2 Kings 3:2

2 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the pillar of Ba'al which his father had made.

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 In the eighteenth year of Jehosh'aphat king of Judah, Jeho'ram the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Sama'ria, and he reigned twelve years.
2 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the pillar of Ba'al which his father had made.
3 Nevertheless he clung to the sin of Jerobo'am the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from it.
4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder; and he had to deliver annually to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs, and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.
5 But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.