For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.

2 CHRONICLES 24:7KJV
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2 Chronicles 24:7 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 24:7 mean?

2 Chronicles 24:7 explains that the sons of Athaliah, called a wicked woman, destroyed the temple of God and took the sacred items dedicated to the LORD, giving them instead to the Baalim, or idols of the Canaanite gods. This verse highlights the extent of the damage and disrespect shown to the worship of the LORD during Athaliah’s rule.

The verse is part of a historical account where leaders are discussing why the temple needs repair. Athaliah was a queen who promoted idol worship in Judah, and her sons’ actions led to the temple’s desecration. The verse shows the direct link between their leadership and the decline of true worship in Jerusalem.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 24:7

  • בָּעַלִים (baalim): This word refers to the Canaanite gods or idols. The use of the plural form shows that the sacred items were not just given to one idol but to many, underlining the widespread idolatry.
  • פָּרַץ (parats, translated “broken up”): This verb means to break down or destroy. It emphasizes that the temple was not just neglected but actively damaged.
  • קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh, translated “dedicated things”): This word refers to things set apart as holy for the LORD. The fact that these were given to idols shows a complete reversal of their intended purpose.

Why 2 Chronicles 24:7 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the decline of the temple was not just due to neglect but was a result of deliberate actions by Athaliah’s family, making the need for repair urgent and meaningful.
  • The verse connects the spiritual state of the nation to its leadership, showing how the choices of rulers can lead people either toward or away from faithfulness to God.
  • By naming the Baalim and describing the misuse of dedicated things, the verse highlights the seriousness of idolatry and the betrayal involved in turning sacred objects over to false gods.

Where else these words appear

“Athaliah” Hebrew H6271 · used in 17 verses

  • 2 Kings 8:26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.
  • 2 Kings 11:14 And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.
  • 2 Chronicles 22:11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest,(for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.

“up” Hebrew H6555 · used in 48 verses

  • Genesis 28:14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
  • 2 Kings 14:13 And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Bethshemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
  • Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

“Baalim” Hebrew H1168 · used in 68 verses

  • Judges 2:11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
  • 1 Kings 19:18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
  • 2 Chronicles 17:3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;