1 Kings 15:13

Contextual Overview

⁹In the twentieth year of Israel’s King Jeroboam, Asa became king of Judah, ⁹ In the twentieth year of Yarov`am king of Yisra'el began Asa to reign over Yehudah. ⁹ And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. ⁹ In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah, ⁹ During the twentieth year Jeroboam was king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah. ⁹ In the twentieth year of Jeroboam's reign over Israel, Asa became the king of Judah. ⁹So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign as king over Judah. ⁹ So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam the king of Israel, Asa began to reign as king of Judah. ⁹ And in the twentie yeere of Ieroboam King of Israel reigned Asa ouer Iudah. ⁹Now in the twentieth year of Jeroboam the king of Israel, Asa began to reign as king of Judah.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Maachah: 1 Kings 15:2, 1 Kings 15:10, 2 Chronicles 15:15, 2 Chronicles 15:16-19

his mother: Deuteronomy 13:6-11, Deuteronomy 33:9, Zechariah 13:3, Matthew 10:37, Matthew 12:46-50, 2 Corinthians 5:16, Galatians 2:5, Galatians 2:6, Galatians 2:14

destroyed: Heb. cut off, Leviticus 26:30, Deuteronomy 7:5, 2 Kings 18:4, 2 Kings 23:12-15, 2 Chronicles 34:4

and burnt: Exodus 32:20, Deuteronomy 9:21, Joshua 6:24

the brook: 2 Samuel 15:23, 2 Kings 23:6, John 18:1, Cedron

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 12:3 - and burn 1 Kings 2:37 - over the 1 Kings 18:19 - prophets of the groves 2 Kings 17:16 - a grove

Cross-References

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the LORD came to Avram in a vision, saying, "Don't be afraid, Avram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying: "Do not be afraid, Abram; I am your shield, and your reward shall be very great."

Genesis 15:1
After these things happened, the Lord spoke his word to Abram in a vision: "Abram, don't be afraid. I will defend you, and I will give you a great reward."

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram! I am your shield and the one who will reward you in great abundance."

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; Your reward [for obedience] shall be very great."

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great."

Genesis 15:1
After these things, the worde of the Lorde came vnto Abram in a vision, saying, Feare not, Abram, I am thy buckler, and thine exceeding great reward.

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying,"Do not fear, Abram,I am a shield to you;Your reward shall be very great."

Genesis 15:1
Later the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision, "Abram, don't be afraid! I will protect you and reward you greatly."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen,.... From the kingdom, as the Targum; from having any share in the government, as she might have had during his minority, his mother being dead, as some conjecture; and not only took away her power and authority, but all the ensigns of it, and perhaps forbid her the court: or he removed her from the queen, his own wife, that she might not be corrupted by her; or rather it was from presiding over the rites of the idol next mentioned, and the worshipping of it:

because she had made an idol in a grove; which had its name from horror and trembling; either because it was of a terrible aspect, or injected horror into its worshippers, or brought terrible calamities and judgments upon them: according to some Jewish writers r, it was a Priapus, of an obscene figure; and so others s, who suppose she presided over the sacred rites of this impure deity, the same with Baalpeor; and the Heathens used to place Priapus in their gardens t, to fright away birds, :-, others take it to be Pan, from whence the word "Panic", used for any great fright:

and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron: and cast the ashes of it into it, that none might have any profit by it, the gold and silver on it, and in indignation to it, see Exodus 32:20.

r T. Bab. Avodah Zarah, fol. 44. 1. s Vid. D. Herbert de Cherbury de Relig. Gent. c. 4. p. 34. Lyram in loc. t "----custos es pauperis horti", Virgil. Bucol. Ecl. 7. ver. 34. & Georgic. l. 4. ver. 110. "----furum aviumque maxima formido", Horat. Sermon. l. 1. ode 8.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Asa degraded Maachah from the rank and state of queen-mother.

The word translated “idol” both here and in the parallel passage (marginal reference), does not occur elsewhere in Scripture. It is derived from a root signifying “fear” or “trembling,” and may perhaps best be understood as “a fright, a horror.” Such a name would seem best to apply to a grotesque and hideous image like the Phthah of the Egyptians. She made it to serve in lieu of the ordinary “grove” - asherah, or idolatrous emblem of Astarte (Exodus 34:13 note). Asa cut it down, for like the usual “asherah,” Maachah’s “horror” was fixed in the ground.

And burnt it at the brook Kidron - Similarly Josiah, when he removed Manasseh’s “grove” - asherah - from the house of the Lord, brought it out to the brook Kidron, and burned it there. The object probably was to prevent the pollution of the holy city by even the ashes from the burning.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 15:13. She had made an idol in a grove — The original word, מפלצת miphletseth, is variously understood. I shall give its different views in the versions:-

"Besides, he removed his mother Maacha from being chief in the sacred rites of Priapus, and in his grove which she had consecrated." - VULGATE.

"And Ana, [other copies Maacha,] he removed from being governess, because she had made an assembly in her grove." - SEPTUAGINT.

"Moreover, he deprived Maacha, his mother, of her own magnificence, because she had celebrated a solemnity to her own worship." - SYRIAC.

"And even Maacha, his mother, he removed from the kingdom, because she had made an idol in a grove." - CHALDEE.

"Besides, he removed Maacha, his mother, from her kingdom, because she had made a high tree into an idol." - ARABIC.

"Also he removed Maacha, his mother, from the kingdom, because she had made a horrible statue; and our rabbins say that it was called מפלצת miphletseth, because מפליא ליצנותא maphli leytsanutha, it produced wonderful ridicule; for she made it ad instar membri virilis, and she used it daily." - RABBI SOLOMON JARCHI.

From the whole, it is pretty evident that the image was a mere Priapus, or something of the same nature, and that Maachah had an assembly in the grove where this image was set up, and doubtless worshipped it with the most impure rites. What the Roman Priapus was I need not tell the learned reader; and as to the unlearned, it would not profit him to know. Maachah was most likely another Messalina; and Asa probably did for his mother what Claudius did for his wife.