2 Kings 3:2

2 He did what was evil in the LORD ’s sight, but not to the same extent as his father and mother. He at least tore down the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had set up.

2 Kings 3:2 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 3:2

And he wrought evil in the sight of the Lord
Was guilty of idolatry:

but not like his father, and like his mother;
his father Ahab, and his mother Jezebel:

for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made;
he did not destroy it, only removed it from the temple of Baal where it was set, that it might not be worshipped, at least publicly, see ( 1 Kings 16:31 1 Kings 16:32 ) this he did, either moved to it by his own conscience, observing the sudden deaths of his father and brother, which he might suppose was for their idolatry; or in order to obtain success in his war with Moab he was entering into; or being instigated by Jehoshaphat to do it, or otherwise he might refuse to join him.

2 Kings 3:2 In-Context

1 Ahab’s son Joram began to rule over Israel in the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twelve years.

2 He did what was evil in the LORD ’s sight, but not to the same extent as his father and mother. He at least tore down the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had set up.

3 Nevertheless, he continued in the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had committed and led the people of Israel to commit.

4 King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel an annual tribute of 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams.

5 But after Ahab’s death, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.