King James Version

2 Kings 21:3

For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

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Hebrew

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וַיָּ֗שָׁבvayashavand againשׁוּבconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and again”, the next action in the storyH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…וַיִּ֨בֶן֙vayivenand buildבָּנָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and build”, the next action in the storyH1129to build (literally and figuratively)(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).הַבָּמ֔וֹתhabamotthe heightבָּמָהdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “the height”, the ordinary formH1116an elevationheight, high place, wave.אֲשֶׁ֥רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…אִבַּ֖דibaddestroyאָבַדverb, piel, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “destroy”, a completed actionH6properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy)break, destroy(-uction), [phrase] not escape, fail, lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, [idiom] and surely, take, be undone, [idiom] utterly, be void of, have no way to flee.חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּchizqiyahvHezekiahחִזְקִיָּהnoun, proper name — “Hezekiah”H2396Chizkijah, a king of Judah, also the name of two other IsraelitesHezekiah, Hizkiah, Hizkijah. Compare H3169 (יְחִזְקִיָּה).אָבִ֑יוavivfatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.וַיָּ֨קֶםvayaqemand riseקוּםconjunction, verb, hiphil, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and rise”, the next action in the storyH6965to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)abide, accomplish, [idiom] be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, [idiom] be dim, endure, [idiom] enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, [idiom] but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (u…מִזְבְּחֹ֜תmizbechotaltarמִזְבֵּחַnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “altar”, the ordinary formH4196an altaraltar.לַבַּ֗עַלlabaalto Baalבַּעַלpreposition, with the article, noun, proper name — “to Baal”H1168Baal, a Phoenician deityBaal, (plural) Baalim.וַיַּ֤עַשׂvayaasand doעָשָׂהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and do”, the next action in the storyH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…אֲשֵׁרָה֙asherahgrove. Compare H6253אֲשֵׁרָהnoun, proper name — “grove. Compare H6253”H842Asherah (or Astarte) a Phoenician goddess; also an image of the samegrove. Compare H6253 (עַשְׁתֹּרֶת).כַּאֲשֶׁ֣רkaasheras becauseאֲשֶׁרpreposition, particle, relative — “as because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…עָשָׂ֗הasahdoעָשָׂהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “do”, a completed actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…אַחְאָב֙achavAhabאַחְאָבnoun, proper name — “Ahab”H256Achab, the name of a king of Israel and of a prophet at BabylonAhab.מֶ֣לֶךְmelekhkingמֶלֶךְnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “king”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4428a kingking, royal.יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.וַיִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ֙vayishtachvand crouchשָׁחָהconjunction, verb, hithpael, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and crouch”, the next action in the storyH7812to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God)bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.לְכָלlekhalto allכֹּלpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “to all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).צְבָ֣אtsevaarmyצָבָאnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “army”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6635a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)appointed time, ([phrase]) army, ([phrase]) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםhashamayimthe heavenשָׁמַיִםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the heaven”, the ordinary formH8064the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖דvayaavodand keep in bondageעָבַדconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and keep in bondage”, the next action in the storyH5647to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.[idiom] be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, [phrase] husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er)…אֹתָֽםotamobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Young’s Literal Translation

and he turneth and buildeth the high places that Hezekiah his father destroyed, and raiseth altars for Baal, and maketh a shrine, as did Ahab king of Israel, and boweth himself to all the host of the heavens, and serveth them.

World English Bible

For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he raised up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel did, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them.

Darby Translation

And he built again the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars to Baal and made an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

Douay-Rheims

And he turned, and built up the high places which Ezechias his father had destroyed: and he set up altars to Baal, and made groves, as Achab the king of Israel had done: and he adored all the host of heaven, and served them.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And he built again the high places, which Ezekias his father had demolished; and set up an altar to Baal, and made groves as Achaab king of Israel made them ; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐπέστρεψε καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε τὰ ὑψηλὰ ἃ κατέσπασεν Ἑζεκίας ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνέστησε θυσιαστήριον τῇ Βάαλ, καὶ ἐποίησε τὰ ἄλση καθὼς ἐποίησεν Ἀχαὰβ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραήλ, καὶ προσεκύνησε πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἐδούλευσεν αὐτοῖς.