They stubbornly clung to Jeroboam’s sin and kept an idol of Asherah in Samaria, revealing their refusal to forsake idolatry and return to the LORD.
Nevertheless they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin, but walked in them; and the Asherah also remained standing in Samaria (v.6). This verse follows a pattern of spiritual decline where Israel persisted in idolatrous practices even when warned repeatedly by prophets. King Jeroboam I (931-910 BC) introduced idol worship in the northern kingdom by erecting golden calves at Bethel and Dan so the people would not journey to worship in Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:26-30). By choosing to “walk in” these sins of Jeroboam, the Israelites perpetuated disobedience before the LORD. The passage specifically notes that the Asherah also remained standing in Samaria, referring to the Canaanite fertility goddess Asherah, whose wooden image the people wrongly tolerated. Rather than removing this idolatrous shrine, they allowed it to persist as a stumbling block.Samaria, founded by King Omri around 880 BC (1 Kings 16:24), served as the capital of the northern kingdom. It became not only a political center but also a religious hub of syncretistic worship. The house of Jeroboam’s sins included leading the people away from exclusive devotion to their covenant God. According to the covenant law in Deuteronomy 12:2-3, Israel was commanded to tear down altars and smash sacred pillars associated with false gods, yet they did the opposite: they did not turn away and walked in them. By retaining the Asherah, they openly defied the LORD’s clear instructions, thus deepening Israel’s spiritual corruption.The mention of Asherah highlights how thoroughly Israel embraced pagan influences. Asherah worship predates the Israelite period by centuries, and it symbolized a fertility cult that was entirely incompatible with the worship of the one true God. The Israelites’ willingness to keep this idol in Samaria demonstrated how their hearts had shifted away from obedience. Rather than trusting in the God of their forefathers, they placed their trust in the gods of the surrounding nations. The outcome of such persistent idolatry was repeated judgment, culminating in the eventual fall of the northern kingdom in 722 BC under Assyria’s conquest.
Set to dark mode
2 Kings 13:6 meaning
Nevertheless they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin, but walked in them; and the Asherah also remained standing in Samaria (v.6). This verse follows a pattern of spiritual decline where Israel persisted in idolatrous practices even when warned repeatedly by prophets. King Jeroboam I (931-910 BC) introduced idol worship in the northern kingdom by erecting golden calves at Bethel and Dan so the people would not journey to worship in Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:26-30). By choosing to “walk in” these sins of Jeroboam, the Israelites perpetuated disobedience before the LORD. The passage specifically notes that the Asherah also remained standing in Samaria, referring to the Canaanite fertility goddess Asherah, whose wooden image the people wrongly tolerated. Rather than removing this idolatrous shrine, they allowed it to persist as a stumbling block.Samaria, founded by King Omri around 880 BC (1 Kings 16:24), served as the capital of the northern kingdom. It became not only a political center but also a religious hub of syncretistic worship. The house of Jeroboam’s sins included leading the people away from exclusive devotion to their covenant God. According to the covenant law in Deuteronomy 12:2-3, Israel was commanded to tear down altars and smash sacred pillars associated with false gods, yet they did the opposite: they did not turn away and walked in them. By retaining the Asherah, they openly defied the LORD’s clear instructions, thus deepening Israel’s spiritual corruption.The mention of Asherah highlights how thoroughly Israel embraced pagan influences. Asherah worship predates the Israelite period by centuries, and it symbolized a fertility cult that was entirely incompatible with the worship of the one true God. The Israelites’ willingness to keep this idol in Samaria demonstrated how their hearts had shifted away from obedience. Rather than trusting in the God of their forefathers, they placed their trust in the gods of the surrounding nations. The outcome of such persistent idolatry was repeated judgment, culminating in the eventual fall of the northern kingdom in 722 BC under Assyria’s conquest.