2 Kings 10:26 - Exposition

And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal ; rather, the pillars (see the comment on 1 Kings 14:23 ). It was a special feature of the Phoenician worship to represent the gods by στῆλαι or κίονες , which appear to have been conical stones, or obelisks, destitute of any shaping into the semblance of humanity. The Phoenicians acknowledged several deities besides Baal, as Ashtoreth, Melkarth, Dagon, Adonis or Tammuz, El, Sadyk, Esmun, and the Kabiri. The "pillars brought forth" may have represented some of these deities, who might all of them be "contemplar" deities with Baal; or they may have been "Baalim," i.e. forms and aspects of Baal, each the object of some special cult. And burned them. The "pillars" in this instance were probably, not of stone, but of wood.