¹⁶ King Asa also removed Maacah, his mother, from being queen mother. He did this because she had set up one of those awful poles to honor the goddess Asherah. Asa cut down that Asherah pole, smashed it into small pieces, and burned the pieces in the Kidron Valley. ¹⁷ Asa did not destroy the high places, even though he was faithful to God all his life.

¹⁸ Asa and his father had given some special gifts to God. Asa put these gifts of gold, silver, and other things into the Temple.