2 Kings 10:26 kjv
And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.
2 Kings 10:26 nkjv
And they brought the sacred pillars out of the temple of Baal and burned them.
2 Kings 10:26 niv
They brought the sacred stone out of the temple of Baal and burned it.
2 Kings 10:26 esv
and they brought out the pillar that was in the house of Baal and burned it.
2 Kings 10:26 nlt
They dragged out the sacred pillar used in the worship of Baal and burned it.
2 Kings 10 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 23:24 | You shall not worship their gods... but you shall utterly overthrow their images and break their pillars. | Command to destroy idols completely |
| Ex 34:13 | But you shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their Asherah poles. | Reinforces the command against pagan objects |
| Deut 7:5 | Thus you shall deal with them: you shall destroy their altars... break their sacred pillars. | Explicit instruction to demolish pillars |
| Deut 12:3 | You shall tear down their altars and break their sacred pillars... and burn their Asherah poles. | Specifies burning cultic objects |
| Lev 26:1 | You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up. | Prohibition against creating such objects |
| Judg 6:25 | ...throw down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah pole that is beside it. | Gideon destroying Baal worship |
| 1 Ki 15:13 | Also he removed Maacah his grandmother from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for Asherah... | Asa’s action against a pagan "image" |
| 2 Ki 11:18 | And all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down... | Previous destruction of Baal's temple in Judah |
| 2 Ki 18:4 | He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles... | Hezekiah’s reform destroying pillars |
| 2 Ki 23:4 | And the king commanded Hilkiah... to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the articles that were made for Baal... | Josiah's comprehensive cleansing of idolatry |
| 2 Ki 23:6 | And he brought out the Asherah pole from the house of the Lord... and burned it. | Burning of cultic objects during Josiah's reform |
| 2 Chr 14:3 | ...he took away the foreign altars and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. | Asa's reforms against idolatry |
| 2 Chr 31:1 | ...broke the sacred pillars in pieces, cut down the Asherah poles... | Hezekiah's nation-wide destruction of idols |
| 2 Chr 34:3-7 | For in the eighth year of his reign... he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images. | Josiah’s thorough purge |
| Isa 2:8 | Their land is also full of idols; They worship the work of their own hands... | Prophetic indictment against idol worship |
| Jer 10:3 | For the customs of the peoples are futile... | Folly and futility of idol worship |
| Hos 13:2 | Now they sin more and more, And have made for themselves molded images... | Condemnation of idolatry as continued sin |
| Mic 5:13 | Your carved images also I will cut off, And your sacred pillars from your midst... | Divine promise of future removal of idolatry |
| 1 Cor 10:14 | Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. | New Testament exhortation against idolatry |
| 2 Cor 6:16 | And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. | God’s people should have no fellowship with idolatry |
| Rev 21:8 | But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire... | Idolaters listed among those condemned |
| Acts 17:16 | Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. | Witnessing pervasive idolatry |
2 Kings 10 verses
2 Kings 10 26 Meaning
This verse describes a key step in Jehu’s zealous purge of Baal worship from Israel. It details the physical act of removing and destroying the sacred pillars, often called "images" in English translations, from within the primary temple dedicated to Baal. The action of burning them signifies thorough destruction and desecration, publicly affirming the renunciation of idolatry and the sole worship of the Lord.
2 Kings 10 26 Context
2 Kings chapter 10 records the meticulous fulfillment of God's judgment upon the house of Ahab and the eradication of Baal worship in Israel through Jehu. The narrative portrays Jehu, anointed king by God's command through Elisha, carrying out a divinely commissioned purge. Starting with the elimination of Ahab's descendants and Jezebel, Jehu then systematically gathers all Baal worshippers under false pretenses for a "solemn assembly" (v. 19-21) within the house of Baal itself. After confirming no true worshipper of the Lord was present, Jehu’s men proceeded to execute the Baal priests and devotees. Verse 26, therefore, follows the massacre, detailing the essential subsequent action: the destruction of the idolatrous objects to complete the religious cleansing. This act precedes the ultimate defilement and demolition of the temple itself, transforming it into a latrine (v. 27). The context underscores Jehu's zeal and the divine mandate to remove every vestige of false worship.
2 Kings 10 26 Word analysis
- And they: Refers to Jehu's loyal men or servants, acting under his direct command to execute the divine judgment against Baal worship.
- brought forth (יָצְאוּ - yāṣeʾû): This verb in Hebrew means "to go out" or "to bring out." Here, in a causative sense, it indicates a deliberate and directed removal. It suggests an active effort to remove something from its entrenched place.
- the images (מַצֵּבוֹת - maṣṣēbôt): The Hebrew word is maṣṣēbâ (plural maṣṣēbôt), translating to "standing pillar" or "sacred pillar." Unlike carved idols, maṣṣēbôt were typically unhewn stones or simple pillars, set upright as cult objects. While patriarchs sometimes erected such pillars for remembrance (Gen 28:18), in Canaanite and apostate Israelite practice, these pillars symbolized or embodied false gods like Baal or Asherah and were central to illicit cultic practices. Their presence indicated active idolatry.
- out of the house of Baal (בֵּית הַבַּעַל - bêṯ habbaʿal): This refers to the temple or cultic sanctuary specifically dedicated to the worship of Baal, likely in Samaria. This was not a private shrine but a major public center for the idolatrous cult established by Ahab and Jezebel, signifying the deep entrenchment of Baal worship within Israel. Destroying items from this central hub marked the definitive dismantling of the system.
- and burned them (וַיִּשְׂרְפוּ - wayyiśrəfû): This verb signifies destruction by fire. Burning idols or cultic objects was a prescribed method in the Mosaic Law (Deut 7:5, 12:3). It represented not just removal, but utter desecration and contempt, making the object entirely unusable and symbolically rendering it null and void of power. It signifies the irreversible destruction of the physical manifestation of false worship.
- "brought forth... and burned them": This phrase describes a methodical, two-stage process of elimination. First, the items are removed from their place of reverence within the temple, stripping them of their perceived sacredness. Then, they are destroyed by fire, emphasizing complete eradication and defilement. This reflects a comprehensive cleansing, leaving no trace for re-use or veneration.
- "the images out of the house of Baal": This highlights the specific target and source of the idolatry. The pillars were integral parts of the Baal cult within its primary place of worship. Their removal and destruction were a direct assault on the heart of Baalism in Israel, neutralizing its physical manifestations and dismantling its structure from its very core.
2 Kings 10 26 Bonus section
- The meticulous destruction of the images, and the subsequent turning of Baal's temple into a latrine (v. 27), signifies not only cessation but profound humiliation and utter contempt for Baal, turning a supposed holy place into something abhorrent and defiled, demonstrating his powerlessness.
- This act by Jehu, though brutal, was considered a righteous deed in the eyes of the Lord at this stage (2 Ki 10:30), emphasizing the extreme importance of spiritual purity and sole allegiance to YHWH in ancient Israel.
- The use of maṣṣēbôt for pagan worship is a significant theological reversal. While patriarchs like Jacob used such pillars to mark moments of divine encounter, their adoption into pagan rituals corrupted their original symbolism, necessitating their destruction when linked to false gods. This highlights how outwardly similar practices can have vastly different spiritual significances based on their object of worship.
- Jehu's thoroughness here stands in stark contrast to his later spiritual compromise, where he did not fully depart from the sins of Jeroboam, particularly the golden calves at Bethel and Dan (2 Ki 10:31). This illustrates that even commendable zeal for one aspect of God's will does not guarantee complete obedience or a fully reformed heart.
2 Kings 10 26 Commentary
2 Kings 10:26 encapsulates the uncompromising nature of God’s judgment against idolatry. Following the purge of Baal’s adherents, the deliberate destruction of the maṣṣēbôt (sacred pillars) from the temple of Baal underscored the futility of false worship. These pillars, once central to illicit Canaanite rituals, represented Baal’s supposed presence and power. By burning them, Jehu and his men were not just discarding objects; they were publicly defiling and declaring Baal utterly powerless, unfit for any reverence or use. This action was direct obedience to the Mosaic Law (Deut 7:5; 12:3) which commanded the absolute destruction of pagan religious items. It served as a stark lesson for Israel: devotion to the one true God requires the complete eradication of any rival worship or spiritual allegiance. This zealous destruction of the visible forms of idolatry demonstrated YHWH’s exclusive sovereignty and underscored the seriousness with which God views any attempt to elevate false gods in His people's midst.