Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
2 Kings 3:1-3
A. The Reign of Jehoram, King Of Israel, Commences (2 Kings 3:1).
The introduction to the reign of Jehoram, king of Israel, follows the usual format, with the exception that he was an improvement religionwise on his father in that he removed the ‘pillar of Baal' which his father had made. Possibly what had happened to his brother Azariah, and his brother's encounters with Elijah, had given Jehoram pause for thought, especially as Baal had clearly been unable to prevent his death. But sadly he continued in all the sins of Jeroboam and therefore continued under the disapproval of YHWH.
Analysis.
a Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years (2 Kings 3:1).
b And he did what was evil in the sight of YHWH, but not like his father, and like his mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal which his father had made (2 Kings 3:2 b).
a Nevertheless he clove to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He did not depart from them (2 Kings 3:3).
Note that in ‘a' we have details of Jehoram's reign, and in the parallel the policy he followed in that reign. Centrally in ‘b' we have the verdict on the king.
‘Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.'
Jehoram of Israel was Ahaziah's brother, and son to Ahab, and he began to reign ‘in Samaria' in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, and in the second year of Jehoram of Judah's co-regency with his father Jehoshaphat (2 Kings 1:17). Compare 2 Kings 8:16 where official co-regency is specifically implied. It would be five more years before Jehoshaphat died leaving Jehoram of Judah as sole king (2 Kings 8:16). Having two Jehorams reigning at the same time was confusing, and the confusion is added to by both also being called Joram, a diminutive of Jehoram (shortening the divine name Jeho- to Jo-). Jehoram of Israel reigned for twelve years
‘And he did what was evil in the sight of YHWH, but not like his father, and like his mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal which his father had made.'
It would appear that what had happened to his brother had intensely moved him, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. It would appear that Ahab, egged on by his wife, had added a stele of Baal (somewhat like the Milqart stele, and the ones found at Zenjirli and Hazor) to the altar and Temple of Baal. Jehoram could not in honour destroy the Temple of Baal because it was his mother's sanctuary where she worshipped her father's gods, and the pillars of Baal later destroyed by Jehu (2 Kings 10:26) were presumably hers. But he could destroy what had belonged to his father. It was at least a step in the right direction.
‘Nevertheless he clove to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He did not depart from them.'
Indeed had he then gone on to reform the worship at Bethel and Dan he might have been cautiously approved of. But he did not. He allowed that worship, and the ways that resulted from it, to continue without alteration.