2 Kings 17:10-12
They set up for themselves pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, and there they made offerings on all the high places, as the nations did whom the LORD carried away before them. And they did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger, and they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Even though the Israelites adopted the pagan practices of surrounding nations, they didn't just copy them; they adapted them to their own holy places, setting up these idols "on every high hill and under every green tree"—locations that had already been associated with Israel's worship of God. This shows how easily the sacred can be blended with the profane when our hearts aren't fully devoted.
The northern kingdom of Israel, after experiencing God's judgment through Assyrian conquest, is now filled with people practicing idolatry. This verse describes their widespread defiance, setting up foreign religious symbols and altars in prominent, natural places to worship other gods. This direct violation of God's commands for exclusive worship sets the stage for the full exile of Israel that soon follows.
Why did ancient Israelites choose to worship elsewhere? This verse points to a specific, recurring sin that angered God.
The Israelites didn't just dabble in idolatry; they built "high places" – often on hilltops or under prominent trees – for their worship of false gods. This was a deliberate choice to erect sacred spaces that directly competed with God's appointed place of worship (the Tabernacle, later the Temple).
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What were these 'pillars' and 'Asherim' that the Israelites erected? They represented something deeply rooted in the ancient world's understanding of power and life.
The "pillars" likely refer to standing stones, possibly phallic symbols, representing male fertility and strength. The "Asherim" were objects, often wooden poles or images, dedicated to Asherah, the Canaanite goddess of fertility, motherhood, and the sea.
Understand the original words
matstsebah · Hebrew Noun
Sacred stones or standing stones used in ancient Near Eastern pagan worship, often representing male deities or divine presence, prohibited in Israelite worship.
asherah · Hebrew Noun
Cultic objects representing the Canaanite goddess Asherah (often associated with fertility), which were frequently placed near altars and forbidden by the Mosaic Law.
bamah · Hebrew Noun
High places were elevated sites, often natural hills or artificial platforms, used for religious sacrifices. While originally used by the patriarchs, they became synonymous with idolatrous worship of Canaanite deities and were strictly prohibited by the Mosaic Law.
ra'ah · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
In a biblical context, this refers to acts that violate God’s moral standard, often carrying the nuance of being morally crooked or ethically abhorrent to God. It frequently describes conduct that deviates from the covenant life prescribed for Israel.
ka'as · Hebrew Verb
A common biblical phrase describing behavior that incites the righteous displeasure of God. It highlights that God is a holy being who responds with holy indignation to rebellion, covenant unfaithfulness, and idolatry.
gillulim · Hebrew Noun
An image or object used in religious worship that is not the true God. Biblically, idolatry is the supreme rebellion, replacing the Creator with a created thing, which God strictly forbids.
This verse describes the religious syncretism and idolatry that permeated Israel, a key reason the Northern Kingdom was conquered and exiled by the powerful Assyrian Empire.
c. 750 BC
Assyrian Empire's Peak Power
The Neo-Assyrian Empire began a period of aggressive expansion, becoming the dominant military and political force in the Ancient Near East.
c. 732 BC
Tiglath-Pileser III Captures Damascus
The Assyrian king conquered Aram-Damascus, a major rival to Israel, and deported many citizens, weakening the surrounding region.
c. 724-722 BC
Siege of Samaria
The Assyrian king Shalmaneser V besieged the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) for several years.
c. 722 BC— this verse
Fall of Samaria and Northern Exile
Assyria conquered Samaria, ending the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and exiled its population to various parts of the empire, replacing them with foreign colonists.
c. 722-715 BC
Assyrian Colonization of Samaria
The new Assyrian rulers populated the depopulated lands of Israel with people from other conquered territories, leading to the mixed population known as Samaritans.
c. 715 BC
Sargon II Consolidates Control
After Shalmaneser V's death, Sargon II continued Assyrian policies, further integrating the former Northern Kingdom into the Assyrian provincial system.
This passage commands the Israelites to tear down the foreign altars and pillars of the nations they are displacing, directly contrasting the command with the actions described in 2 Kings 17:10.
Jeremiah 2:20Jeremiah condemns Israel's unfaithfulness, using imagery of breaking their yoke and saying 'I will not serve' under every green tree, mirroring the idolatrous practices mentioned in 2 Kings 17:10.
Ezekiel 6:13Ezekiel prophesies judgment upon the mountains of Israel for their idolatry, mentioning the places where they offered sacrifices and burned incense on every high hill and under every fruitful tree, echoing the locations of worship in 2 Kings 17:10.
Hosea 4:12-14Hosea describes Israel's spiritual adultery, pointing to their worship under trees and their reliance on pillars as evidence of their sin, which directly relates to the idolatrous practices detailed in 2 Kings 17:10.
Even though the Israelites adopted the pagan practices of surrounding nations, they didn't just copy them; they adapted them to their own holy places, setting up these idols "on every high hill and under every green tree"—locations that had already been associated with Israel's worship of God. This shows how easily the sacred can be blended with the profane when our hearts aren't fully devoted.
The northern kingdom of Israel, after experiencing God's judgment through Assyrian conquest, is now filled with people practicing idolatry. This verse describes their widespread defiance, setting up foreign religious symbols and altars in prominent, natural places to worship other gods. This direct violation of God's commands for exclusive worship sets the stage for the full exile of Israel that soon follows.
The northern kingdom of Israel, after experiencing God's judgment through Assyrian conquest, is now filled with people practicing idolatry. This verse describes their widespread defiance, setting up foreign religious symbols and altars in prominent, natural places to worship other gods. This direct violation of God's commands for exclusive worship sets the stage for the full exile of Israel that soon follows.
"They set up for themselves pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, and there they made offerings on all the high places, as the nations did whom the LORD carried away before them. And they did wicked things, prov…" — Even though the Israelites adopted the pagan practices of surrounding nations, they didn't just copy them; they adapted them to their own holy places, setting up these idols "on every high hill and…
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