2 Kings 18:4

“He removed the high places, broke the standing stones, and cut down the Asherah; and he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel had been burning incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.”
2 Kings 18:4 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

Heהוּאremovedהֵסִירthe high places,אֶת הַבָּמוֹתbrokeוְשִׁבַּרthe standing stones,אֶת הַמַּצֵּבֹתand cut downוְכָרַתthe Asherah;אֶת הָאֲשֵׁרָהand he broke in piecesוְכִתַּתthe bronze serpentנְחַשׁ הַנְּחֹשֶׁתthatאֲשֶׁרMosesמֹשֶׁהhad made,עָשָׂהforכִּיuntilעַדthoseהָהֵמָּהdaysהַיָּמִיםthe sonsבְנֵיof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלhad beenהָיוּburning incenseמְקַטְּרִיםto it;לוֹand it was calledוַיִּקְרָא לוֹNehushtan.נְחֻשְׁתָּן

Allusion · Numbers 21:9

Go to Numbers 21:9

2 Kings 18:4 tells that Hezekiah destroyed the bronze serpent that Moses had made (Numbers 21:9), because they were burning incense to it.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

נְחַשׁnejashH5175נְחַשׁnejashH5175“serpent”
נְּחֹשֶׁתnejoshetH5178נְחֹשֶׁתnejoshetH5178“bronze, copper”

2 Kings 18:4, word by word

removedהֵסִירhesir

remove

To take away something from where it was: an altar, a load, an office, loyal love.

Where else “hesir” appears

the high placesבָּמוֹתbamot

high place

An elevated site with an altar, often for other gods.

Where else “bamot” appears

brokeשִׁבַּרshibar

break

To break something to pieces.

Where else “shibar” appears

the standing stonesמַּצֵּבֹתmatsevot

standing stone

Standing stone: a stone set upright as a memorial of something, of a meeting with God or of a covenant. Later laws forbid the standing stones of Canaanite worship, which were objects of worship.

Where else “matsevot” appears

and cut downכָרַתcharat

cut down

To cut a tree or branch with an axe to get timber.

Where else “charat” appears

the Asherahאֲשֵׁרָהashera

Asherah

Asherah: a Canaanite goddess, and the pole or sacred tree that stood for her beside the altars.

Where else “ashera” appears

and he broke in piecesכִתַּתchitat

crush

To beat something to pieces.

Where else “chitat” appears

the bronze serpentנְחַשׁnechash

bronze serpent

Moses' bronze serpent.

Where else “nechash” appears

the bronze serpentנְּחֹשֶׁתnechoshet

bronze

Bronze, or things made of bronze.

Where else “nechoshet” appears

Mosesמֹשֶׁהmoshe

Moses

Moses, the man God called to bring Israel out of Egypt and through whom he gave the Law. His name sounds like "draw out" (Exodus 2:10).

Where else “moshe” appears

had madeעָשָׂהasa

make

To build or create something.

Where else “asa” appears

daysיָּמִיםyamim

time

Literally "the days": a period, an age, or the span of someone's life.

Where else “yamim” appears

the sonsבְנֵיvene

descendant

A descendant or member of a people: "sons of Israel".

Where else “vene” appears

of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael

Israel

Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.

Where else “yisrael” appears

had beenהָיוּhayu

exist

To exist: "let there be light".

Where else “hayu” appears

burning incenseמְקַטְּרִיםmekatrim

burn incense

To offer fragrant smoke to YHWH or other gods.

Where else “mekatrim” appears

and it was calledיִּקְרָאyikra

name

To give someone a name.

Where else “yikra” appears

Nehushtanנְחֻשְׁתָּןnechushtan

Nehushtan

Nehushtan. The name given to the bronze serpent made by Moses (Numbers 21:9), to which the people had come to burn incense; King Hezekiah broke it in pieces (2 Kings 18:4). The name sounds like the Hebrew words for "bronze" and "serpent."

Where else “nechushtan” appears

Translation note

The bronze serpent is the one that Moses made in the wilderness (Numbers 21:8-9). “Nehushtan” sounds in Hebrew like “bronze” and like “serpent.”

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Hezekiah begins to reign

2 Chronicles 29:1-2

An account told more fully or more briefly in one of the books.

See them side by side

2 Kings 18:1-8

¹And it happened in year three of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, that Hezekiah son of Ahaz, king of Judah, became king. ²He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Abi daughter of Zechariah. ³He did what was right in the eyes of YHWH, according to all that David his father had done. ⁴He removed the high places, broke the standing stones, and cut down the Asherah; and he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel had been burning incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan. ⁵In YHWH the Elohim of Israel he trusted; and after him there was not one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. ⁶He clung to YHWH; he did not turn away from following him, but kept his commandments that YHWH commanded Moses. ⁷YHWH was with him; wherever he went out, he acted wisely. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. ⁸He struck the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territories, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city.

2 Chronicles 29:1-2

¹Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. ²He did what was right in the eyes of YHWH, according to all that David his father had done.

The context

3He did what was right in the eyes of YHWH, according to all that David his father had done.

4 · This verse (above)

5In YHWH the Elohim of Israel he trusted; and after him there was not one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him.

Read all of 2 Kings 18

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