliation of the people and by unity of heart and mind to cleanse themselves from evil. (“Hezekiah and the First Revival: 2 Kings 18:1-18” by H.L. Rossier)
• “Nehustan” — a piece of brass (2 Kings 18:4). Here this cleansing is attributed to the king alone. It was complete on his part, going even as far as the brazen serpent which Moses had made. Is it not striking to note that the Word does not mention the brazen serpent from the time when Moses lifted it up in the wilderness, and yet Israel had carefully kept it for more than seven hundred years. (“Hezekiah and the First Revival: 2 Kings 18:1-18” by H.L. Rossier)
• This object in the hands of the enemy of our souls had become a means of idolatry for the people, who burned incense unto it. Faithful Hezekiah’s intervention was needed to single out and destroy this hidden idolatry, clothed in the guise of a divine institution. The serpent was a symbol, not a thing having in itself any miraculous property. (“Hezekiah and the First Revival: 2 Kings 18:1-18” by H.L. Rossier)
• In effect, Chronicles presents to us, all along, Hezekiah’s zeal to restore the worship and the house of the Lord, whereas our account here depicts his energy in separating himself from evil and in purifying the people from it. (“Hezekiah and the First Revival: 2 Kings 18:1-18” by H.L. Rossier)

J. N. Darby Translation

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4
He removed the high places, and broke the columnsa, and cut down the Asherahs, and broke in pieces the serpent of brass that Moses had made; for to those days the children of Israel burned incense to it: and he called it Nehushtanb.

JND Translation Notes

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a
Or "statues." see chs. 3.2; 23.14.
b
Meaning, "Bronze" or "Brass."