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Selected Verse: 2 Kings 18:4 - Strong Concordance

Verse         Translation Text
2Ki 18:4 Strong Concordance He removed [05493] the high places [01116], and brake [07665] the images [04676], and cut down [03772] the groves [0842], and brake in pieces [03807] the brasen [05178] serpent [05175] that Moses [04872] had made [06213]: for unto those days [03117] the children [01121] of Israel [03478] did burn incense [06999] to it: and he called [07121] it Nehushtan [05180].
  King James He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
HE DESTROYS IDOLATRY. (2Ki. 18:4-37)

He removed the high places and brake the images, &c.--The methods adopted by this good king for extirpating idolatry, and accomplishing a thorough reformation in religion, are fully detailed (Ch2 20:3; Ch2 31:19). But they are indicated very briefly, and in a sort of passing allusion.

brake in pieces the brazen serpent--The preservation of this remarkable relic of antiquity (Num 21:5-10) might, like the pot of manna and Aaron's rod, have remained an interesting and instructive monument of the divine goodness and mercy to the Israelites in the wilderness: and it must have required the exercise of no small courage and resolution to destroy it. But in the progress of degeneracy it had become an object of idolatrous worship and as the interests of true religion rendered its demolition necessary, Hezekiah, by taking this bold step, consulted both the glory of God and the good of his country.

unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it--It is not to be supposed that this superstitious reverence had been paid to it ever since the time of Moses, for such idolatry would not have been tolerated either by David or by Solomon in the early part of his reign, by Asa or Jehoshaphat had they been aware of such a folly. But the probability is, that the introduction of this superstition does not date earlier than the time when the family of Ahab, by their alliance with the throne of Judah, exercised a pernicious influence in paving the way for all kinds of idolatry. It is possible, however, as some think, that its origin may have arisen out of a misapprehension of Moses' language (Num 21:8). Serpent-worship, how revolting soever it may appear, was an extensively diffused form of idolatry; and it would obtain an easier reception in Israel because many of the neighboring nations, such as the Egyptians and Phœnicians, adored idol gods in the form of serpents as the emblems of health and immortality.
 
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8 And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Moses [04872], Make [06213] thee a fiery serpent [08314], and set [07760] it upon a pole [05251]: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten [05391], when he looketh [07200] upon it, shall live [02425].
5 And the people [05971] spake [01696] against God [0430], and against Moses [04872], Wherefore have ye brought us up [05927] out of Egypt [04714] to die [04191] in the wilderness [04057]? for there is no bread [03899], neither is there any water [04325]; and our soul [05315] loatheth [06973] this light [07052] bread [03899].
6 And the LORD [03068] sent [07971] fiery [08314] serpents [05175] among the people [05971], and they bit [05391] the people [05971]; and much [07227] people [05971] of Israel [03478] died [04191].
7 Therefore the people [05971] came [0935] to Moses [04872], and said [0559], We have sinned [02398], for we have spoken [01696] against the LORD [03068], and against thee; pray [06419] unto the LORD [03068], that he take away [05493] the serpents [05175] from us. And Moses [04872] prayed [06419] for the people [05971].
8 And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Moses [04872], Make [06213] thee a fiery serpent [08314], and set [07760] it upon a pole [05251]: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten [05391], when he looketh [07200] upon it, shall live [02425].
9 And Moses [04872] made [06213] a serpent [05175] of brass [05178], and put [07760] it upon a pole [05251], and it came to pass, that if a serpent [05175] had bitten [05391] any man [0376], when he beheld [05027] the serpent [05175] of brass [05178], he lived [02425].
10 And the children [01121] of Israel [03478] set forward [05265], and pitched [02583] in Oboth [088].
19 Also of the sons [01121] of Aaron [0175] the priests [03548], which were in the fields [07704] of the suburbs [04054] of their cities [05892], in every several city [05892], the men [0582] that were expressed [05344] by name [08034], to give [05414] portions [04490] to all the males [02145] among the priests [03548], and to all that were reckoned by genealogies [03187] among the Levites [03881].
3 And Jehoshaphat [03092] feared [03372], and set [05414] himself [06440] to seek [01875] the LORD [03068], and proclaimed [07121] a fast [06685] throughout [05921] all Judah [03063].
13 Thou shalt tread [01869] upon the lion [07826] and adder [06620]: the young lion [03715] and the dragon [08577] shalt thou trample under feet [07429].
1 In that day [03117] the LORD [03068] with his sore [07186] and great [01419] and strong [02389] sword [02719] shall punish [06485] leviathan [03882] the piercing [01281] serpent [05175], even leviathan [03882] that crooked [06129] serpent [05175]; and he shall slay [02026] the dragon [08577] that is in the sea [03220].
1 Now the serpent [05175] was [01961] more subtil [06175] than any beast [02416] of the field [07704] which the LORD [03068] God [0430] had made [06213]. And he said [0559] unto the woman [0802], Yea [0637], hath God [0430] said [0559], Ye shall not eat [0398] of every tree [06086] of the garden [01588]?
2 And the woman [0802] said [0559] unto the serpent [05175], We may eat [0398] of the fruit [06529] of the trees [06086] of the garden [01588]:
3 But of the fruit [06529] of the tree [06086] which is in the midst [08432] of the garden [01588], God [0430] hath said [0559], Ye shall not eat [0398] of it, neither shall ye touch [05060] it, lest [06435] ye die [04191].
4 And the serpent [05175] said [0559] unto the woman [0802], Ye shall not surely [04191] die [04191]:
5 For God [0430] doth know [03045] that in the day [03117] ye eat [0398] thereof, then your eyes [05869] shall be opened [06491], and ye shall be as gods [0430], knowing [03045] good [02896] and evil [07451].
6 And when the woman [0802] saw [07200] that the tree [06086] was good [02896] for food [03978], and that it [01931] was pleasant [08378] to the eyes [05869], and a tree [06086] to be desired [02530] to make one wise [07919], she took [03947] of the fruit thereof [06529], and did eat [0398], and gave [05414] also [01571] unto her husband [0376] with her; and he did eat [0398].
7 And the eyes [05869] of them both [08147] were opened [06491], and they [01992] knew [03045] that they were naked [05903]; and they sewed [08609] fig [08384] leaves [05929] together [08609], and made themselves [06213] aprons [02290].
8 And they heard [08085] the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] God [0430] walking [01980] in the garden [01588] in the cool [07307] of the day [03117]: and Adam [0120] and his wife [0802] hid themselves [02244] from the presence [06440] of the LORD [03068] God [0430] amongst [08432] the trees [06086] of the garden [01588].
9 And the LORD [03068] God [0430] called [07121] unto Adam [0120], and said [0559] unto him, Where art thou [0335]?
10 And he said [0559], I heard [08085] thy voice [06963] in the garden [01588], and I was afraid [03372], because I [0595] was naked [05903]; and I hid myself [02244].
11 And he said [0559], Who [04310] told [05046] thee that thou wast naked [05903]? Hast thou eaten [0398] of the tree [06086], whereof I commanded thee [06680] that thou shouldest not [01115] eat [0398]?
12 And the man [0120] said [0559], The woman [0802] whom thou gavest [05414] to be with me [05978], she [01931] gave [05414] me of the tree [06086], and I did eat [0398].
13 And the LORD [03068] God [0430] said [0559] unto the woman [0802], What is this that thou hast done [06213]? And the woman [0802] said [0559], The serpent [05175] beguiled me [05377], and I did eat [0398].
14 And the LORD [03068] God [0430] said [0559] unto the serpent [05175], Because thou [0859] hast done [06213] this, thou art cursed [0779] above all cattle [0929], and above every beast [02416] of the field [07704]; upon thy belly [01512] shalt thou go [03212], and dust [06083] shalt thou eat [0398] all the days [03117] of thy life [02416]:
15 And I will put [07896] enmity [0342] between thee and the woman [0802], and between thy seed [02233] and her seed [02233]; it shall bruise [07779] thy head [07218], and thou shalt bruise [07779] his heel [06119].
3 For he built [01129] again [07725] the high places [01116] which Hezekiah [03169] his father [01] had broken down [05422], and he reared up [06965] altars [04196] for Baalim [01168], and made [06213] groves [0842], and worshipped [07812] all the host [06635] of heaven [08064], and served [05647] them.
4 Also he built [01129] altars [04196] in the house [01004] of the LORD [03068], whereof the LORD [03068] had said [0559], In Jerusalem [03389] shall my name [08034] be for ever [05769].
5 And he built [01129] altars [04196] for all the host [06635] of heaven [08064] in the two [08147] courts [02691] of the house [01004] of the LORD [03068].
6 And he caused [05674] his children [01121] to pass through [05674] the fire [0784] in the valley [01516] of the son [01121] of Hinnom [02011]: also he observed times [06049], and used enchantments [05172], and used witchcraft [03784], and dealt [06213] with a familiar spirit [0178], and with wizards [03049]: he wrought [06213] much [07235] evil [07451] in the sight [05869] of the LORD [03068], to provoke him to anger [03707].
7 And he set [07760] a carved image [06459], the idol [05566] which he had made [06213], in the house [01004] of God [0430], of which God [0430] had said [0559] to David [01732] and to Solomon [08010] his son [01121], In this house [01004], and in Jerusalem [03389], which I have chosen [0977] before all the tribes [07626] of Israel [03478], will I put [07760] my name [08034] for ever [05865]:
8 Neither will I any more [03254] remove [05493] the foot [07272] of Israel [03478] from out [05921] of the land [0127] which I have appointed [05975] for your fathers [01]; so that [0518] they will take heed [08104] to do [06213] all that I have commanded [06680] them, according to the whole law [08451] and the statutes [02706] and the ordinances [04941] by the hand [03027] of Moses [04872].
9 So Manasseh [04519] made [08582] Judah [03063] and the inhabitants [03427] of Jerusalem [03389] to err [08582], and to do [06213] worse [07451] than the heathen [01471], whom the LORD [03068] had destroyed [08045] before [06440] the children [01121] of Israel [03478].
10 And the LORD [03068] spake [01696] to Manasseh [04519], and to his people [05971]: but they would not hearken [07181].
11 Wherefore the LORD [03068] brought [0935] upon them the captains of [08269] the host of [06635] the king [04428] of Assyria [0804], which took [03920] Manasseh [04519] among the thorns [02336], and bound him [0631] with fetters [05178], and carried [03212] him to Babylon [0894].
12 And when he was in affliction [06887], he besought [02470] the LORD [03068] his God [0430], and humbled [03665] himself greatly [03966] before [06440] the God [0430] of his fathers [01],
13 And prayed [06419] unto him: and he was intreated [06279] of him, and heard [08085] his supplication [08467], and brought him again [07725] to Jerusalem [03389] into his kingdom [04438]. Then Manasseh [04519] knew [03045] that the LORD [03068] he was God [0430].
14 Now after this [0310] he built [01129] a wall [02346] without [02435] the city [05892] of David [01732], on the west side [04628] of Gihon [01521], in the valley [05158], even to the entering in [0935] at the fish [01709] gate [08179], and compassed [05437] about Ophel [06077], and raised it up [01361] a very great height [03966], and put [07760] captains [08269] of war [02428] in all the fenced [01219] cities [05892] of Judah [03063].
15 And he took away [05493] the strange [05236] gods [0430], and the idol [05566] out of the house [01004] of the LORD [03068], and all the altars [04196] that he had built [01129] in the mount [02022] of the house [01004] of the LORD [03068], and in Jerusalem [03389], and cast [07993] them out [02351] of the city [05892].
16 And he repaired [01129] the altar [04196] of the LORD [03068], and sacrificed [02076] thereon peace [08002] offerings [02077] and thank offerings [08426], and commanded [0559] Judah [03063] to serve [05647] the LORD [03068] God [0430] of Israel [03478].
17 Nevertheless [061] the people [05971] did sacrifice [02076] still in the high places [01116], yet unto the LORD [03068] their God [0430] only.
2 And he did [06213] that which was evil [07451] in the sight [05869] of the LORD [03068], after the abominations [08441] of the heathen [01471], whom the LORD [03068] cast out [03423] before [06440] the children [01121] of Israel [03478].
3 For he built up [01129] again [07725] the high places [01116] which Hezekiah [02396] his father [01] had destroyed [06]; and he reared up [06965] altars [04196] for Baal [01168], and made [06213] a grove [0842], as did [06213] Ahab [0256] king [04428] of Israel [03478]; and worshipped [07812] all the host [06635] of heaven [08064], and served [05647] them.
4 And he built [01129] altars [04196] in the house [01004] of the LORD [03068], of which the LORD [03068] said [0559], In Jerusalem [03389] will I put [07760] my name [08034].
5 And he built [01129] altars [04196] for all the host [06635] of heaven [08064] in the two [08147] courts [02691] of the house [01004] of the LORD [03068].
6 And he made his son [01121] pass [05674] through the fire [0784], and observed times [06049], and used enchantments [05172], and dealt [06213] with familiar spirits [0178] and wizards [03049]: he wrought [06213] much [07235] wickedness [07451] in the sight [05869] of the LORD [03068], to provoke him to anger [03707].
7 And he set [07760] a graven image [06459] of the grove [0842] that he had made [06213] in the house [01004], of which the LORD [03068] said [0559] to David [01732], and to Solomon [08010] his son [01121], In this house [01004], and in Jerusalem [03389], which I have chosen [0977] out of all tribes [07626] of Israel [03478], will I put [07760] my name [08034] for ever [05769]:
8 Neither will I make the feet [07272] of Israel [03478] move [05110] any more [03254] out of the land [0127] which I gave [05414] their fathers [01]; only if they will observe [08104] to do [06213] according to all that I have commanded [06680] them, and according to all the law [08451] that my servant [05650] Moses [04872] commanded [06680] them.
9 But they hearkened [08085] not: and Manasseh [04519] seduced [08582] them to do [06213] more evil [07451] than did the nations [01471] whom the LORD [03068] destroyed [08045] before [06440] the children [01121] of Israel [03478].
22 But if ye say [0559] unto me, We trust [0982] in the LORD [03068] our God [0430]: is not that he, whose high places [01116] and whose altars [04196] Hezekiah [02396] hath taken away [05493], and hath said [0559] to Judah [03063] and Jerusalem [03389], Ye shall worship [07812] before [06440] this altar [04196] in Jerusalem [03389]?
2 Only the people [05971] sacrificed [02076] in high places [01116], because there was no house [01004] built [01129] unto the name [08034] of the LORD [03068], until those days [03117].
4 And the king [04428] went [03212] to Gibeon [01391] to sacrifice [02076] there; for that [01931] was the great [01419] high place [01116]: a thousand [0505] burnt offerings [05930] did Solomon [08010] offer [05927] upon that altar [04196].
32 And it came to pass, that when David [01732] was come [0935] to the top [07218] of the mount, where he worshipped [07812] God [0430], behold, Hushai [02365] the Archite [0757] came to meet [07125] him with his coat [03801] rent [07167], and earth [0127] upon his head [07218]:
12 And they answered [06030] them, and said [0559], He is [03426]; behold, he is before [06440] you: make haste [04116] now, for he came [0935] to day [03117] to the city [05892]; for there is a sacrifice [02077] of the people [05971] to day [03117] in the high place [01116]:
13 As soon as ye be come [0935] into the city [05892], ye shall straightway [03651] find [04672] him, before he go up [05927] to the high place [01116] to eat [0398]: for the people [05971] will not eat [0398] until he come [0935], because he doth bless [01288] the sacrifice [02077]; and afterwards [0310] [03651] they eat [0398] that be bidden [07121]. Now therefore get you up [05927]; for about this time [03117] ye shall find [04672] him.
14 And they went up [05927] into [08432] the city [05892]: and when they were come [0935] into the city [05892], behold, Samuel [08050] came out [03318] against [07125] them, for to go up [05927] to the high place [01116].
10 And as Samuel [08050] was offering up [05927] the burnt offering [05930], the Philistines [06430] drew near [05066] to battle [04421] against Israel [03478]: but the LORD [03068] thundered [07481] with a great [01419] thunder [06963] on that day [03117] upon the Philistines [06430], and discomfited [02000] them; and they were smitten [05062] before [06440] Israel [03478].
30 And I will destroy [08045] your high places [01116], and cut down [03772] your images [02553], and cast [05414] your carcases [06297] upon the carcases [06297] of your idols [01544], and my soul [05315] shall abhor [01602] you.
11 Then there shall be a place [04725] which the LORD [03068] your God [0430] shall choose [0977] to cause his name [08034] to dwell [07931] there; thither shall ye bring [0935] all that I command [06680] you; your burnt offerings [05930], and your sacrifices [02077], your tithes [04643], and the heave offering [08641] of your hand [03027], and all your choice [04005] vows [05088] which ye vow [05087] unto the LORD [03068]:
12 And ye shall rejoice [08055] before [06440] the LORD [03068] your God [0430], ye, and your sons [01121], and your daughters [01323], and your menservants [05650], and your maidservants [0519], and the Levite [03881] that is within your gates [08179]; forasmuch [03588] as he hath no part [02506] nor inheritance [05159] with you.
13 Take heed [08104] to thyself that thou offer [05927] not thy burnt offerings [05930] in every place [04725] that thou seest [07200]:
14 But in the place [04725] which the LORD [03068] shall choose [0977] in one [0259] of thy tribes [07626], there thou shalt offer [05927] thy burnt offerings [05930], and there thou shalt do [06213] all that I command [06680] thee.
2 Ye shall utterly [06] destroy [06] all the places [04725], wherein the nations [01471] which [0834] ye shall possess [03423] served [05647] their gods [0430], upon the high [07311] mountains [02022], and upon the hills [01389], and under every green [07488] tree [06086]:
3 And ye shall overthrow [05422] their altars [04196], and break [07665] their pillars [04676], and burn [08313] their groves [0842] with fire [0784]; and ye shall hew down [01438] the graven images [06456] of their gods [0430], and destroy [06] the names [08034] of them out of that place [04725].
4 Ye shall not do so [06213] unto the LORD [03068] your God [0430].
21 Thou shalt not plant [05193] thee a grove [0842] of any trees [06086] near unto [0681] the altar [04196] of the LORD [03068] thy God [0430], which thou shalt make [06213] thee.
13 And the high places [01116] that were before [06440] Jerusalem [03389], which were on the right hand [03225] of the mount [02022] of corruption [04889], which Solomon [08010] the king [04428] of Israel [03478] had builded [01129] for Ashtoreth [06253] the abomination [08251] of the Zidonians [06722], and for Chemosh [03645] the abomination [08251] of the Moabites [04124], and for Milcom [04445] the abomination [08441] of the children [01121] of Ammon [05983], did the king [04428] defile [02930].
14 And he brake in pieces [07665] the images [04676], and cut down [03772] the groves [0842], and filled [04390] their places [04725] with the bones [06106] of men [0120].
1 Now the serpent [05175] was [01961] more subtil [06175] than any beast [02416] of the field [07704] which the LORD [03068] God [0430] had made [06213]. And he said [0559] unto the woman [0802], Yea [0637], hath God [0430] said [0559], Ye shall not eat [0398] of every tree [06086] of the garden [01588]?
1 Now the serpent [05175] was [01961] more subtil [06175] than any beast [02416] of the field [07704] which the LORD [03068] God [0430] had made [06213]. And he said [0559] unto the woman [0802], Yea [0637], hath God [0430] said [0559], Ye shall not eat [0398] of every tree [06086] of the garden [01588]?
1 In that day [03117] shall this song [07892] be sung [07891] in the land [0776] of Judah [03063]; We have a strong [05797] city [05892]; salvation [03444] will God appoint [07896] for walls [02346] and bulwarks [02426].
13 By his spirit [07307] he hath garnished [08235] the heavens [08064]; his hand [03027] hath formed [02342] the crooked [01281] serpent [05175].
3 And though they hide [02244] themselves in the top [07218] of Carmel [03760], I will search [02664] and take them out [03947] thence; and though they be hid [05641] from my sight [05869] in the bottom [07172] of the sea [03220], thence will I command [06680] the serpent [05175], and he shall bite [05391] them:
9 And Moses [04872] made [06213] a serpent [05175] of brass [05178], and put [07760] it upon a pole [05251], and it came to pass, that if a serpent [05175] had bitten [05391] any man [0376], when he beheld [05027] the serpent [05175] of brass [05178], he lived [02425].
8 And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Moses [04872], Make [06213] thee a fiery serpent [08314], and set [07760] it upon a pole [05251]: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten [05391], when he looketh [07200] upon it, shall live [02425].