2 Kings 13:6Nevertheless they didn't depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin, but walked therein: and there remained the Asherah also in Samaria.)
The setting
Samaria, capital of Northern Israel, ~798 BC. Despite miraculous deliverance, Asherah poles still stand in the city center. People worship Yahweh on Sabbath, Asherah on other days, near modern-day Nablus, West Bank.
The emotion here: heartbroken at Israel's predictable unfaithfulness
The original word
Asherah (אשרה) — wooden pole representing Canaanite fertility goddess, often carved with sexual imagery
Why it matters
Asherah worship included ritual prostitution and child sacrifice during harvest festivals
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Kings 13:6
The Asherah pole was probably visible from the palace — the king saw it daily and did nothing
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about big sins, but Asherah worship was socially acceptable — it's about the 'respectable' compromises we make.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Kings 13:6
Bible Genome reading
2 Kings 13:6 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Kings 13:6 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include persistent sin, spiritual failure, idolatry. Notable phrases: didn't depart from the sins; walked therein; remained the Asherah.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does 2 Kings 13:6 mean to you, today?
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