Removed the high places: Regarding the meaning and translation of the Hebrew term rendered high places, see the comments on 1 Kgs 3.2 and 2 Kgs 12.3. This is not to be taken as a case of moving dirt to level hills. It was, in fact, places of worship that were removed or demolished. In previous passages it is said that the high places “were not taken away” (1 Kgs 15.14; 22.43; 2 Kgs 12.3; 15.4), which renders a different form of the same Hebrew verb but adds negation.
Broke the pillars: For a discussion on the meaning and translation of the Hebrew noun rendered pillars, see the comments at 1 Kgs 14.23. It will be recalled that these objects were made of stone.
Cut down the Asherah: The Revised Standard Version rendering reflects the fact that the noun Asherah is singular in Hebrew, and this may mean that a specific wooden pole or image of Asherah was cut down. It is, however, possible to understand the singular in the sense “every sacred pole” (so Revised English Bible). The ancient versions read the plural, as do many modern translations. The original readers would have known that this refers to wooden images of a female deity whose name was Asherah. Since this is the case, it will be better to provide that information to modern readers. See the more detailed discussion at 1 Kgs 14.15 and 2 Kgs 13.6.
Broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made: The account of the setting up of this object is found in Num 21.9. This was done at a time when the people of Israel who had rebelled against Yahweh were eventually saved from punishment by looking up at the bronze serpent that Moses made following instructions from the LORD. Apparently it later became an object of worship rather than a reminder of God’s forgiveness. Therefore, it apparently needed to be destroyed along with the other pagan objects and images.
Until those days the people of Israel had burned incense to it: The words until those days indicate that the burning of incense had become a customary practice. For burned incense, see 1 Kgs 3.3. Although the text does not say so directly, it seems to suggest that the Israelites worshiped the bronze serpent. The Hebrew says simply that they burned incense to it, but the sense seems to be “the people of Israel had begun to worship it by burning incense to it” (New Living Translation).
It was called Nehushtan is literally “he called it Nehushtan.” The passive form used in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation could imply that Hezekiah gave this name to the snake made of bronze, but it is much more likely that this was a popular name that arose spontaneously among the people. In those languages where it is not possible or feasible to use a passive form in this context, an active expression should leave the subject vague. It will, for example, be possible to say something like “people called it…” or “they [indefinite] named it….”
The name Nehushtan, which does not occur elsewhere in the Bible, is apparently a play on words involving the two Hebrew terms for copper (nechosheth) and snake (nachash). But most languages will not have a way to retain the wordplay. If the translators feel it is necessary, an explanatory footnote may be added. Hobbs translates this part of the verse as “and it was nicknamed ‘The Brass Thing.’ ” Other translators may also choose to translate the Hebrew word rather than to transliterate it as nearly all other translations do.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .