וַיַּעֲשֶׂ֤ה הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה רַ֕ק לֹ֥א כְאָבִ֖יו וּכְאִמּ֑וֹ וַיָּ֙סַר֙ אֶת־מַצְּבַ֣ת הַבַּ֔עַל אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה אָבִֽיו׃
Egli fece ciò che è male agli occhi del Signore, ma non come suo padre e sua madre; egli infatti rimosse la stele di Baal che suo padre aveva fatto.
From David to Destruction
In Melachim II 9:1-3, Elisha directs one of the Bnei HaNevi’im (who Chazal identify as Yonah ben Amitai) to anoint Yehu ben Nimshi as king over the Northern Kingdom. Considering the fact that Yehoram ben Achav removes the state-sponsored Avodah Zarah from the land (Melachim II 3:2), why does Elisha consider Yeihu a step forward from Yehoram ben Achav?243Asked by TABC student Ephraim Helfgot (‘20). After all, both of these kings of northern Israel fail to remove the Bamot, the forbidden altars established by Yarav’am ben Nevat in Beit El and Dan (Melachim II 3:3 and 10:29). Accordingly, what does Elisha accomplish by removing Yehoram ben Achav, and replacing him with Yeihu?