_and hewed down the Asherim_] An _Ashērah_ (plural _Ashērim_ and _Ashēroth_) was a wooden pole planted beside an altar as the symbol of a deity. It appears to have been a survival of tree-worship, as the _Maṣṣēbāh_ was a survival of stone-worship. The _Ashērah_ of itself did not represent any particular deity, but it could be carved to bear the symbol of any special god or goddess, e.g. of Ashtarte. (W. R. Smith, _Religion of the Semites_², pp. 186 ff.) Probably the term _Ashērah_ was used in reference to the living sacred trees, which are still common in Palestine: see the present writer’s edition of the Mishna tractate, _‘Aboda Zara_, pp. 60 f. ⁵Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun-images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. =5.= _the sun-images_] Compare xxxiv. 4; Isaiah xvii. 8, xxvii. 9. The Hebrew word (“ḥamman”) is of uncertain meaning and the supposed connection with _heat_ or the _sun_ is unsatisfactory. On the whole the evidence points to the conclusion that the “ḥamman” was a stone pillar associated with the altar, and much the same as the “Maṣṣēbāh,” the difference perhaps being that the former was artificially shaped, the latter was of natural stone (see article _Baal_ in Hastings’ _Dictionary of Religion and Ethics_, pp. 287, 288). =6‒8.= DEFENSIVE MEASURES OF ASA. From xvi. 1‒6 = 1 Kings xv. 17‒22, it appears that there was a strong and probably a reliable tradition ascribing to Asa activity in building defensive townships in Judah. It is likely that the present verses with their vague reference to strongly built cities with no mention of their number or names are only an expansion of the more precise references in xvi. 6. The Chronicler has assigned the narrative given in xvi. 1‒6 (the war with Baasha) to the close of Asa’s reign (for reasons noted under xvi. 1), and he obviously _wanted_ something to occupy the ten years of peace with which――according to his story――the reign of Asa opened. This is conveniently found in a general allusion to building and fortification. ⁶And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest. ⁷For he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us, because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. ⁸And Asa had an army that bare bucklers and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valour.