2 Kings 13 6

2 Kings 13:6 kjv

Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.)

2 Kings 13:6 nkjv

Nevertheless they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin, but walked in them; and the wooden image also remained in Samaria.

2 Kings 13:6 niv

But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria.

2 Kings 13:6 esv

Nevertheless, they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin, but walked in them; and the Asherah also remained in Samaria.)

2 Kings 13:6 nlt

But they continued to sin, following the evil example of Jeroboam. They also allowed the Asherah pole in Samaria to remain standing.

2 Kings 13 verses

2 Kings 13 6 Meaning

Despite a moment of divine compassion and relief granted to Jehoahaz and Israel in response to their plea, the nation failed to genuinely turn from its widespread apostasy. They continued in the idolatrous practices initiated by Jeroboam I, which had led Israel into sin, and crucially, the cultic Asherah pole remained untouched in Samaria, signifying their ongoing embrace of pagan worship.

2 Kings 13 6 Context

Chapter 13 of 2 Kings begins the account of Jehoahaz, king of Israel (the Northern Kingdom), a period marked by continuous suffering under the hand of Hazael, king of Aram. Verses 4 and 5 indicate that Jehoahaz, deeply distressed by the oppression, pleaded with the Lord. In His compassion, the Lord heard Jehoahaz and provided Israel with a deliverer (which eventually saw limited fulfillment under Jehoahaz, but greater relief would come under his son Joash later in the chapter). However, amidst this divine mercy and provisional relief from oppression, verse 6 acts as a grim interjection, highlighting that Israel's distress did not lead to true spiritual reform. It underlines that despite divine intervention, the core spiritual rebellion — established centuries earlier by Jeroboam I and now augmented by overt pagan worship (Asherah) — persisted as a defining characteristic of the Northern Kingdom. This unrepentant state explains the nation's eventual downfall described in 2 Kings 17.

Historically, the "sins of the house of Jeroboam" refers to the alternative worship system (golden calves at Bethel and Dan, non-Levitical priests, non-appointed feasts) initiated by Jeroboam I to prevent his people from going to Jerusalem for worship (1 Kings 12). This was a fundamental religious deviation that characterized every subsequent reign in Israel. The presence of the Asherah pole represented direct engagement with Canaanite fertility cults, indicating syncretism and polytheism, a direct violation of God's covenant. Samaria, as the capital, underscored the pervasive, officially sanctioned nature of this idolatry.

2 Kings 13 6 Word Analysis

• Nevertheless (וְרַק - wĕraq): This conjunctive adverb signals a strong contrast or limitation. Despite God's positive action of providing a deliverer (mentioned in v.5), Israel's spiritual state remained unchanged. It emphasizes the lack of a corresponding spiritual response to divine grace.
• they did not turn away (לֹֽא־סָרוּ֙ - lōʾ-sārū): Literally, "they did not depart" or "they did not remove." The verb expresses a definite, volitional failure to abandon their existing practices. It signifies a persistent refusal to cease their idolatrous ways.
• from the sins (מֵחַטֹּאות - mēḥaṭṭōʾōṯ): "From the specific offenses" or "from the acts of sin." The plural form suggests a comprehensive deviation from God's law, encompassing multiple aspects of their rebellion, rather than just isolated incidents.
• of the house of Jeroboam (בֵּֽית־יָרָבְעָ֔ם - bêṯ Yārāḇəʿām): This is a key phrase referring to the religious system established by Jeroboam I after the division of the kingdom. It includes the worship of the golden calves at Dan and Bethel and other innovations that directly defied God's command for centralized worship in Jerusalem. This legacy of religious syncretism defined Israel's unfaithfulness.
• with which he had made Israel sin (אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶחֱטִ֧יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בָּ֖הּ): The verb "made sin" is in the causative form (Hiphil), emphasizing Jeroboam's direct and intentional role in leading the entire nation into corporate apostasy. His actions had profound, long-lasting, and damaging spiritual consequences for generations.
• but walked in them (כִּ֥י בָּֽהּ הָלָ֑כוּ): "Indeed, in them they walked." "Walked" (הָלַךְ - hālak) here signifies their habitual manner of life, their consistent behavior, and their ingrained adherence to these sinful practices. It denotes a continuous, unrepentant embrace of their idolatry as their normal way.
• and the Asherah pole (וְגַם֙ הָאֲשֵׁרָ֔ה - wəḡam hāʾăšērâ): Asherah was a prominent Canaanite goddess, often considered the consort of Baal or El. An "Asherah pole" refers to a sacred pole or tree dedicated to her worship, typically made of wood, and often associated with fertility rites and sexual immorality in cultic practices. Its presence represented direct engagement with blatant paganism, in violation of the first and second commandments (Exodus 20:3-5).
• also remained (עָמְדָה֙ - ʿāmedāh): Literally, "stood" or "stayed." This verb highlights the enduring and undisturbed presence of the Asherah pole. It wasn't destroyed or removed during Jehoahaz's reign or immediately after God's deliverance, indicating the nation's spiritual stagnation and lack of genuine reformation.
• in Samaria (בְּשֹֽׁמְרֹֽון׃ - bəšōmrôn): The capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The presence of the Asherah pole in the very heart of the kingdom indicated official toleration, if not outright endorsement, of this severe idolatry.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam": This phrase represents the systemic and deep-seated idolatry of the Northern Kingdom. It emphasizes that despite God's dealings with them, they maintained their fundamental theological rebellion, choosing their self-made religion over God's commanded worship. This serves as a continuous, damning indictment throughout the Book of Kings against successive Israeli kings.
• "with which he had made Israel sin": This stresses the profound historical and theological culpability of Jeroboam I. His sin was not merely personal but became an inherited national condition, showing the devastating impact of corrupt leadership.
• "but walked in them; and the Asherah pole also remained in Samaria": These two clauses underscore the deep entrenchment of idolatry. "Walked in them" indicates an active, ongoing embrace of the sinful ways. The specific mention of the Asherah pole in the capital provides a concrete, egregious example of their continued apostasy, illustrating that their unfaithfulness extended beyond Jeroboam's original golden calves to full-blown pagan practices. Its presence signified the nation's unyielding rejection of their covenant God despite experiencing His mercy.

2 Kings 13 6 Bonus Section

• The enduring nature of the "sins of Jeroboam" throughout the history of the Northern Kingdom, even among otherwise righteous-appearing kings (like Jehu, who destroyed Baal worship but maintained the calves), shows the insidious power of institutionalized sin and the challenge of fully turning to God.
• The author of Kings often interjects these summary theological assessments, linking the specific actions (or inactions) of the current king to the overarching trajectory of the Northern Kingdom's apostasy, providing the theological justification for their eventual destruction.
• The divine provision of a "deliverer" in 2 Kings 13:5, even while Israel remained in sin, highlights God's patience and long-suffering nature. His mercy is often extended before final judgment, offering a chance for repentance. However, Israel's failure to reciprocate with spiritual reform tragically sealed their fate.

2 Kings 13 6 Commentary

2 Kings 13:6 stands as a stark theological indictment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It punctuates a moment of divine grace—where God, in His compassion, heard Jehoahaz's plea and provided a deliverer from Aramean oppression—with the harsh reality of Israel's spiritual failure. Despite receiving relief, the people demonstrated no lasting repentance. The verse emphasizes the continuation of two main strands of Israelite apostasy: first, the foundational "sins of the house of Jeroboam," a reference to the institutionalized syncretism of the golden calves which diverted Israel from proper worship at Jerusalem; and second, the open, unmitigated practice of direct Canaanite idolatry, specifically highlighted by the continued presence of the Asherah pole in Samaria.

The phrase "but walked in them" is crucial, signifying a sustained, habitual commitment to these practices rather than a momentary lapse. It indicates a spiritual stubbornness and an unwillingness to genuinely return to God despite the evident divine intervention in their distress. The existence of the Asherah pole in the very capital, Samaria, underscored that this was not merely private transgression but state-tolerated, pervasive idolatry. This chronic unfaithfulness, persisting despite hardship and subsequent divine favor, serves as a consistent prophetic critique throughout the book of Kings and explains why, generations later, the Northern Kingdom would face ultimate exile as divine judgment (2 Kings 17). It's a sobering reminder that God's mercy is intended to lead to repentance, and its neglect carries severe consequences.