2 Chronicles 24:18 kjv
And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
2 Chronicles 24:18 nkjv
Therefore they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass.
2 Chronicles 24:18 niv
They abandoned the temple of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God's anger came on Judah and Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 24:18 esv
And they abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.
2 Chronicles 24:18 nlt
They decided to abandon the Temple of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and they worshiped Asherah poles and idols instead! Because of this sin, divine anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 24 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 34:15-16 | "...lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods..." | Warning against idolatry and covenant breach. |
| Deut 7:4 | "For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods..." | Danger of foreign gods turning hearts. |
| Deut 28:15 | "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God..." | Consequences of disobedience to God. |
| Jdgs 2:11-13 | "Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord... and they forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtoreths." | Cycles of apostasy and judgment in Judges. |
| 1 Kgs 11:4 | "For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods..." | Solomon's sin of idolatry. |
| 1 Kgs 14:22-24 | "Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord... They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherim..." | Judah's early widespread idolatry. |
| 2 Kgs 23:4-6 | "The king commanded Hilkiah the high priest... to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the articles made for Baal and for Asherah..." | Josias's purging of Asherah and idols. |
| 2 Chr 24:19 | "Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the Lord..." | God's persistent grace and warning. |
| 2 Chr 24:20 | "Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest... And he said to them, 'Thus says God: Why do you transgress...'" | Prophetic warning by Zechariah. |
| 2 Chr 28:2-3 | "For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made molded images for the Baals. He burned incense in the Valley of Hinnom..." | Later Judahite kings' severe idolatry. |
| Isa 1:4 | "Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers... They have forsaken the Lord..." | Isaiah's lament over Israel's apostasy. |
| Jer 2:13 | "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns..." | Idolatry as forsaking the true God. |
| Jer 16:11-12 | "Because your fathers have forsaken Me, says the Lord; they have walked after other gods..." | Idolatry as generational sin leading to exile. |
| Lam 2:5 | "The Lord was like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel..." | Divine wrath and its consequences (fall of Jerusalem). |
| Ezek 8:5-18 | Describes the abominations and idolatry in the temple leading to God's departure. | Idolatry bringing judgment upon Jerusalem. |
| Hos 4:12 | "My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, and their staff informs them." | Spiritual harlotry and reliance on idols. |
| Nah 1:2-3 | "The Lord is a jealous and avenging God... The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked." | God's wrath and justice. |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men..." | God's general revelation of wrath against sin. |
| 1 Cor 10:14 | "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." | NT warning against idolatry. |
| Eph 5:6 | "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." | God's wrath comes upon the disobedient. |
| Heb 3:12 | "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;" | Warning against spiritual departure. |
| Jas 4:4 | "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?" | Idolatry as spiritual adultery, loving the world. |
| 1 Jn 5:21 | "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." | Simple, direct warning against idols. |
2 Chronicles 24 verses
2 Chronicles 24 18 Meaning
This verse describes a pivotal turning point during the reign of King Joash of Judah. After the death of Jehoiada the priest, the leaders and the people abandoned the worship of the Lord God, their covenant God. Instead, they turned to serving pagan "groves" (idolatrous cult objects) and various other idols. As a direct consequence of this profound spiritual transgression and breach of covenant, God's divine wrath came upon both the kingdom of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 24 18 Context
This verse marks a tragic turn in the reign of King Joash of Judah, a period initially marked by a remarkable spiritual revival. As recounted earlier in 2 Chronicles 24, Joash ascended to the throne at seven years old, protected and guided by the righteous High Priest Jehoiada. Under Jehoiada's influence, Joash diligently repaired the Temple of the Lord, reinstituted its services, and the nation flourished spiritually. This period, roughly 40 years, saw Judah devoted to God. However, upon Jehoiada's death (2 Chr 24:15-16), a crucial shift occurred. The influential princes of Judah, who perhaps chafed under Jehoiada's strict adherence to the Law, came to Joash and swayed him. Joash, now older and without Jehoiada's moral authority, yielded to their counsel. This led directly to the events of verse 18: the abandonment of true worship and the reintroduction of idolatry. This reversion to paganism, prevalent in the surrounding Canaanite cultures, included the worship of fertility deities like Baal and Asherah, often accompanied by immoral practices. Such actions directly violated the fundamental tenets of the Mosaic covenant, which explicitly forbade idolatry and demanded exclusive allegiance to Yahweh, the God of Israel. This deep betrayal, especially after a period of reformation, provoked God's wrath, culminating in the subsequent invasion by the Arameans (Syrians) and Joash's ignominious end.
2 Chronicles 24 18 Word analysis
- And they left: The subject "they" refers to the princes of Judah, mentioned in verse 17, and implicitly King Joash who heeded them, leading the nation into apostasy. "Left" (Heb. עָזַב, azav) signifies abandonment, forsaking, or renouncing. It denotes a deliberate turning away from a previously held allegiance. Here, it is a spiritual abandonment of a sacred trust and covenant.
- the house of the Lord God of their fathers: This phrase carries immense weight. "The house of the Lord" (בֵּית יְהוָה, beit YHWH) refers to the Temple in Jerusalem, the designated place for Yahweh's worship, His dwelling among His people. "God of their fathers" (אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתָם, Elohei avotam) emphasizes the covenant relationship that Yahweh had established with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and carried through Moses. This highlights the magnitude of their betrayal – abandoning the covenant God of their entire heritage and national identity.
- and served groves: "Served" (עָבַד, avad) implies devotion and worship. "Groves" (אֲשֵׁרִים, asherim) here does not refer to literal trees but to cult objects, often wooden poles or stylized trees, representing Asherah, a Canaanite goddess of fertility and consort of Baal. Her worship was explicitly forbidden in the Torah (Deut 16:21). The presence of "groves" often indicated the practice of Canaanite fertility cults, which included licentious rituals.
- and idols: (עֲצַבִּים, atzabim or similar, a generic term for images, statues, or cult figures of false gods). This term encapsulates any human-made object worshipped as a deity. Together with "groves," it signifies a comprehensive adoption of pagan worship in opposition to the one true God. These were "vain things" (Psa 97:7) that could neither see nor hear nor save (Isa 44:9-20).
- and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem: "Wrath" (קֶצֶף, qetseph) denotes divine anger or indignation, leading to a just punishment or calamity. This is not arbitrary anger but a righteous response to deliberate transgression against a holy God and a broken covenant. Its coming upon both "Judah" (the kingdom) and "Jerusalem" (the capital city and symbol of national life) signifies widespread judgment.
- for this their trespass: "Trespass" (אַשְׁמָה, ashmah) signifies guilt, fault, offense, or sin, particularly in breaking a divine law or covenant. It emphasizes that the judgment was directly tied to their specific action of abandoning God for idolatry. It underlines divine justice; the consequences were a direct result of their culpable choices.
2 Chronicles 24 18 Bonus section
The apostasy described in this verse contrasts sharply with the earlier narrative of zealous Temple repair and worship under Joash's early reign, highlighting a stark illustration of human fickleness. It sets the stage for the martyrdom of Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, who confronted Joash and Judah with their sin (2 Chr 24:20-22), an act for which Jesus later held them accountable (Matt 23:35; Lk 11:51). The wrath that came upon Judah and Jerusalem specifically manifested as a relatively small Aramean (Syrian) army overcoming a large Judahite force, serving as a divine judgment against the very king and people who had forsaken God (2 Chr 24:23-24). This historical account provides a sober reflection on leadership's spiritual responsibility and the corporate consequences of spiritual decline, underscoring the vital importance of consistently cleaving to God alone, especially when foundational spiritual mentors are no longer present.
2 Chronicles 24 18 Commentary
The abrupt shift detailed in 2 Chronicles 24:18 underscores the fragility of spiritual faithfulness when not consistently nurtured by conviction and sustained by righteous leadership. Joash's initial piety, remarkable in his youth, proves dependent on Jehoiada's guidance rather than deeply rooted personal conviction. Once Jehoiada, the spiritual anchor, dies, the king is easily swayed by a new counsel, succumbing to the temptation of prevailing cultural idolatry. This tragic relapse from revival to rebellion reveals the perennial challenge faced by God's people: maintaining singular devotion amidst societal pressures to compromise. Their act of abandoning "the house of the Lord God of their fathers" and embracing "groves and idols" was not a minor deviation but a profound covenantal betrayal, provoking divine wrath. It serves as a stark warning that outward religious conformity, absent genuine heart commitment, offers no lasting shield against judgment, and indeed, deep apostasy invites severe divine recompense. The subsequent divine judgment demonstrates God's unwavering holiness and His demand for exclusive worship from His chosen people, whose national well-being was inextricably linked to their faithfulness.