And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.

2 KINGS 11:18KJV
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2 Kings 11:18 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 11:18 mean?

2 Kings 11:18 describes how the people of Judah destroyed the temple of Baal, broke down its altars and images, killed Mattan the priest of Baal, and then had the priest of the LORD appoint officers over the temple of the LORD. This verse shows a dramatic turning point where the people rejected Baal worship and restored proper worship of the LORD.

This event happens after Jehoiada the priest led a revolt to protect Joash, the rightful king, from Queen Athaliah. Once Joash was crowned, the people acted together to remove Baal worship, which had been promoted under Athaliah’s rule. The verse highlights both the physical destruction of Baal’s temple and the re-establishment of order in the temple of the LORD.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 11:18

  • בֵּית (beit, "house"): This word refers to the temple or building dedicated to Baal, emphasizing that the people targeted the central place of Baal worship, not just scattered idols.
  • שָׁבַר (shavar, "brake...in pieces"): This verb means to break or shatter completely, showing the thoroughness with which the people destroyed Baal’s images and altars.
  • מַתָּן (Mattan): This is the personal name of Baal’s priest, making clear that the opposition to Baal worship included removing its religious leaders, not just its objects.
  • פָּקַד (paqad, "appointed officers"): This verb means to appoint or set in charge, indicating that the priest of the LORD took steps to restore proper oversight and order in the temple after the destruction.

Why 2 Kings 11:18 matters

  • 2 Kings 11:18 clears up that the people’s rejection of Baal worship was not just symbolic but involved real, decisive action against both the structures and leaders of that religion.
  • The verse emphasizes the role of the priesthood in restoring worship of the LORD, showing that religious reform involved both the people and their spiritual leaders.
  • This verse connects to the larger story of Joash’s rise and the end of Athaliah’s reign, marking a key moment of national religious renewal and a return to covenant faithfulness.

Where else these words appear

“Mattan” Hebrew H4977 · used in 3 verses

  • 2 Chronicles 23:17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.
  • Jeremiah 38:1 Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying,

“images” Hebrew H6754 · used in 15 verses

  • Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
  • Numbers 33:52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:
  • Psalms 73:20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

“officers” Hebrew H6486 · used in 31 verses

  • Numbers 3:32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
  • 2 Chronicles 24:11 Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.
  • Jeremiah 23:12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.

“down” Hebrew H5422 · used in 41 verses

  • Exodus 34:13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:
  • 2 Kings 10:27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.
  • Psalms 52:5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.