1 Kings 15:13

¹¹ And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done.

¹² He banished the male shrine prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

He also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

¹⁴ The high places were not removed, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted to the LORD all his days.

¹⁵ And he brought into the house of the LORD the silver and gold and other articles that he and his father had dedicated.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: He also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
KJV: And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.
WEB: He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah. Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron.
ASV: And also Maacah his mother he removed from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; and Asa cut down her image, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.
DARBY: And also Maachah his mother he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol for the Asherah; and Asa cut down her idol, and burned it in the valley of Kidron.
BLB: And he removed Maacah his mother as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image of Asherah. And Asa cut down the repulsive image and burned [it] in the Valley of Kidron.

ÅB: Han avsatte endog sin mor Ma'aka fra hennes verdighet, fordi hun hadde gjort et gruelig avgudsbilde for Astarte; Asa hugg hennes gruelige avgudsbilde ned og brant det i Kidrons dal.
OTB: Og han fjernet også Maaka, sin mor, fra hennes posisjon som dronningmor, fordi hun hadde laget et støtende bilde som en Asjera; og Asa hogg ned hennes støtende bilde og brente det ved bekken Kidron.
B1930: Han avsatte endog sin mor Ma'aka fra hennes verdighet, fordi hun hadde gjort et gruelig avgudsbillede for Astarte; Asa hugg hennes gruelige avgudsbillede ned og brente det i Kidrons dal.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Exodus 32:20
Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it.
Read in context
Galatians 2:14
When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
Read in context
Deuteronomy 33:9
He said of his father and mother, ‘I do not consider them.’ He disregarded his brothers and did not know his own sons, for he kept Your word and maintained Your covenant.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 7:5
Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire.
Read in context
Galatians 2:5–6
We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 13:6–11
If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor your fathers have known,
Read in context
2 Chronicles 34:4
Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 9:21
And I took that sinful thing, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust, and I cast it into the stream that came down from the mountain.
Read in context