richmahn_en_tn/2ki/03/01.md

# in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah

This describes the time that Joram began to reign by stating how long the current king of Judah had reigned. The meaning of this statement can be made clear. AT: "in the eighteenth year that Jehoshaphat was king of Judah" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# the eighteenth year

"the 18th year" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]])

# Joram son of Ahab

Sometimes this man is referred to as "Jehoram." This is not the same person as the man mentioned in [2 Kings 1:17](../01/17.md) named "Jehoram."

# what was evil in the sight of Yahweh

Here "sight" refers to Yahweh's thoughts or opinion. AT: "what Yahweh considers to be evil" or "what is evil in Yahweh's judgement" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# but not like his father and his mother

This compares how much evil he did to being less that the amount that his parents did. AT: "but he did not do as much evil as his father and mother had done" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])

# the sacred stone pillar of Baal

This pillar was used in the worship of Baal, though it is unknown what the pillar looked like. AT: "the sacred stone pillar for worshiping Baal" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-possession]])

# he held on to the sins

This is an idiom. Here "holding on" to something means to continue doing it. AT: "he continued to commit the sins" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])

# Nebat

This is the name of a man. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])

# he did not turn away from them

"Turning away" from something is an idiom which means to stop doing it. AT: "he did not stop committing those sins" or "he continued committing those sins" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])